Unlike many forms of martial arts that have unclear histories and origins, Judo is one of the few forms of martial arts that has a clear founder and creation. Judo was conceived by Kano Jigoro (1860-1938) who was a very affluent and well-heeled Japanese educator and polymath.
Kano Jigoro’s grandfather did very well in the sake brewing business, however, Kano Jigoro’s father failed to become heir to this wealth as he was not the first born son. Kano Jigoro’s father did very well however, in spite of the lack of inheritance, he became involved and influential in the Japanese government and was a Shinto priest as well.
Kano Jigoro was a small boy, never weighing over a hundred pounds, as a result, he was often the butt of jokes and got picked on and bullied during his childhood. He sought out Judo as a result, however, none of the Judo masters or instructors would take him seriously enough to school him in the martial art. Having given up for the time, Kano Jigoro sought a major in literature at the local University, but not long after, he was accepted as a student to the prominent martial arts school who’s master was Fukada Hachinosuke.
Sadly, Fukada passed a way not much more than a year after Kano Jigoro began working with him. Kano did not give up this time, however, after having formal instruction in martial arts and sought out another school in which to study. He joined the school belonging to Iso Ma Continue reading »
Judo is a modern Japanese martial art and Olympic sport. The Japanese word Judo is translated as “gentle way.” Its most memorable feature is its competitive component. The object is to throw one’s opponent to the ground, immobilize, or subdue one’s opponent with a grappling maneuver. Or one can also force a contestant to submit by joint locking the elbow or by choking.
Strikes and thrusts as well as weapons defenses are part of judo, but only in pre-arranged forms which are called Katas. Katas not permitted in judo competition or free practice. This martial art originated in Japan in the late nineteenth century. Eventually, the philosophy and successive pedagogy developed for judo became the model for just about all modern Eastern martial arts that developed from “traditional” colleges.
The spread of Judo throughout the world has led on to the development of a number of offshoots like Sambo and Brazilian Ju-Jitsu. The history of judo is inseparable from that of its founder, the Japanese teacher Jigoro Kano. Kano was born into a wealthy Japanese family.
Small and weak as a boy, he was sometimes picked on by bullies. He initially began studying the art of Ju-Jitsu at the age of seventeen, but only met with minimal success. This was in part due to difficulties in finding a teacher who would take him on as a student. When he went to school to analyze literature at the age of 18, he continued his self-defense skills studies, ultimately gaining a Continue reading »