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Judo was founded in the late 19th century by Jigoro Kano, a graduate of philosophy and literature who had his martial arts start in ju-jitsu. Drawing from combat techniques of this martial art, Kano focused heavily on philosophical principles and removed some of the more hazardous aspects of ju-jistu. The word ‘judo’ translates as ‘the way of suppleness’, which has its origins in a story about a tree branch that bends, but doesn’t break under the weight of a heavy snowfall.

The sport had its beginnings in Britain soon after its inception when a team of judo experts were brought over from Japan by British entrepreneur Edward William Barton-Wright. It began a trend over the following decade where Japanese martial artists would perform in halls and gain a following through the visually spectacular throws they would display. The first judo club in Britain, The Budokwai, was established in 1918 in London.

Jigoro Kano would later become the first Asian member of the International Olympic Committee and worked to further the global reach of judo. However, judo would not be officially named as Olympic event until the 1964 Games in Tokyo. The modern competition is competed over seven weight classes for both men and women.

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History of judo