Taken with permission from Matsumoto, D. (1996) An Introduction to Kodokan Judo: History and Philosophy. Tokyo: Hon-no-Tomosha.

To attain a full understanding of the origin of Judo you must trace its origins through its predecessor, jujitsu. In early prehistoric Japan, primitive peoples developed techniques for throwing, striking, and grappling with other humans to assure success in contests of strength and in hunting. During the middle ages (1392 - 1582 A. D.) social stability was virtually non-existent and warlords ruled. In turn, samurai and the citizenry continued to study martial arts out of necessity. Jujitsu was among the arts studied.

The Takeuchi - style of jujitsu, under Hisamori Takeuchi, is the oldest known form of jujitsu. This particular school specialized in immobilizing the aggressor. Around 1598 other styles became popular among the samurai warriors. About 1650 in the Wakayama Prefecture, Jushin Sekiguchi taught what became known as yawara, and developed the principles of break falls (ukemi). Free-fighting (randori) was introduced in the 17th century. During this time jujitsu was still the identified primarily as a battlefield art.

The Edo period (1604-1867) was a peaceful time; however, following the adage "living in peace, but remembering war," the practice of jujitsu continued to spread. The study of classic literature (kokugaku) began to play a large role in society, and this carried over into the training halls (dojos). Consequently these dojos were not only places to refine the physical skills needed to be a good martial arts artist, but they taught mental and spiritual aspects as well. Even though each school had a separate physical regimen, they all followed the ethical code of the samurai warrior, Bushido. This manifested itself in the master-servant relationship between a teacher and his students.

By the end of the Edo period over 160 jujitsu schools thrived, including the Kito-style (which started in 1795). The Kito-style and kyushin-style were known for, and specialized in free-fighting (randori). The Yoshin-style and Tenjin Shinyo-style were known for their joint bending techniques (kansetsu-waza), striking techniques (atemi-waza) and forms prearranged (kata).

Professor Jigoro Kano was born in the City of Kobe on October 28th, 1860 and in his youth had a superlative record. Compared to his peers he had a weak body and he was small. He always wished to make his body healthy and become a strong person.

In 1870, his mother died, a young ten year old and his father, who became an officer of the Meiji Government, Jigoro Kano arrived in Tokyo from Hyogo Prefecture to continue his education. Kano studied jujitsu under Masatomo Iso and Hachinosuke Fukuda of the Shinyo-style dojo; where he learned kata (forms) and randori (free-fighting). Later, receiving guidance from Tsunetoshi Ihikubo of the Kito-style school, he learned joint manipulations, striking, and grappling. Kano also studied the teaching scrolls of various other styles to further his knowledge and understanding of the arts. Combining these styles, Kano selected only the best and most effective techniques, while eliminating the dangerous and potentially harmful ones; he formed his own art which he dubbed "Judo". In 1882 he accepted a teaching position at the Peers School (Gakushuin).

Professor Kano, at the age of 15, entered the foreign language school, and in 1877, he entered Tokyo Teikoku (Imperial) university. Professor Kano's ability in foreign languages was exceptional and in the transformation years wrote in English instead of his native Japanese. At the University, Professor Kano studied subjects such as political science, economics, moral education, and aesthetics, and during this time, he began to hold strongly the values of education - learning from others, and then teaching others.

Professor Kano was an exceptional and brilliant educator at various levels of school and university. It is, in fact, these roots that allowed Judo to have the close ties with education that it has today. He considered education to be based on three components - the education of knowledge, morality, and physical education. The education of knowledge involves the improvement of one's knowledge; the education of morality involves the fostering of one's moral awareness; and physical education involves the training of one's body.

Professor Kano in naming his art Judo, came to the conclusion that the ultimate purpose of the practice and training of Judo should be different from that of Jujitsu, although the techniques of Judo bore some resemblance to the original techniques of Jujitsu.

Professor Kano's Judo held as its goal the training of body and spirit, going beyond the 'winning-losing' or contest philosophy of Jujitsu, while recognizing the importance of training for contests.

In 1882, Professor Kano at 22 years of age established the Kodokan in Tokyo, with 9 students and an area of 22 meters (12 1/2 tatamis). At the Kodokan, there was not only the practice of actual, physical techniques, but also lectures on such topics as physiology, psychology, moral philosophy, all of which comprised Kano's Judo. He found Judo something very spectacular, and decided to dedicate his life to the spread of Judo as its teacher.

While gaining popularity, Judo had a strong opposition from the classical jujitsu schools. The strongest of the opposition was the Totsuka-style jujitsu school. During this time the Tokyo Metropolitan Police was in search of a martial art to teach its cadets during their police training. By 1886 the stage was set for a contest between Kodokan Judo and tosuka jujitsu. Two fifteen-man teams were assembled, one from each school. The outcome was decisive; Kodokan Judo won 13 out of the 15 matches, with the other two ending in draws. Judo had proven itself not only to the police, but the entire martial arts world.

In the early years there were a number of exceptionally strong Judoka, and the Four Guardians of Kodokan were Mr. Shiro Saigo, Mr. Tsunejiro Tomita, Mr. Yoshitsugu Yamashita, and Mr. Sakujiro Yokoyama.

The Kodokan grew to 107 tatamis in 1893, to 207 tatamis in 1906, to 510 tatamis in 1934 and in 1984 as a tribute to the 100th year of the Kodokan, the new International Judo Centre was built.

In this way, Kodokan Judo, which started with only 9 members, has developed into an International Sport, with a total of over 176 IJF member countries around the World.

In studying Jujitsu, Professor Kano added new techniques and various devices, and gradually systematized the techniques of Judo. Even after establishing the Kodokan, he continued to study the techniques with his students, and by the year 1887, the techniques of Kodokan Judo had reached the stage of completion. The development of new techniques itself showed Professor Kano's abilities as an educator and continuous learner.

Judo techniques can be grossly classified into three categories - throwing techniques, grappling techniques, and striking techniques. In 1885 the throwing techniques were categorized and known as Go Kyou No Waza. After long practice the grappling techniques also enjoyed considerable development. The striking techniques are dangerous techniques involving striking and kicking, and because of that was mainly practiced in the form of Kata. The reservation of the practice of these techniques in Kata only, reflected Professor Kano's wish to keep the main practice of Judo safe. This signalled the difference in the goals and overall philosophy of Kodokan Judo as opposed to Jujitsu.

Kata is a method of studying the techniques of Judo via prearranged orders and methods. Randori (free practice) is a method of studying Judo via actual offense and defense applied during free movements with an opponent. Professor Kano considered both methods as important to the practice and study of Judo. Many of the most skillful Judoists in randori were also proficient in Kata. In Judo, the practice of Kata is likened to the study of grammar in language, while randori is likened to free flowing conversation. The six Katas are; Nage-no Kata, Katame-no Kata, Kime-no Kata, Ju-no Kata, Koshiki-no Kata, and Itsutsu-no Kata

From the period of Jujitsu, it was said that the fundamental principle of matches was "not going against the strength of one's opponent, but rather to beat them by using their strength". This was called the principle of gentleness (yawara no ri), and is the same fundamental principle of Judo. However, Professor Kano did not limit the goals of Judo to contests. This was because he emphasized the training of one's spirit in combination with concrete physical training. Therefore, it was necessary to accept a new principle that would accommodate the mental and spiritual aspects as well.

There, he began to use a phrase, "the most effective use of one's spiritual and physical strength" (Seiryoku Zenyou) as an expression that exemplified both the mental and physical aspects of Judo. This became the new principle of Judo.

In Professor Kano's mind, Judo and education were one and the same. This was because both could be used to foster the development of people. He considered the goals of Judo to revolve around three aspects: physical education, contests, and ethics. In other words, through the practice of Judo, one would complete one's development through the training of body and mind, and would become a person that contributes to society and the World (Jita Kyouei).

Professor Kano said, because Japan has always learned about various things from the rest of the World, Japan should teach the rest of the World something. He saw Judo as something that Japan could give back to the World and recognized Japan's obligations and commitments as a part of the global society. He tried to foster the same philosophy on the part of individuals within society. In Japan, he invited university professors and ambassadors from abroad whenever he had a chance, and worked hard to introduce Judo through lectures or actual demonstrations. Professor Kano tried during his trips abroad to spread Judo in many countries of Europe, the Americas, and Asia, and to open the door for "Judo of the World".

The first All Japan Judo Championship was held in 1930 with no weight, age or rank restrictions contribute to its unrivaled reputation. This Championship continued until 1941 and was disrupted by the Second World War and was revived in 1948. The All Japan Judo Championships continues every year for the top Judo players in Japan, like Mr. Yasuhiro Yamashita, who won the Championships nine consecutive times.

In 1934 his plans to form the International Judo Federation were close to becoming a reality. Those plans were interrupted with his death in 1938. In 1951 the International Judo Federation (IJF) was formed and Japan became a member in 1952 with Mr. Risei Kano becoming the President. The IJF has 176 member countries and it is consistently ranked as one of the most popular sports activities, not only as a sport, but also as a discipline.

Five years after the formation of the International Judo Federation, the first World Judo Championships was held in 1956 in Tokyo, Japan with 31 contestants and 21 countries. The winner of the Championships was Mr. Shokichi Natsui. The Second World Judo Championships was also held in Tokyo, Japan in 1958 with Mr. Yasuji Sone the winner. The Third World Judo Championships was held in Paris, in 1961 with 57 contestants and 25 countries. At this World Championship Mr. Anton Geesink defeated Mr. Yasuji Sone to become the winner. From the Fourth Championships, the event included weight divisions, and came to be held every two years. The 1995 World Judo Champions for men and women saw 625 contestants from 100 different countries competing.

The decision to make Judo an official Olympic event came in 1960 at the International Olympic Committee (IOC) meeting in Rome, 26 years after Professor Kano's death. In the 1964 Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan, Judo had 74 contestants from 27 countries participating. Competition was held in four weight divisions: lightweight, middleweight, heavyweight, and open weight. Japanese Judoist won 3 out of the 4 divisions with Mr. Anton Geesink defeating Mr. Akio Kaminaga in the open division.

The first All Japan Women's Judo Championships was held in 1978. The first World Women's World Judo Championships was held in New York, USA in 1980 with 27 countries competing. From 1987 in Essen, Germany, the World Judo Championships included both men and women in the Championships. Women's Judo was accepted formally as an Olympic event at the 25th Olympiad in Barcelona, Spain in 1992.

The true purpose of Judo, as originally developed by Professor Kano, were the following three things:

Training your body

Judo involves physical exercise using the muscles of your entire body. Therefore, you should be able to develop all of the muscle areas equally, from the tips of your fingers and toes to your arms, legs, upper, and lower body.

Learning to Beat Opponents

"Beating opponents not by going against their strength, but rather using their strength against them" is one of the basic principles of Judo.

Fostering an Superior Personality and Engaging in Proper Behaviour

Professor Kano emphasized this third aim of Judo above all others. He always taught that as a Judo person, you would have to value the following kinds of moral qualities:

The Spirit of Judo and Everyday Life

It is very important to apply what you have learned in Judo - correct manners and etiquette, fair-mindedness, self control, and benevolence toward others - in your daily life as well. The physical activities of technical Judo serves as the basis for applying much of what you learn in your everyday life. Judo instructors guide their students' not only in their technical abilities related to physical skills, but also in relation to their behaviours, treatment of others, and overall general attitude, both inside and outside the dojo. Thus, Judo instructors play an extremely large role in their students' development outside of the family. Students model their instructors' behaviours and attitudes. For this reason, Judo instructors carry a heavy burden, not only in terms of teaching technique, but in terms of developing future citizens of our society.

The world of Judo has its own special manners specific to Judo. In Judo, correct etiquette and manners, and benevolence toward others are included in the purpose of Judo. And, in Kodokan Judo, the bow is so important that there is a saying, "Judo begins with a bow, and ends with a bow". The reason why the bow is so important in Judo is because it symbolizes many of the aspects of Judo that we have been discussing so far. For example, it symbolizes a degree of respect for your opponents. In lowering your head to them, you offer your training partners, and even your opponents, respect for them as fellow humans. The bow symbolizes your humility, and appreciation. It is very important to perform the bow properly and with the proper feelings of respect, humility, and appreciation that should be associated with it. Thus, the proper bow, with the proper direction of the gaze, embodies this spirit of sportspersonship, honour, and trust, and are commitment to your feelings of respect, appreciation, and humility.

The colour white has had a special, symbolic meaning in Japanese culture for centuries. The Japanese people have generally considered the color of white to reflect cleanliness and sacredness since ancient times. Therefore, the white Judogi has probably come to be considered the most appropriate color of apparel to wear. The second reason is the white Judogi was the natural choice of material with which to produce Judogis since the start of Judo. Being made of cotton, the material was strong, natural, and inexpensive.

It was in 1909, when Japan received an invitation for participation on the Directing Committee of the IOC from the father of the modern day Olympics, Baron de Pierre Coubertin, that Professor Kano was chosen as Japan's representative. In 1911 the Japan Amateur Athletic Association was founded, and Professor Kano was installed as the first President.

Japan participated in the 5th Olympic Games in Stockholm, Sweden in 1912. In the last 10 years Professor Kano travelled abroad 7 times for the Olympics and the IOC meetings. He turned all his energies into the Internationalization of sports in Japan.

In 1938 in Cairo, it was decided to hold the 12th Olympic Games in Tokyo, Japan in 1940, but because of the war they were cancelled. Not until the 18th Olympic Games in 1964, held in Tokyo, Japan, was Judo included for the first time in the Olympics.

Professor Kano died on May 4th, 1938, at the age of 79 on his way home from Cairo, Egypt through Canada and the USA.

Things to Keep in Mind When in the Dojo

It is important to keep in mind the following things when inside the dojo.

The Regulation of Kodokan Ranks and Promotions

The standards for qualifying for rank promotions are recorded in considerable detail, and their basic points include the following:

The specification of the rank promotion system is meant to encourage the improvement of your character and nature through the moral training of Judo. Rank advancement should signify not only technical proficiency, but your level of advancement in issues of morality and character development, and contributions to society, community, and the greater world around you.

Points to Consider When Practicing Judo

The things you should keep in mind when practicing are as follows.

For hygiene and sanitation it is important to remember the following.

Points to Focus on About Posture

It is important not only to focus on the technical aspects of Shizentai and Jigotai, but it is also important to focus on your feelings when in these postures. Because Shizentai is the basic and most fundamental posture of Judo, you should focus on calm, stable feelings when practicing Judo. These feelings will allow you to relax your arms, legs, and torso, and move more freely and flexibly. In addition, this flexibility will allow you to have more speed and agility. While Jigotai is necessary in Judo, you should always remember that it is only a temporary posture to use when defending your opponents attack. Thus, Shizentai and Jigotai have important consequences for the feeling that are fostered when practicing Judo. Over the long run, these can become stable parts of your personality. Practicing in Shizentai, and adopting the positive feelings associated with it, are entirely congruent with the true purposes of Judo.

Special Points About Gripping

It is important always to try to stay in Shizentai posture and use basic, Shizentai gripping when learning Judo. This is the most important posture and gripping pattern that will aid in the development of your Judo skills. This type of basic practice is also important for advanced players, and instructors alike should not succumb to the pressure of relying on unorthodox type of gripping and posturing when practicing. Like other students at all other levels, advanced students and instructors alike should polish their Judo skills with basic posture and fundamental gripping.

Kuzushi

Kuzushi is that you bring your opponent's body to an unstable or unbalanced position. Kuzushi occurs in one of two basic ways - either by pushing or pulling your opponent. There are eight directions of breaking balance.

Tsukuri

Tsukuri is a term used to denote the moment and position that exists when you have broken your opponent's balance so that it is easy to apply a throwing technique, while at the same time you have positioned yourself in the proper position to throw.

Kake

Kake is the Japanese term denoting the actual application or entry phase of a technique. Therefore, it refers to the fact that you have applied a throwing technique at the very moment that you have broken your opponent's balance and created the proper position for yourself as well.

In this fashion, Tsukuri and Kake are not separate movements, but instead are continuous movements that should occur simultaneously. If this does not occur in this continuous fashion, you cannot even begin to consider the effectiveness of your technique. The most important aspects of your technique are the way you apply the technique and the timing.

Nage

Nage is the Japanese term that refers to the actual throwing aspects of the technique. As such, it refers to the actual lifting or reaping movements associated with each technique. When applied Kuzushi and Tsukuri correctly, Judo techniques do not require much exertion of strength. Also, you should be using your entire body to complete the throw.

Kime

Kime refers to the completion of the technique, where the technique ends decisively. That is, it is not sufficient just to enter and throw your opponent down. You must guide your opponent down forcefully and confidently so that the technique is decisive. In practice, you should always try to remain standing when completing your throwing technique. But, you should not let go of your opponent. Rather, you should guide them to the ground with both hands.

Bowing - The Highest Form of Respect

Judo manner and etiquette makes our sport different from other Olympic Sports and must be followed by everyone who does Judo.

Bowing is an expression of respect, humility and gratitude when done seriously, with a polite mind, before and after, coming on to the practice area, to the instructors, to each other (practice, kata and competition). In effect, you are thanking the founder of Judo, Professor Kano, your instructors, and your opponent for giving you the opportunity to learn and improve your techniques. Also, to respect the rules and philosophy of Judo. Another way Bowing maybe stated is expressing our state of mind, vis, that we strive for perfection in the technique and practice of Judo, so the contestants must respect each other and to respect yourself.

Thus, the proper bow, with the proper direction of gaze, embodies this spirit of sportspersonship, honour, and trust, and are concomitant to your feelings of respect, appreciation, and humility.

Thus, it is important that each coach, trainer, referee and student understand the importance to the Bow and to ensure that the manner and etiquette are strictly followed.