History
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Jigoro Kano, born in the village of Mikage in Settsu Province, is universally known as the father of Judo. The third son, and one of five children, Kano’s family were originally farmers who switched to making sake in 1659 and prospered thereafter. This prosperity allowed Jigoro Kano to be educated at the Ikuei-gojuku school, which was run by a Dutchman with German lecturers. It was at this school that he suffered a certain amount of bullying from other students because of his slight physique, thus prompting him to take an interest in the ancient Japanese art of Jujitsu, which he had heard could enable smaller, weaker people to overcome larger, stronger ones.
In 1878, at the age of eighteen, Kano enrolled in the newly founded Tokyo Imperial University at the faculty of literature. About this time he heard, by chance, that many of those who had formerly taught Jujitsu were now practising Japanese osteopathy (seikotsu). After many dead-end enquiries Kano happened upon an old seikotsu practitioner called Yagi Teinosuke. Teinosuke pointed him in the direction of a man called Fukuda Hachinosuke and in 1877 Kano began his long held ambition of training in Jujitsu.
Kano initally trained in the Tenjinshinyo style of Jujitsu, which focuses on atemi striking techniques, ground-fighting and some basic throwing techniques. Kano later began studying the Kito style of Jujitsu, which specialised in throwing. His education in Jujitsu continued until 1882 when he opened his own dojo, which he called the Kodokan.
Kano started off with a very modest dojo and a handful of students and progressed slowly until 1906 when the dojo had grown to a mat size of 300. In 1933 the Kodokan moved to the 500 mat Suidobashi dojo, before moving to the massive 1000 mat Bunkyo dojo in 1958, thus creating an impressive centre for world judo.
Because of his impressive educational background and his achievements in sport, Kano was invited to become the International Olympic Commitee (IOC) member for Japan and Asia. It was a role that Kano gladly accepted and he brought a Japanese team to the 1912 Olympic Games. His role as IOC member for Japan and Asia allowed Kano to bring Judo to the attention of the world at the 1932 Games in Los Angeles. Kano brought 200 judo students to the Games, where they gave an impressive demonstration. It wasn’t until the 1964 Games in Toyko that Judo was accepted as an Olympic sport.
Dutchman Anton Geesink won the first Olympic gold medal in the open division of judo by defeating Akio Kaminaga of Japan. Judo then lost the image of being “Japanese only” and went on to become one of the most widely practised sports in the world. The women’s judo event was added in 1992; however it has been a Paralympic sport since 1988. Today it is the only Olympic sport that awards one gold, one silver and two bronze medals.
On May 4th 1938 during his return voyage aboard the Hikawamaru from Cairo, after gaining the 1940 Olympic Games for Japan, Jigoro Kano died of pneumonia. The ship docked at Yokohama on May 6th at 5pm, where it was met by family members, friends and members of the Kodokan. Over the next two hours mourners boarded the ship to pay their respects to Kano. His coffin was removed from the ship at 7pm draped in an Olympic flag. A funeral procession of eight cars escorted the coffin to his home in Tokyo, where it was carried up to his study by four 8th Dans.
The Hikawamaru ship is now permanently moored at Yokohama port.