| The early history of judo is inseparable from | | | | canons of Kito-ryu and Tenjin Shin'yo-ryu; |
| its founder, Japanese polymath and educator | | | | full of new ideas, in part as a result of his |
| Kano Jigoro (Kano Jigoro, 1860–1938). | | | | education, Kano had in mind a major |
| Kano was born into a well-to-do Japanese | | | | reformation of jujutsu, with techniques based |
| family. His grandfather was a self-made man; | | | | on sound scientific principles, and with |
| a sake brewer from Shiga prefecture in | | | | focus on development of the body, mind, and |
| central Japan. However, Kano's father was not | | | | character of young men in addition to |
| the eldest son and therefore did not inherit | | | | development of martial prowess. At the age of |
| the business. Instead, he became a Shinto | | | | 22, just about to finish his degree at the |
| priest and government official, with enough | | | | University, Kano took 9 students from |
| influence for his son to enter the second | | | | Iikubo's school to study jujutsu under him at |
| incoming class of Tokyo Imperial University. | | | | the Eisho-ji, a Buddhist temple. Although two |
| | | | years would pass before it would be called by |
| Kano was a small, frail boy, who, even in his | | | | that name, and Kano had not yet been accorded |
| twenties, did not weigh more than a hundred | | | | the title of "master" in the Kito-ryu, Iikubo |
| pounds, and was often picked on by bullies. | | | | would come to the temple to help teach three |
| He first started pursuing jujutsu, at that | | | | days a week, this was the founding of the |
| time a flourishing art, at the age of 17, but | | | | Kodokan or "place for teaching the way." |
| met with little success. This was in part due | | | | |
| to difficulties finding a teacher who would | | | | The word "judo" is composed of two ideograms: |
| take him on as a serious student. When he | | | | "ju" (?), which means gentleness, and "do" |
| went off to the University to study | | | | (?), way or road (the same character as the |
| literature at the age of 18, he continued his | | | | Chinese "tao"). Thus Judo literally means |
| martial studies, eventually gaining a | | | | "the gentle way", or "the way of giving way", |
| referral to Fukuda Hachinosuke | | | | and may also be defined as "the way of |
| (c.1828–c.1880), a master of the | | | | suppleness", "the way of flexibility, or "the |
| Tenjin Shin'yo-ryu and grandfather of noted | | | | way of adaptability". To English speakers, |
| judoka Keiko Fukuda (Fukuda Keiko, born | | | | Judo and Jujutsu would mean "the easy way", |
| 1935), who is one of Kano's oldest surviving | | | | as in the easiest way to accomplish |
| students. Fukuda Hachinosuke is said to have | | | | something. Judo takes from jujutsu ("gentle |
| emphasized technique over formal exercise, | | | | art") the principle of using one's opponent's |
| sowing the seeds of Kano's emphasis of or | | | | strength against him and adapting well to |
| free practice (randori) in judo. | | | | changing circumstances. For example, if the |
| | | | attacker was to push against his opponent he |
| A little more than a year after Kano joined | | | | would find his opponent stepping to the side |
| Fukuda's school, Fukuda became ill and died. | | | | and allowing (usually with the aid of a foot |
| Kano then became a student in another Tenjin | | | | to trip him up) his momentum to throw him |
| Shin'yo-ryu school, that of Iso Masatomo | | | | forwards (the inverse being true for |
| (c.1820–c.1881), who put more emphasis | | | | pulling). Kano saw jujutsu as a disconnected |
| on the practice of pre-arranged forms (kata) | | | | bag of tricks, and sought to unify it |
| than Fukuda had. Through dedication, Kano | | | | according to some principle; he found it in |
| quickly earned the title of master instructor | | | | the notion of "maximum efficiency". Jujutsu |
| (shihan) and became assistant instructor to | | | | techniques which relied solely on superior |
| Iso at the age of 21. Unfortunately, Iso soon | | | | strength were discarded or adapted in favour |
| took ill, and Kano, feeling that he still had | | | | of those which involved redirecting the |
| much to learn, took up another style, | | | | opponent's force, off balancing the opponent, |
| becoming a student of Tsunetoshi Iikubo of | | | | or making use of superior leverage. In "Mind |
| Kito-ryu. Like Fukuda, Iikubo placed much | | | | Over Muscle", a compilation of Kano's |
| emphasis on free practice; on the other hand, | | | | writings, the concept of "maximum efficiency" |
| Kito-ryu emphasized throwing techniques to a | | | | was extended into daily life and evolved into |
| much greater degree than Tenjin Shin'yo-ryu. | | | | "mutual prosperity". He saw Judo as a means |
| | | | to governing and improving oneself |
| By this time, Kano was devising new | | | | physically, mentally, emotionally and |
| techniques, such as the "shoulder wheel" | | | | morally.[1] In this respect Judo was seen as |
| (kata-guruma, known as a fireman's carry to | | | | a holistic approach to life extending well |
| Western wrestlers who use a slightly | | | | beyond the confines of the dojo. In the book |
| different form of this technique) and the | | | | there is much discussion of the application |
| "floating hip toss" (uki goshi). His thoughts | | | | of Judo philosophy to education - another of |
| were already on doing more than expanding the | | | | Kano's great interests. |