Judo History
Professor Jigoro Kano, 1860-1938
The founder of Judo, Jigoro Kano, was born in 1860. He graduated with a degree in literature from Tokyo Imperial University in 1881 and took a further degree in philosophy the following year. Not only was Kano the founder of Judo but he was also a leading educationalist and a prominent figure in the Japanese Olympic movement.
Judo - The formative years
By 1883, Kano had clarified his analysis of ju-jitsu and related methods to the point at which he felt able to instruct the public through a school of his own. To that end he borrowed a small room at Eishoji temple and opened the first Kodokan for the study of Kano judo.Jigoro KanoA number of machi dojo (backstreet gyms) decided that the Kodokan was conceited and ought to be put in its place. They visited its premises and caused damage so that if honour were to be satisfied a challenge match would have to be arranged. At such matches the Kodokan was represented by Sakujiro Yokoyama, the outstanding player of his day, and the result was invariably a win for Kano judo.
To gain acceptance from the provinces Kodokan representatives travelled all over Japan giving lectures and demonstrations on the principles behind the new method. The finale of these lectures was a contest, with limb locks and striking excluded, between the Kodokan lecturer and a member of the local training school. A particularly important match took place in 1886 to decide which system of ju-jitsu should be approved for use in military academies, police departments and public schools. The 15 strong male Kodokan team defeated all opponents and judo became a government approved sport.
Judo and the "Rest of the World"
Judo entered many countries from 1902 to the 1930's. In the United States judo gained an early foothold because of the interest shown by President Theodore Roosevelt. As an expression of goodwill Kano sent Yoshiaki Yamashita, a high ranking member of the Kodokan, to America in 1902 to be his personal instructor. Roosevelt trained regularly , if clumsily and in due course a room was set aside at the White House for judo purposes. It was thirty-odd years, however, before an American reached dan grade in the USA itself. Clubs were set up in Seattle in 1903 and Los Angeles in 1915. Brisbane Judo Club was the first founded in Australia in 1928 by Dr A J Ross, a Kodokan dan grade. Judo later reached New Zealand via Australia in 1948 when G Grundy, a 2nd Dan from the Budokwai, opened a club in Auckland.The most successful "newcomer" so to speak is the USSR. Strictly speaking a form of judo has been practised in the Soviet Union since about 1930. The Russians practice a wrestling system called Sambo. This is a synthesis of many different wrestling systems, however because of the absence of international competition outside of the USSR, the Russians turned their attention to judo. In 1962 a Soviet judo team comprising Sambo men in judo suits collected five medals at the European Judo Championships. Sambo is a close cousin of judo, but it lacks the same conceptual framework. It can be seen as an implied compliment that the Russians have stepped up considerably the emphasis on judo during recent years.
We have given above a very brief history of judo. For a fuller version of the history of judo and an excellent all round judo read try The Judo Manual by Tony Reay and Geoffrey Hobbs.
What is Judo?
Judo is a sport for all.Judo has its roots in ju-jitsu which goes back many centuries in Japanese history when is was a brutal and often lethal method of self defence and unarmed combat. Judo was established as a modern physical activity in 1882, when Professor Jigoro Kano founded his Kodokan Judo. The founder of Judo Jigoro Kano was born in 1860, he graduated with a degree in literature from Tokyo Imperial University in 1881 and took a further degree in philosophy the following year. Not only was Kano the founder of Judo but was also a leading educationalist and a prominent figure in the Japanese Olympic movement.
Responsible for education, he was aware that physical education in his country at that time was sadly lacking.
By 1883, Kano had clarified his analysis of ju-jitsu and related methods to the point at which he felt able to instruct the public through a school of his own. To that end he borrowed a small room at Eishoji temple and opened the first Kodokan for the study of Kano judo.
Jealous ju-jitsu masters began to question this system,so to gain acceptance from the provinces Kodokan representatives travelled all over Japan giving lectures and demonstrations on the principles behind the new method. The finale of these lectures was a contest, with limb locks and striking excluded, between the Kodokan lecturer and a member of the local training school. A particularly important match took place in 1886 to decide which system of ju-jitsu should be approved for use in military academies, police departments and public schools. The 15 strong male Kodokan team defeated all opponents and judo became a government approved sport.
