(Oct 28, 1860 - May 4, 1938)
Founder of
Judo.
Blackbelt Magazine's Significant
Achiever
Blackbelt Magazine's Black
Belt Award
winner
Jigoro Kano was born in
1860 in Kobe, Japan into a wealthy family. In 1877, as a college student
he studied Tenshin-Shinyo Jujitsu under Hachinosuke Fukuda and Masatomo
Iso. Fukuda gave Jigoro Kano a heavy iron rod which Kano used to
practice bojitsu techniques (stick fighting). After very hard workouts
Kano massaged his aching body with a strong foul smelling liniment which
he prepared himself. The other students in the dojo referred to him as "Kano
the Odoriferous". Fukuda died in 1880 at 52 years of age. Jigoro Kano,
his student, tried to keep his dojo open, but realized he needed more
training.
Kano then began his studies of Kito-Ryu under Tsunetoshi Iikubo. The
Kito-Ryu emphasized nagewaza (throwing techiniques). These techniques
complemented the grappling techniques of Tenshin-Shinyo Ryu.
In 1882 Kano founded Kodokan Judo. His system of martial arts (Judo) all
but replaced the parent arts of jujitsu in Japan. Kano, was an educator
and was successful in introducing Judo into the Japanese school system.
Kano traveled the world spreading judo to many nations. He visited the
dojo of George Yoshida in New York City in 1920, 1936 and 1938. In 1924,
Kano awarded a sandan to Henry Seishiro Okazaki, the founder of
Danzan-Ryu.
Kano died in 1938 on board the ship SS Hikawa Maru on a return voyage
from Cairo where he had met with an Olympic committee. It was his dream
to have judo in the Olympic games.
- From
pinewoodkarate.com
Jigoro Kano Videos