A History of the Kodokan - University of Montana Judo website.

Two months of training at the Kodokan - Description of life in the Kodokan Hostel.

Eisho-ji Tempel first dojo of Kano (1882)

Kodokan Today

Today, the Kodokan has 1,206 mats across the five main dojo (training halls)—Main, School, International, Women's, and Boys'—plus a special dojo for retired judoka and special technique study purposes.

"The world is changing and Ju Jutsu has to change too. I don’t think it’s practical to limit ourselves to one particular style. I no longer see any point in keeping the techniques of each Ju Jutsu school a secret. It would be better to experiment with a whole range of techniques and select the ones you want to use, changing them if necessary. I’d like to take the best techniques from the Yoshin style and the best techniques from a lot of other styles and combine them all to create the ultimate form of Ju Jutsu. Last year after we performed for President Grant, Master Fukuda spoke of bringing Ju Jutsu to the rest of the world. To do that, we can’t rely on just one particular style – we need a combination of the best techniques from all the major schools of Ju Jutsu. That’s what I’d like to teach to the rest of the world." — Jigoro Kano, 1880

KODOKAN  (講道館 („Institute for study of the way”)

 

 

JUDO training hall, Tokyo the Mecca of JUDO in Japan. The first KODOKAN was opened by KANO at Shitaya in 1882 and consisted of only 12 mats. At present housed in an eight storey building, at 16-31, I-Chome, Kasuga-cho, Bukyo-ku, Tokyo, it has facilities for eating sleeping as well as large training areas. The KODOKAN has kept a watchful eye on the development of the sport; most of the leading 1st DAN may have their grades registered there. The cream of Japan’s JUDOKA plus a number of selected foreigners make up kenshusei.

 

The Institute was founded with only nine disciples (Shiro Saigo, Yamashita Yoshiaki,

Yokoyama Sakujiro, and Tsunejiro Tomita.)

 

KODOKAN Institutes (1882 - till today)

 

  • 12 mats (May 1882 Eishoji Temple)
  • 10 mats (Feb. 1883 Jimocho, Kanda)
  • 20 mats (Sept. 1883 Shihan's house, Kojimachi)
  • 40 mats (Spring 1887 Mr. Shinagawa's house, Kojimachi)
  • 60 mats (April 1890 Hongo-ku, Masaga-cho)
  • 107 mats (Feb. 1894 Koishikawa-cho, Shimotomisaka-cho)
  • 207 mats (Nov. 1897 Koishikawa, Shimotomisaka-cho)
  • 314 mats (Jan. 1898 Otsuka Sakashita-cho)
  • 514 mats (Dec. 1919 1-chome Kasuga-cho, Bunkyo-ku)
  • 986 mats (March 1958 2-chome, Kasuga-cho, Bunko-ku)

 

Today, the Kodokan has 1,206 mats across the five main dojo (training halls)—Main, School, International, Women's, and Boys'—plus a special dojo for retired judoka and special technique study purposes.

 

Presidents of KODOKAN

 

1st KANO Jigoro 1882-1938

2nd Nango Jiro 1938-1946

3rd Kano Risei 1946 -1980

4th Kano Yukimitsu (1932-)  1980-2009

5th Uemura Haruki 2009 – till Present

 

For READING

·         Kano Jigoro,” Kodokan Judo”, Kodansha International, 1986, 264p, ISBN-13: 9784770017994

·         Masumoto David, An introduction to Kodokan Judo: History and philosophy”, Tokyo, Japan, Hon-No-Tomosha, 1996, 316p, ISBN 4894390426.

·         http://www.kodokan.org

 

 

 

 

HISTORY of KODOKAN (Japanese) JUDO

 

                                                                  1860-1995

 

 

 

 

 

For Reading

 

 

  • Harrison E.J., The Fighting Spirit of Japan and Other Stories, London, Foulsham, 1912
  • Helm Dennis, 2000 Years Jujutsu and Kodokan Judo, Rockford, The Illinois Judo Association, 1991
  • Masumoto David, An Introduction to Kodokan Judo, History and Philosophy, Tokyo, Hon no Tomosha, 1996

 

 

 

1860

 

Birth of Jigoro KANO,founder of KODOKAN JUDO

 

 

 

1873

 

Jigoro KANO enters Ikuei Gijuku boarding school in Tokyo, where all the courses were taught in English or German by native speakers. He first hears of  JUJUTSU, but  unable to find a JUJUTSU master.

 

 

 

1874

 

Jigoro KANO enters the Tokyo School of Fereign Languages.

 

 

 

1875

 

Graduates from the state-run English School. Enters the state-run Kaisei School.

 

 

 

1877

 

Kaisei School is renamed Tokyo Imperial University. KANO begins TENSHIN SHIN’YO JUJUTSU training at Hachinosuke FUKUDA’s (1829-80) DOJO.

 

 

 

1879

 

KANO and Fukushima performs JUJUTSU for former U.S. President U.S. Grant (1822-85) when he visits Japan. KANO’s first teacher FUKUDA dies.

 

 

 

1881

 

KANO graduates from Tokyo Imperial University and stayes on another year for further study. Master MASAMOTO dies. This time he goes to train with  Tsunetoshi IIKUBO  of KITO RYU JUJUTSU.

 

 

 

1882

 

In February he moves to EISHO-JI, a small Jodo Sect Buddhist temple int he Shimo-tani section of Tokyo. There he establishes the KODOKAN („.Institute for Study of the Way”).

 

 

 

1883

 

KODOKAN moves to new quarters twice. The first move is to Minami Jimbocho in Kanda, where he opens an English academy. A few months later he moves to Kami Niban-cho in  Koji-machi and builds a small DOJO. IIKUBO continues to teach KANO, who receives a KITO RYU teaching licence. Only eight students formally registers.

 

 

 

1884

 

KANO divides students into two groups, which is the non-grading (MUDANSHA) and the grading (YUDANSHA). He created three basic levels (KYU) and three advanced ranks (DAN). KANO instituts KAN-GEIKO („cold weather training”).

 

Kodokan bylaws were drawn up. The Kodokan name was formally established, "taking together all the merits I have acquired from the various schools of jujitsu, and adding my own devices and inventions, I have founded a new system for physical culture, mental training, and winning contests. This I call Kodokan Judo." Said Jigoro Kano.

 

Kodokan was, literally, the Hall (kan) for Studying (ko) the Way (do). Ju jitsu had meant gentle techniques. Kodokan Judo, was the Hall for Studying the Way of Judo. Judo meant "gentle way." The "Do" ending had enormous philosophical meaing. It was Japanese for the Chinese word "Tao.”

 

 

 

1886

 

The Tokyo Metropolitan Police host a tournament meant to resolve the question of which was better, Kano Jigoro’s Kodokan judo club or a Yoshin Ryu jujutsu school headed by Totsuke Hikosuke. By winning thirteen of fifteen matches and drawing the other two, the Kodokan athletes firmly established their primacy. A 1943 Kurosawa movie made Saigo Shiro the most famous of the early Kodokan wrestlers. Saigo’s favorite technique was said to be the yama arashi, or mountain storm, technique of aiki jutsu, but there is debate over what this technique was. Yokoyama Sakujiro was another powerful Kodokan judoka, and his 55-minute bout with Nakamura Hansuke during the 1886 police tournament remains the longest judo match on record. (Modern matches only go 20 minutes, with the possibility of a 10-minute extension.) Uniforms of the era were similar to modern uniforms except that sleeves and trouser legs were much shorter. The dignified silence that the wrestlers and their fans maintained greatly impressed foreign visitors.

 

 

 

1895

 

Jigoro KANO becomes a professor at Gakushuin. KODOKAN DAN-grade JUDOKA defect leading JUJUTSU teachers of the police force.

 

The first five groups of instruction, or gokyo no waza, are introduced to Kodokan judo. These are followed in 1920 by a second group of seventeen additional techniques known as shimmeisho no waza. The additions were due to the Kodokan wrestlers having absorbed most traditional jujutsu styles and their best techniques in the meantime.

 

The Kodokan won its first recorded contest with the Metropolitan police, in a shiai, pitting the police ju jitsu against Judo in organized competition for the first time. The first of many such matches that the Kodokan won.

 

 

 

1886

 

The KODOKAN is moved to Kojimachi Fujimi-cho. Fujimi-cho DOJO students with DAN rankings first began wearing black belts as a sign of their status.

 

Shochugeiko, the beginning of summer training celebration, was inaugurated. Reflecting the rigorous workout in the summer heat, comparable to the Kangeiko of winter training, it became another Kodokan tradition.

 

An historic passage came for the Kodokan when the Tokyo Metropolitan Police hosted a showdown between the Kodokan and the ju jitsu school considered the strongest fighting school in Japan at the time, the Totsuka-ha Yoshin-ryu jujutsu.

 

 

 

1899

 

The KODOKAN is moved to Kami-NI-bancho area, he had more than 1,500 full time students.

 

 

 

1889

 

September 16, KANO went on his first overseas visit to spread the good word about JUDO. He visited Paris, Brussels, Berlin, Vienna, Copenhagen, Stockholm, Amsterdam and London.

 

 

 

1891

 

January, KANO returned to Japan. He had been abroad for 16 months. He married Sumako Takezoe. KANO left his new bride behind in Tokyo.

 

1893

 

KANO returned to Tokyo where he became principal of the No 1 Junior High School. And later, he was appointed to the same position at the Tokyo Higher Normal School. His wife gives birth to their first daughter, Noriko. In December a new 100 TATAMI DOJO is opened at the KODOKAN.

 

 

 

1895

 

The first version of the GOKYO NO WAZA were officially introduced at the KODOKAN.

 

 

 

1896

 

SHOCHU-GEIKO („mid-summer training”) was formally instituted.-The first of the  modern Olympic Games is held in Athens, Greece. Kano’s second son is born.

 

 

 

1898

 

In January 1898, Kanō was appointed director of primary education at the Ministry of Education, and in August 1899, he received a grant that allowed him to study in Europe. His ship left Yokohama on 13 September 1899, and he arrived in Marseilles on 15 October. He spent about a year in Europe, and during this trip, he visited Paris, Berlin, Brussels, Amsterdam, and London. He returned to Japan in 1901

 

 

 

1900

 

The Kodokan suffered a school defeat in a contest with Fusen Ryu ju jitsu. Fusen Ryu specialized in ne waza or grappling techniques, and this specialty carried the day.

 

 

 

1902

 

KANO visited China on an official inspection tour of educational institutions. Upon his return, KANO expanded the academy for Chinese exchange students that he had founded a few years earlier.

 

 

 

1903

 

An American  industrialist named Samuel Hill invited Yoshiaki YAMASHITA (1865-1935) to teach his son KODOKAN JUDO int he United States.

 

 

 

1904

 

The 3rd Olympic Games are held in St. Louis, USA.

 

 

 

1904-05

 

During the Russo-Japanese war, a number of senior KODOKAN members died in battle.

 

 

 

1906

 

The KODOKAN expanded again, this time to a new 207-mat (TATAMI) DOJO in Shimo-Tomisaka-cho. The JUDOGI (practice uniform) was standardized in the form we see today.

 

 

 

1908

 

The 4th Olympic Games are held in London. The Japanese Diet approves a bill requiring all middle schools (in Japan) to provide instruction in Gekiken (swords-manship and jujutsu).

 

 

 

1909

 

KANO was selected as the first Japanese member of the INTERNATIONAL OLYMPIC COMMITEE (JUDO was not included int he Olympics until 1964)

 

 

 

1910

 

Members of both houses of the Japanese Diet are invited to the KODOKAN to view demonstrations of JUDO.

 

 

 

1911

 

The Japanese establish an International Olympic Committee under the leadership of Kano Jigoro. While only two Japanese athletes went to the Olympics in 1912, 15 went in 1920, 18 in 1924, 43 in 1928, 130 in 1932, and 154 in 1936. Although the Japanese won medals in many sports, including wrestling, equitation, and tennis, as a team they did best in swimming and running.

 

 

 

1912

 

Jigoro Kano leaves to attend the 5th Olympiad in Stockholm, Sweden. Japan competed at the Summer Olympic Games for the first time. The delegation, two athletes accompanied by four officials. Kano makes his fourth trip to Europe.

 

Kano called together the remaining leader masters of Ju Jitsu to finalize a Kodokan syllabus of training and kata. Aoyagi of Sosusihis Ryu, Takano, Yano, Kotaro Imei and Hikasuburo Ohshima participated from Takeuisi Ryu. Jushin Sekiguchi and Mogichi Tsumizu participated from  Sekiguchi Ryu, Eguchi from Kyushin Ryu, and Hoshino from Shiten Ryu, Inazu from Miura Ryu. Takamatsu, a Kukkishin Ryu

 

 

 

1914

 

World War I breaks out in July. The KODOKAN JUDO Association is founded. In 1914, The All Japan Special High School  championships were started at Kyoto Imperial University. These championships emphasized the trend toward NEWAZA or (grappling techniques), and the schools that participated became so proficient at this approach that they earned for it the name "Kosen Judo" or grappling Judo. This form of Judo was becoming so predominant that by 1925 Kano began to see throwing techniques as disappearing from the syllabus of effective Judo skills.

 

 

 

1916

 

The 6th Olympiad in Berlin is cancelled.

 

 

 

1918

 

Foundation of the BUDOKWAI in London. KANO attends the opening of a KODOKAN branch DOJO in Korea. End of World War I.

 

 

 

1919

 

KANO explains the principles of JUDO at the KODOKAN to Dr. Dewey from Columbia University.(He was the founder of the American educational system, who was then a guest lecturer at the Imperial University of Japan.

 

 

 

1920

 

KANO receives an award from the Japanese Government for his diligent services to Society. Kano attends the 7th Olympic Games in Antwerpen, Belgium. Japan sent fifteen Olympic competitors to Antwerpen – the first Olympic medals ever awarded to athletes from Japan (tennis players were awarded two silver medals)

 

 

 

1921

 

In March Kano resigns from his post as chairman of the Japan Amateur Sports Association and becomes honorary chairman. He attends an IOC meeting.

 

 

 

1922

 

The Kodokan Dan Grade Holder's Association was formed.

 

 

 

1924

 

Japan’s Ministry of Home Affairs announces the establishment of a national athletic festival called the Meiji Jingu Championship Games. Its purpose of mobilizing Japanese youth. Games included judo, kendo, archery, and sumo.

 

 

 

1926

 

The Kodokan opens its women’s section. In accordance with contemporary medical theories, the women’s judo was, in the words of Rusty Glickman, a New Yorker who trained in the Kodokan’s women’s dojo in 1962, "a much more refined, milder form than the men."

 

 

 

1930

 

The first All-Japan Judo Championships are held in Tokyo. As competition was categorized by age, the so-called All-Japan champions before 1948 were actually first in their age class. After 1948, there was an overall champion, too, and this person is now the sole All-Japan champion.

 

 

 

1932                

 

In September 1932, Kano attended the IOC Session in Los Angeles and explained Tokyo’s bid for the Olympics after handing the official letter of invitation to the IOC President Count Henri de Baillet-Latour. Kano travels to USA (Los Angeles, Seattle) and Canada (Vancouver). In Los Angeles he attends the 10th Olympiad..

 

 

 

1935

 

Seventeen-year old Kimura Mashiko wins his first All-Japan Collegiate Judo Championship. Kimura then went on to win the All-Japan Judo Championships for his age group in 1938, 1939, and 1940. In 1949 Kimura returned to the mats and earned a draw in the finals against Ishikawa Takahiko. Kimura then tried to establish a professional judo circuit in Japan.

 

 

 

 

 

               

 

1936

 

According to the German writer Arthur Grix, there were 66,994 judo black belts in Japan . Of these, 39,660 were first-dan, 15,060 were second-dan, 6,600 were third-dan, 3,661 were fourth-dan, 1,615 were fifth-dan, 346 were sixth-dan, 44 were seventh-dan, five were eighth-dan, two were ninth-dan, and one (Kano Jigoro himself) was tenth-dan.    

 

       

 

1938

 

In May,  Kanō died at sea, while on board the NYK Line motor vessel MV Hikawa Maru Because the Japanese merchant fleet of the 1930s used Tokyo time wherever it was in the world, the Japanese date of death was 4 May 1938 at about 5:33 a.m. JST,  whereas the international date of death was 3 May 1938 at 8:33 p.m. UTC.  The cause of death was officially listed as pneumonia.

 

 

 

1940

 

The 12th Olympic Games cancelled because of  the WWII.

 

 

 

1944

 

The 13th Olympiad is cancelled.

 

 

 

 

 

1946

 

The Allied occupation government of Japan prohibits the teaching of judo and kendo in Japanese public schools and bans the words (and concepts) budo and bushido. In November 1946 an All-Japan Judo Yudanshakai ("Grade Holders’ Association") was organized.

 

 

 

1948

 

In May the first All Japan Judo Championship since the Second World War is held. In November the first All Japan Police Judo Championship is staged.

 

 

 

1949

 

The All Japan Judo Federation is established in May. In November judo is added to the List of official sports at the 4th Japan Sports Championships. The All-Japan Judo Yudanshakai is reorganized into the Japan Judo Federation, and then made part of the Japan Physical Education Association.

 

 

 

1950

 

In October judo is reintroduced in Japan’s secondary school curriculum.

 

 

 

1951

 

In June judo is reintroduced int he high schools’ curriculum.

 

 

 

1951-1952

 

Kodokan judo instructors are sent to both the U.S. and Europe.

 

 

 

1952

 

Japan joins the International Judo Federation. Head of Kodokan, Risei Kano (1900-1986) becomes president of the International Judo Federation (1952-1965).

 

 

 

 

 

1954

 

In 1954, the first SAC Judo Tournament was held at Offutt AFB the Grand Champion was Airman Morris Curtis. Also in 1954, 26 SAC Air Police went to the Kodokan to study judo fourteen weeks. The curriculum consisted of police tactics, aikido, karate and, of course, judo.

 

 

 

1956

 

The first edition of the world championships took place in Tokyo,  Japan There were no weight classes at the time and Japanese judoka Shokichi Natsui became the first world champion in history, defeating fellow countryman Yoshihiko Yoshimatsu in the final.

 

Twenty-one countries participate. (The World Judo Championships are the highest level of international judo competition, along with the Olympic judo competition. The championships are held once every two years by the International Judo Federation, and qualified judoka compete in their respective categories)

 

 

 

1958

 

In November a bronze statue of  Jigoro Kano is erected at the entrance of Tokyo

 

University of Education.

 

The second world championship was also held in Tokyo, with the Japanese winning the top two spots in the competition for the second time. Eighteen countries are represented.

 

Tokyo was awarded the 1964 Olympic Games. The Kodokan sells its old building to the Japan Karate Association, and moves to a new seven-story building that had a weight room and a 500-mat main floor. To celebrate, the Kodokan introduces 21 new techniques known as Kodokan goshin jutsu, or "Kodokan self-defense techniques." Twelve of these techniques were designed for use against unarmed attackers while nine were designed for use against armed attackers. This new interest in practical self-defense was encouraged partly by urban dwellers’ fear of attack by teenaged hoodlums, and mainly by the interests of Kodokan leaders who belonged to the Japanese military, police forces, and security guard companies.

 

 

 

1961

 

 The 3rd World Judo Championship was held outside of Japan for the first time, and Dutch judoka Anton Geesink defeated the prior world champion, Koji Sone, in Paris, France to become the first non-Japanese world champion. Twenty-five nations participate.

 

 

 

1962

 

The 80th Anniversary of the founding of the kodokan is celebrated.

 

 

 

1964

 

The 18th Olympic Games are held in Tokyo from October 10 to 24.

 

The  judo events took place in the Nippon Budokan – the Japanese Military Arts Hall. The matches were held on a traditional Japanese tatami, set in the center of the stadium. Preliminary round matches lasted 10 minutes, and the finals were 15 minutes. Most of the competitors had spent at least some time training in Japan. The exception was the Soviet team, which brought athletes who had converted to judo from the traditional Soviet jacket wrestling sport of sambo.

 

 

 

1982

 

In 1982, Judo celebrated its 100th anniversary at the Kodokan, and initiated construction greatly expanding the Kodokan and renaming it the Kodokan International Judo Center. Construction was completed in 1984.

 

 

 

 

 

1988

 

After the Japanese judo team turns in a disappointing showing at the Summer Olympics (well, disappointing by Japanese standards -- the team still won one gold and three bronze medals), its coaches announce their intent to return to the fundamentals. Publicly, this meant that in future the Japanese judo team would put more emphasis on character-development than winning.

 

At the Seoul Olympic Games, the "open" division was dropped from the program. The "Open" was where any Judoka could prove his mettle. It was the original competition in Judo, emphasizing the idea that Judo was not a weight sport, but fundamentally a technique-oriented sport

 

 

 

1995

 

By 1995, the World Championships, once again held in Japan, were attended by 625 competitors from100 nations, with medalists from Japan, Korea, France, Cuba, Russia, and Germany, showing that expertise in Judo was no longer limited to Japan.

 

Statue of Jigorō Kanō outside The Kodokan Institute