JUDO

Judo (柔道 Judo, meaning "gentle way") is a modern martial art, combat and Olympic sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano (嘉納治五郎). Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the objective is to either throw or takedown an opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue an opponent with a pin, or force an opponent to submit with a joint lock or a choke. Strikes and thrusts by hands and feet as well as weapons defenses are a part of judo, but only in pre-arranged forms (kata, 型) and are not allowed in judo competition or free practice (randori, 乱取り). A judo practitioner is called a judoka.

The philosophy and subsequent pedagogy developed for judo became the model for other modern Japanese martial arts that developed from koryū (古流, traditional schools). The worldwide spread of judo has led to the development of a number of offshoots such as Sambo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu.

Judo is many things to different people.  It is a fun sport, an art, a discipline, a recreational or social activity, a fitness program, a means of self-defense or combat, and a way of life. It is all of these and more.
Achievement in Judo is recognized by a series of ranks. The student ranks are called kyu and are usually differentiated by colored belts (obi). Different colors may be used around the world and in some countries there are more than 6 kyu ranks. The ten black belt, or expert, ranks are called dan. The traditional Judo ranks are:

English                 Japanese

 6th grade               rokyu
 5th grade               gokyu
 4th grade               yonkyu

 3rd grade               sankyu

 2nd grade              nikyu

 1st grade                ikkyu

 1st degree              shodan
 2nd degree              nidan
 3rd degree              sandan

 4th degree              yodan
 5th degree              godan

 6th degree              rokudan
 7th degree              shichidan
 8th degree              hachidan
 9th degree              kudan
10th degree             judan

In the days before Kano created Judo, there was no kyu/dan ranking system in the martial arts. A more traditional method of recognizing achievement in the martial arts (such as jujutsu) was the presentation of certificates or scrolls, often with the secrets of the school or style (ryu) inscribed. Kano started the modern rank system when he awarded shodan to two of his senior students (Shiro Saigo and Tsunejiro Tomita) in 1883. Even then, there was no external differentiation between yudansha (black belt ranks) and mudansha (those who hadn't yet attained black belt ranking).

Kano apparently began the custom of having his yudansha wear black belts (obi) in 1886. These obi weren't the belts karateka and judoka wear today -- Kano hadn't invented the judogi (Judo uniform) yet, and his students were still practicing in kimono. They were the wide obi still worn with formal kimono. In 1907, Kano introduced the modern judogi with its modern obi, and he still only used white or black belts. The white uniform represented the values of purity, avoidance of ego, and simplicity. It gave no outward indication of social class so that all students began as equals. The black belt with the white judogi represents the polarity of opposites, or In and Yo. The student begins empty, but fills up with knowledge.

Professor Kano was an educator and used a hierarchy in setting learning objectives for Judo students, just as students typically pass from one grade to another in the public school system. The Judo rank system represents a progression of learning with a syllabus and a corresponding grade indicating an individual's level of proficiency. Earning a black belt is like graduating from high school or college. It indicates you have achieved a basic level of proficiency, learned the fundamental skills and can perform them in a functional manner, and you are now ready to pursue Judo on a more serious and advanced level as a professional or a person seeking an advanced degree would. Of course, the rankings also represent progress towards the ultimate objective of judo which is to improve the self not just physically, but morally as well.

On March 1, 1926, the Kodokan created new belts to recognize the special achievements of high ranking black belts. Jigoro Kano chose to recognize sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth degree black belts with a special obi made of alternating red and white panels (kohaku obi). It is said that the white color was chosen for purity, and red for the intense desire to train and the sacrifices made. The colors red and white are an enduring symbol of Japan, and they have been used in Judo since Jigoro Kano started the first Red and White Tournament in 1884. The kohaku obi is often worn for special occasions, but it is not required to be worn and the black belt remains the standard that unites all the yudansha ranks. At the same time the kohaku obi were created, a special aka obi (red belt) was created for 10th degree yudansha. In January 1943 the Kodokan expanded the red belt to include 9th degree yudansha.

  1st degree             black

  2nd degree            black

  3rd degree             black

  4th degree             black

  5th degree             black

  6th degree             red/white

  7th degree             red/white

  8th degree             red/white

  9th degree             red

  10th degree            red

Theoretically the Judo rank system is not limited to 10 degrees of black belt. The original English language copy (1955) of Illustrated Kodokan Judo, by Jigoro Kano, says: "There is no limit...on the grade one can receive. Therefore if one does reach a stage above 10th dan... there is no reason why he should not be promoted to 11th dan." However, since there has never been any promotion to a rank above 10th dan, the Kodokan Judo promotion system effectively has only 10 steps.

Only 15 individuals have been awarded 10^th Dan rank by the Kodokanin the history of Judo since 1882. This does not include the Founder of Judo, Jigoro Kano, who was never awarded any rank by the Kodokan. Some of these ranks were awarded after the death of the individual. Other organizations, such as the International Judo Federation and various national bodies, have also awarded 10th dan ranks in Judo.

Other colored belts for students who had not yet achieved black belt originated later, when Judo began being practiced outside of Japan. Mikonosuke Kawaishi is generally regarded as the first to introduce various colored belts in Europe in 1935 when he started to teach Judo in Paris. He felt that western students would show greater progress if they had a visible system of many colored belts recognizing achievement and providing regular incentives. This system included white, yellow, orange, green, blue, and purple belts before the more traditional brown and black belts.

The Judo practice uniform and belt system eventually spread to many of the other modern martial arts, such as aikido and karate, which adapted them for their purpose. Karateka in Okinawa didn't use any sort of special uniform at all in the old days. The kyu/dan ranking system, and the modern karategi (modified judogi) were first adopted by Funakoshi in an effort to encourage the acceptance of karate by the Japanese. He awarded the first shodan ranks given in karate to Tokuda, Otsuka, Akiba, Shimizu, Hirose, Gima, and Kasuya on April 10, 1924. 

The adoption of the kyu/dan system and the adoption of a standard uniform based on the judogi were 2 of the 4 conditions which the Dai-Nippon Butokukai required before recognizing karate as a "real" martial art. If you look at photographs of Okinawan karateka training in the early part of the 20th century, you'll see that they were training in their everyday clothes.

Promotion requirements for each rank vary according to the sensei, school, and the national organization that you are affiliated with. There is no worldwide standard for requirements for each rank, although it is generally accepted that a black belt holder has had many years of practice and can demonstrate at least the nage-no-kata, the gokyo-no-waza and the newaza techniques.

Judo, which is translated as the "gentle way", teaches the principle of flexibility in the application of technique. This is the flexible or efficient use of balance, leverage, and movement in the performance of Judo throws and other skills. Skill, technique and timing, rather than the use of brute strength, are the essential ingredients for success in Judo. For example, in Judo classes you may learn how to give way, rather than use force, to overcome a stronger opponent.

The principles of Judo, such as "Maximum Efficiency" and "Mutual Welfare and Benefit", can also be used in our dealings with others in life. The ultimate goal in Judo is to develop oneself to the maximum extent possible, always striving for perfection, so that you can contribute something of value to the world.