In November 1972, following a letter campaign against the rule prohibiting women from being promoted higher than 5th "dan", Fukuda (together with her senpai Masako Noritomi (1913–1982)) became the first woman promoted to 6th "dan" by the Kodokan. According to Fukuda, "the Kodokan was old fashioned and sexist about belts and ranks". In 1973, she published "Born for the Mat: A Kodokan kata textbook for women", an instructional book for women about the "kata" (patterns) of Kodokan judo. In 1974, she established the annual Joshi Judo Camp to give female judo practitioners the opportunity to train together. That year, she was one of only three women in the world ranked 6th "dan" in judo.