Judo History

Country
Japan	6	2	4
France	2	4	2
Georgia	2	1	2
Individual Neutral Athlete	1	1	0

Judo - What's it all about?

Many assume that all martial arts focus simply on attacking and are tests of power and strength.

Judo is different - as competitors must practice "gentleness" or "first giving way" in order to ultimately gain victory.

The word "Ju" simply means gentle - and the word "do" means "the way". Judo, therefore, is the "gentle way".

In a lecture he gave at the University of Southern California alongside the 1932 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles, judo's founder Kano Jigoro Shihan sought to explain.

"Suppose we assume that we may estimate the strength of man in units of one," said Kano, who started his own school, the Kodokan.

"Let us say that the strength of a man standing in front of me is represented by ten units, whereas my strength, less than his, is represented by seven units.

"Then if he pushes me with all his force I shall certainly be pushed back or thrown down, even if I use all my strength against him.

"This would happen because I used all my strength against him, opposing strength with strength.

"If, instead of opposing him, I were to give way to his strength by withdrawing my body just as much as he had pushed, remembering at the same time to keep my balance, then he would naturally lean forward and thus lose his balance."

This is not to say that judo does not feature direct attacks. The sport should be considered as the principle of maximum efficient use of mind and body, combining attack and defence.

Kano believes that these principles - and the desire for maximum efficiency - can be adopted in all areas of life.

"It can at the same time be applied to the improvement of diet, clothing, housing, social intercourse and methods of business, thus constituting the study and training of living," he said. "I gave this all-pervading principle the name of 'judo'.

"So judo, in its fuller sense, is a study and a method of training in mind and body as well as in the regulation of life and affairs. Judo, therefore, in one of its phases, can be studied and practiced with attack and defence as its core activity."

Kano began instruction in judo in two forms - randori and kata.

Randori, meaning "free practice" is carried out under conditions of an actual contest. It includes throwing, choking, holding the opponent down and bending or twisting the arms or legs.

Twenty-year-old Kano Jigoro Shihan, right ©The Kodokan Institute

Kata is a series of prearranged exercises, including hitting, cutting, kicking and thrusting.

"Judo is a study and a training in mind and body as well as in the regulation of one's life and affairs," said Kano.

"The final aim of judo is to inculcate in the minds of people a spirit of respect for the principle of maximum efficiency and of mutual welfare and benefit."

Kano's full lecture can be read <

History Timeline

Scroll down for more dates

Jigoro Kano makes a comprehensive study of the ancient self-defence forms and integrates the best of these forms into a sport which becomes known as kodokan judo. The term kodokan breaks down into ko (lecture, study, method), do (way or path), and kan (hall or place). Thus it means "a place to study the way". Similarly judo breaks down into ju (gentle) and do (way or path) or "the gentle way".

Judo practiced at the Fujimi-cho Kodokan dojo by Hishida Shunso - © Kodokan Institute

1882

The categorisation of kodokan judo is completed. The kodokan had three broad aims: physical education, contest proficiency and mental training.

1887

Proceeding with the organisation of the kodokan and enacting the regulations of judo, Kano becomes the first Asian member of the International Olympic Committee and works for the spread of judo worldwide.

11-year-old Kano Jigoro (right) - © Kodokan Institute

1909

Kano is awarded the Asahi Prize for his outstanding contribution to the organising of sport in Japan during his lifetime.

Kano giving a lecture at Shimotomisaka dojo © The Kodokan Institute

1935

Kanō dies at sea, while on board the NYK Line motor ship Hikawa Maru.

Kano (second from the left) discussing judo's future with E. Rawlings, UK Embassy, Baron Okura Kishiro and Alexander Nagai in Berlin, 1936. The three men established a judo-jujutsu club at Trinity College, Cambridge University in 1906. Nagai played a role in helping Jews to escape Nazi persecution (© The Kodokan Institute)

1938

The International Judo Federation (IJF) is founded, composed of National Federations from Europe plus Argentina. Italy's Aldo Torti is named as the IJF's first President.

Judo championship in Japan (referee: Nagaoka Hideichi) © The Kodokan Institute

1951

Japan's Risei Kano, son of Jigoro, takes over as IJF President.

Dan grading in France, Kawaishi Mikinosuke, 1949 (© Michel Brousse Collection)

1952

Judo becomes an official event in the Olympic Games of Tokyo, backed by judo fans and sport promoters all over the world. Medals were awarded in four classes, and competition was restricted to men only. The competition was held in the Nippon Budokan, which was built to host the competition. Japanese victories for lightweight Takehide Nakatani, middleweight Isao Okano and heavyweight Isao Inokuma put them top of the medals table. The Netherlands' Anton Geesink wins the open category.

British judoka Tony Sweeney, Syd Hoare (1939 - 2017), Brian Jacks, and Alan Petherbridge trying their Tokyo Olympics outfits by Brian Hewson, Uk, 12th August 1964 ©Getty Images

1964

British Judo Association President Charles Palmer assumes the equivalent role within the IJF.

Japanese teacher of Shotokan karate Hirokazu Kanazawa demonstrating the breaking of a piece of wood in front of a group of students, UK, 2nd May 1965 ©Getty Images

1965

Judo is omitted from the sports programme of the Olympic Games in Mexico City.

1968

Judo returns to the Olympic sports programme in Munich. Medals were awarded in six weight classes and competition was restricted to men only. Among the highlights was The Netherlands' Willem Ruska winning gold medals in both the heavyweight and open category competition, becoming the first judoka to win two Olympic gold medals.

1972

Medals are awarded in five weight classes at the Olympic Games in Montreal, where Japan top the medals table with three golds.

1976

Japan's Shigeyoshi Matsumae becomes the fourth President of the IJF.

Belgium's Robert Van de Walle reacts (R) after his defeat against Georgian Tengiz Khubuluri(L) during the Judo World Championships in Paris, on December 1979 ©Getty Images

1979

Judo competition at the Olympics in Moscow marks the first time that the medal table was not dominated by Japan, since the country joined the boycott of the Games because of the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan the previous year. Medals are awarded to male judoka in eight competitions, seven weight classes and the open competition - two more than in 1976. All events were held at the Palace of Sports of the Central Lenin Stadium. The Soviet Union and France claim two gold medals each, while East Germany, Belgium, Italy and Switzerland earn one apiece.

1980

Judo competition at the Olympics in Los Angeles continues the seven weight classes first used at the Moscow 1980 Games. With the open division, there are eight competitions, which are restricted to male judoka. Japan returned to the top of the medal table, after boycotting the Moscow Games. Because of the Soviet-led counter-boycott of the Los Angeles Games, several traditionally strong judo countries, including Cuba and the Soviet Union, do not participate.

1984

Argentina's Sarkis Kaloghlian becomes the fifth President of the IJF.

Martin of the USA throws his opponent during the World Championships ©Getty Images

1987

Women's judo makes its first appearance at the Olympic Games, as a demonstration sport in Seoul. Japan failed to claim top spot in the medal table for the first time in an Olympics in which they participated, coming third behind South Korea and Poland. Austria's Peter Seisenbacher and Japan's Hitoshi Saito defend their respective middleweight and heavyweight titles from 1984, and become the first judoka to win gold at two Olympics.

1988

New Zealand's Lawrie Hargrave becomes the sixth President of the IJF.

1989

Spain's Luis Baguena succeeds Hargrave.

1991

Olympic medals are awarded to female judoka for the first time at the Barcelona Games. The judo competition is contested in 14 weight classes, seven each for men and women. A medal haul comprising two golds, four silvers and four bronzes sees Japan reassert its supremacy over all other nations.

1992

South Korea's Yong Sung Park becomes the eighth President of the IJF.

David Douillet of France raises his arms in jubilation after beating German Franck Moller during the men over 95 Kg final of the World Judo Championships in Chiba 28 September 1995 ©Getty Images

1995

North Korea's Kye Sun-Hui claims a surprise Olympic gold medal in Atlanta having obtained a wildcard entry into the women's extra lightweight event.

Olympic Games in Atlanta, Georgia. World Congress Centre. Heavyweight Judo. David Douillet (Fra) 1st. Eernesto Perezi (Esp) 2nd ©Getty Images

1996

Japan win four Olympic gold medals in Sydney to top the medal standings. In men's competition, extra lightweight Tadahiro Nomura, half middleweight Makoto Takimoto and half heavyweight Kosei Inoue all triumph, while in women's, extra lightweight Ryoko Tamura comes out on top.

Giorgi Vazagashvili of Georgia celebrates bronze in the Men's 66kg Judo event at the Exhibition Halls in Darling Harbour on Day Two of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney, Australia ©Getty Images

2000

Judo at the Olympic Games in Athens takes place at the Ano Liossia Olympic Hall, where 368 judoka compete for 14 gold medals with seven different weight categories in both the men's and women's competitions. Japan dominate the event by taking eight gold and two silver medals. There is controversy in the men's competition, when Iranian competitor and two-time world champion Arash Miresmaeili weighs in overweight and is disqualified before a match in which he would have faced Israeli judoka Ehud Vaks. Miresmaeili's comments strongly suggested that he had intentionally disqualified himself so as not to compete against an Israeli. "Although I have trained for months and was in good shape I refused to fight my Israeli opponent to sympathise with the suffering of the people of Palestine and I do not feel upset at all," he says.

2004

The first Judo for Children programme is launched in The Netherlands.

2005

European Judo Union President Marius Vizer becomes the ninth President of the IJF. The Romanian-born Hungarian continues to hold the position today.

2007

Cuba's Driulys González, Australia's Mária Pekli and Japan's Ryoko Tamura-Tani compete at their fifth Olympics in Beijing and thus join Belgium's Robert Van de Walle and Puerto Rico's Jorge Bonnet in achieving the feat.

Maria Pekli (white) of Australia fights against Ketleyn Quadros of Brazil during the Women's 57 kg Judo event at the University of Science and Technology Beijing Gymnasium on Day 3 of the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games ©Getty Images

2008

IJF announces the launch of World Judo Day, set up to take place every year on October 28, the birthday of Jigoro Kano.

Japan's Yashiro Yamashita gives a lecture as he teaches Judo techniques to Palestinian students, members of the Judo Federation, in the biblical town of Bethlehem during his visit to the Israeli occupied Palestinian territories ©Getty Images

2010

Russia top the medal table at the Olympics in London with three golds and five in total.

2012

IJF launches a series of movies called Judo for the World to illustrate how judo can change the lives of young people around the globe.

Ryunosuke Haga of Japan throws Elmar Gasimov of Azerbaijan for ippon in the Men's 100kg preliminary at Tokyo Metropolitan Gymnasium on December 6, 2015 in Tokyo, Japan ©Getty Images

2015

Fourteen gold medals are won at the Rio 2016 Olympics, with competition taking place at Carioca Arena 2. Majlinda Kelmendi’s gold in the women’s 52kg class is the first-ever at the Olympics for Kosovo. In the women’s 57kg, Rafaela Silva wins the first gold of the Games for hosts Brazil. Japan win three gold medals to top the standings.

2016

Japan win eight gold medals to finish top of the table at the World Championships in Budapest

2017

Japan win eight gold medals to finish top of table at the World Championships in Baku

2018

Marking 55 years since judo made its Olympic debut at the Tokyo 1964 Games, the IJF holds a gala dinner in the Japanese capital on the eve of the 2019 World Championships. The best judoka from each Olympics since was honoured at the gala. Yamashita Yasuhiro - fresh from being elected Japanese Olympic Committee President - was among them, having won the open category at Los Angeles 1984 despite tearing a calf muscle in a preliminary match.

Yamashita Yasuhiro, second right, was among those honoured at the gala in Tokyo ©IJF

2019

Despite the coronavirus pandemic severely disrupting the judo calendar in 2020, there is time for Teddy Riner’s incredible unbeaten run to come to an end. At the Paris Grand Slam in his hometown, Riner, the back-to-back Olympic heavyweight champion, lost to Japan's Kokoro Kageura. It ended a streak of 154 consecutive victories that dated back 10 years.

Kokoro Kageura, left, shocked French icon Teddy Riner in Paris ©Getty Images

2020

The 2021 World Championships are held in Budapest, with Japan leading the way with six gold medals. The Nippon Budokan then takes centre stage for judo at the postponed Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games. Japan again dominate, winning nine of the 15 gold medals available. They miss out in the final of the historic first mixed team competition, however, which is won by France.