 In 1903 , a senior Kodokan instructor named Yamashita <unk> traveled to the United States at the request of the Seattle businessman Sam Hill . In Washington , DC , Yamashita 's students included Theodore Roosevelt and other prominent Americans . At Roosevelt 's request , Yamashita also taught judo at the US Naval Academy . <unk> on the publicity , the Japanese <unk> in the USA asked the Kodokan to send more judo teachers to America , providing continuity to Yamashita 's work . Tomita <unk> accepted the task ; Maeda and Satake embraced the opportunity . 
