History & culture
History
In May 1882 Jigoro Kano was inspired by traditional forms of combat to create a method of physical, intellectual and moral education, which he named judo.
Initially considered as a self-defence system, judo is step by step recognized for its educational value, its benefits for the development of the body and the character.
Judo became an Olympic sport in the Tokyo Games in 1964, and thus became universal. The International Judo Federation today brings together more than 200 national federations and 5 continental unions.
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A brief history of judo
Timeline
From Martial Art to Olympic Sport
You want to know everything about judo. Discover our series of articles about the history of our sport. We will explain how a martial art became an olympic sport and an amazing educational tool.
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Judo corner
The history of judo is the history of the shift from a martial art to a modern sport. It tells first how a man, Jigoro Kano, devoted himself to the education of the youth of his country, blending traditions and...
Read onJudo: What Is It All About?
As the Tokyo Olympics are fast approaching, let's look back to a lecture given by Kano Jigoro Shihan himself, at...
Read onJudo cultures
The term dojo (道場) has long since passed into common language and has therefore lost some of its mystery and intrigue. Today, we do not quite know what it...
Read onWomen's judo
In November 2020, the International Judo Federation will celebrate the 40th anniversary of the first Women's World Championships, which took place in New York, USA, in 1980. Today and in the weeks to come, we will be publishing a series of articles both relating to that historic event and celebrating the practice of women in our sport.
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Morale code
The International Judo Federation just launched a new series of film to illustrate the Judo moral code values. This week, the first value to be presented is COURAGE. Discover the film and learn more about what makes judo different from any other activity.
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Clean judo
Read onBeyond being one of the most prestigious and universal Olympic disciplines, Judo is more than sport - it is also an acknowledged educational tool and a way of life enriched by a moral code and ethic values that have firmly withstood the trial of life.