Mitsuyoshi Hayakawa

Main Achievements

• 3x All Japan Champion — Conquered the premier domestic circuit across multiple seasons (1998, 1999, 2002).
• 1st Place — Rio de Janeiro State Championship (2002)
• Historical Pioneer Milestone — Celebrated as the first Japanese athlete in history to receive a BJJ black belt directly from Alliance co-founder Master Alexandre “Gigi” Paiva.
• Legendary Showdown Victory — Secured his standing at the top of the nation’s ranks in 2002 by defeating the iconic Yuki Nakai at the All Japan tournament.

Overview

Mitsuyoshi Hayakawa is widely regarded as one of the premier pioneering grappling instructors in Japan and a defining cornerstone of the country’s modern Jiu-Jitsu landscape. Graduating from a stellar competitive run that pitted him against the nation’s earliest combat icons, Hayakawa turned his sharp, innovative technical principles toward pedagogy. As the founder of the globally recognized Tri-Force Jiu-Jitsu Academy network, his structured, sophisticated curriculum revolutionized Asian grappling development, producing generations of world-class black belt technicians.

Biography & Martial Arts Beginnings

Mitsuyoshi Hayakawa was born on September 21, 1975, in Toshima-ku, Tokyo, Japan. Uniquely, Hayakawa had no prior background in physical fitness, athletics, or traditional martial arts before discovering Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu in 1996. He began formal training at the age of 21 under Naoyuki Taira at the Seido Kaikan Dojo, which housed one of the first jiu-jitsu classes in Japan.

His obsession with the sport immediately manifested as tactical dominance on the mat. Known in local circles for an intensely creative style frequently dubbed the “techniques toy box,” Hayakawa quickly climbed the ranks and proved to be an unmatched force in Japan’s colored belt circuit, capturing the All Japan Open title two years consecutively.

The Brazilian Immersion and Historic Promotion

Driven to test his limitations against the absolute best in the world, Hayakawa took it upon himself to travel abroad in 2000, immersing himself full-time in the historic epicenter of the sport in Brazil. He joined the world-renowned Alliance academy headquarters in Rio de Janeiro under the elite guidance of master Alexandre “Gigi” Paiva.

His rigorous work ethic and technical sharpness culminated in November 2002. Following his clinical gold-medal performance at the Rio de Janeiro State Championship, Master Paiva promoted him to black belt on the mats—making Hayakawa the first Japanese athlete in history to receive a black belt from the prestigious Alliance co-founder. Upon returning to Japan that same month, he cemented his status as the nation’s top lightweight competitor by winning a legendary, high-profile match against Japanese martial arts pioneer Yuki Nakai.

The Tri-Force Empire & Lasting Legacy

In 2004, Hayakawa fulfilled his ultimate professional vision by founding the Tri-Force Jiu-Jitsu Academy in Tokyo. Under his direct executive and technical leadership, Tri-Force expanded from a single flagship room into an absolute powerhouse network across Japan and international borders. The academy became globally renowned for its highly organized, safe, and deeply technical curriculum layout.

As a head coach, Professor Hayakawa systematically developed multiple generations of elite Japanese talent, including world-class roosterweight champion Koji Shibamoto and standout grappler Nobuhiro Sawada. Certified as a 5th-degree black belt—becoming only the second Japanese practitioner to reach the rank after Yuki Nakai—Hayakawa remains an irreplaceable master educator, self-defense curator, and ambassador for elite-tier sport grappling.