| The history of judo makes a fascinating study. Soon | | | | in achieving "mutual welfare and benefit." He wanted a |
| after the end of the Tokugawa period in Japan, the | | | | system that would be rational and logical and would |
| Restoration period was in progress, and the old forms | | | | develop the potential of the student's real personality. |
| of hand-to-hand combat were replaced by weapons | | | | The do of the word judo symbolizes this philosophy. |
| of steel. The masters of the jujitsu art were dismissed | | | | In 1882 Dr. Kano formed his system and called it "judo," |
| from service to their feudal lords, and many turned to | | | | the word which has now superseded the term "jujitsu." |
| public showmanship as a means of making a living. | | | | The final step in the history of judo came when he |
| The natural result was a degradation of the art. | | | | founded the Kodo-kan in Tokyo, the institution that was |
| About this time, an eighteen-year-old student, soon to | | | | to become the mecca of judo. The name Kodokan is |
| become famous among Japanese educators, began | | | | made up of three words: ko, meaning "to preach," do, |
| his practice of jujitsu under the instruction of Professor | | | | meaning "way," and kan, meaning "hall." |
| Hachinosuke Fukuda, the eminent master of the Tenj | | | | Dr. Kano explained the new art of judo by pointing out |
| in Shinyo-ryu school. The student, who was to become | | | | that "gentleness means giving way until the right |
| the founder of judo, was Jigoro Kano. After the death | | | | moment arrives"; that is, not to oppose the brute force |
| of Professor Fukuda, Dr. Kano trained under the new | | | | of your opponent and thus to be defeated, but to |
| master of that school, Professor Masatomo Iso. Death | | | | utilize this force to your own advantage. |
| soon took Professor Iso, however, and Dr. Kano | | | | Suppose that your opponent has a total force of ten |
| transferred to the Kito-ryu school to study under | | | | units, while yours is equal to three. If he pushes toward |
| Professor Tsunetoshi Iikubo. | | | | you with a force of seven units and your force equals |
| Dr. Kano began to study jujitsu because of his respect | | | | only three, it is futile for you to try to oppose his force, |
| for the prowess of his masters, but he soon began to | | | | for it will overcome you. But if you give way and |
| thirst for a mental knowledge that was lacking in their | | | | harmonize your force of three units with his attacking |
| teachings. He began to look for the secrets behind the | | | | force of seven, you automatically acquire a force of |
| superior expert control that the professors had | | | | ten units. |
| mastered. He theorized that there would be greater | | | | Now you can defeat him because you can overcome |
| value in combining the various schools and their | | | | his force of seven units with yours of ten. It can thus |
| techniques into one standard system: one that could | | | | be appreciated that judo is a highly valuable science as |
| be adopted as a physical education program for | | | | well as an art. |
| schools and would at the same time embody mental | | | | When you seek it, you cannot find it. Your hand cannot |
| culture as well as physical skill. | | | | reach it Nor your mind exceed it. When you no longer |
| In addition, jujitsu could be practiced as a competitive | | | | seek it, It is always with you. |
| sport if the more dangerous techniques were omitted. | | | | Zen proverb |
| This mastery of mental culture could thus produce a | | | | The key to the fascinating history of judo cannot be |
| pattern of subconscious behavior that would be useful | | | | better summarized than this. |