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Few facts from Judo's history

Judo was created by Professor Jigoro Kano who was born in Japan in 1860 and who died in 1938 after a lifetime of promoting Judo. Mastering several styles of jujutsu in his youth, in 1882, having pulled from ancient jujitsu the best of its throws and grappling techniques, added some of his own, and removed some dangerous techniques , Kano  presented his new sport--Judo. He called this sport 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."

Kano established his judo school, in the Eishoji Buddhist temple in Tokyo which grew in size and later moved. The first Kodokan had only 12 mats (12 feet by 18 feet), and nine students in the first year. Today the Kodokan has over 500 mats and more than a million visitors a year.

Kano's devotion to Judo did not interfere with his academic progress. He pursued his study of literature, politics and political economy, and graduated from Tokyo Imperial University in 1881.

In 1886, because of rivalry between jujitsu schools and judo, a contest was held to determine the superior art. Kano's judo students won the competition easily, thus establishing the superiority of judo, its popular principles and its practical techniques. It then became a part of the Japanese physical education system and began its spread around the world. In 1964 men's Judo competition became a part of the Olympics, the only eastern martial art that is an official medal sport. In 1992, Judo competition for women was added to the Olympics.

 The Kodokan mottoes, Seriyoku-zenyo (maximum efficiency) and Jita-kyoei (mutual welfare and benefit), emphasize moral and spiritual training in addition to the physical training of judo. The ultimate goal of judo was to perfect the individual so that he can be of value to society. This spiritual phase developed gradually and was completed around 1922.

In 1889 Kano left Japan to visit Europe and the U.S. He traveled abroad eight times to teach judo and several times to attend the Olympics and its committee meetings. Often in the face of extreme hardship, several of Kano's students devoted their lives to develop judo in foreign countries.

JUDO IN THE UNITED STATES

In 1904 Yoshiaki Yamashita, one of Kano's students traveled to the U.S. and taught this Japanese sport to Theodore Roosevelt and West Point cadets. Although many local clubs and regional associations developed, attempts to organize judo on a national basis were not successful. During the early 1930's judo was taught at several colleges in California. In 1932, Kano lectured on judo at the University of Southern California. In this same year four US judo associations were formed and later became recognized by the Kodokan as representatives of American judo.

In 1949, Ruth Gardener became the first foreign female student to study at the Kodokan. Her objective in visiting Japan was to study for second degree black belt ranking. One of the first Japanese women to travel overseas to teach judo was Keiko Fukuda, 7th dan. She traveled to Australia and the Philippines, and later settled in the United States to live.

It was not until after World War II that American judo began developing on a national basis. Many American servicemen studied judo in Japan during the occupation and then returned home to teach it. As a result the Armed Forces Judo Association (AFJA) was established.

American judo received a further boost in the early 1950's when General Curtis Lamay required its teaching to US Air Force personnel in the Strategic Air Command.

In 1953 Judo was officially recognized as an AAU sport and national tournaments have been held since.

The Judo Black Belt Federation (JBBF) became one of the major governing bodies for judo until 19__ when the United States Judo Association (USJA) and United States Judo Federation (USJF) broke off from it.

In 1962 the International Judo Federation was formed and became the governing body for judo internationally. In the United States, the USJI along with USJA and USJF are the governing bodies for judo. There are other organizations such as the Dai-Nippon Seibu-kan Budol Bugei-Kai , the American Society of Classical Judoka (ASCJ), and the Eastern Collegiate Judo Association.