Group+Three+-+Judo

 JUDO  In any sizeable community of Great Britain, one can readily find instruction in the martial arts. Max Skidmore, in his article entitled "Oriental Contributions to Western Popular Culture: The Martial Arts," contends that judo, in particular, was the first of the martial arts to spread to the West. He calls attention to the broad spectrum of artistic mediums that have been influenced by the martial arts in just the last 25 years including film, television, novel, "pulp" entertainment, and magazines, not to mention the large number of tournaments held each year. For this reason, a cultural festival honoring Japan would not be complete without the inclusion of judo. ** A Brief History ** Judo is a martial art which originated in Japan. In order to understand judo, it is useful to delve, very briefly and topically at least, into Japan's rich combative history. In his essay entitiled "The History of Kodokan Judo," Keo Cavalcanti begins with the samurai. Many people have heard of samurais (also called bushi), which were Japanese warriors who were extremely skilled at fighting with swords. Cavalcanti contends that the role of the samurai became particularly valued during the Heian period (794 - 1185), during which time private landowners hired samurai for protection of their properties. According to Cavalcanti, only about 20% of Japan's rugged terrain is favorable for farming, which means that wealth-producing land was scarce and therefore, the demand for samurai to protect that land was great. Cavalcanti goes on to explain that warfare and political instability continued in Japan up until 1615, which marked the start of 250 years of peace. By this time, Cavalcanti states, the country was arranged into an official hierarchy of social castes: the samurai stood at the top, followed by the farmers, artisans and merchants. Only the shogun, or military rulers, were above the samurai (Cavalcanti). In 1868, Japan's feudal era came to an end, and the samurai class was abolished. Some of the last samurais are pictured below. 

 It was during this time of peace, when professional warriors were no longer needed in the same capacity, that fighting arts spread to the common man. In their book __Judo: Formal Techniques__, Tadao Otaki and Don Draeger define jujutso, the predecessor of judo, as a broad term used to describe many "Japanese systems of hand-to-hand combat in which the operator is minimally armed" (18). Translated roughly, //ju// signifies gentleness or softness while //jutsu// signifies art or science. For the samurai, Cavalcanti points out, this was always a secondary system, inferior to the major systems involving swords and other weapons. However, Otaki notes that jujutsu became increasingly prominent among commoners who didn't have such ease of access to elaborate weaponry (17). By the nineteenth century, there were literally hundreds of different styles under the umbrella of jujutsu and each one vied with every other to be considered technically perfect (Otaki 17). While the underlying purpose of all styles of jujutsu was a martial one, in some styles, the combative element waned as a more aesthetic and/or spiritual component was introduced (Otaki 19).  **<span style="font-size: 110%; color: #ff0300; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">Jigoro Kano, the Father of Modern Judo ** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> Jigoro Kano was born in 1860. His father was a high-ranking government official and Shinto priest. The family's economic and social status was favorable enough that Kano was able to attend Tokyo Imperial University, where he studied literature. He is best known, however, as the founder of Kodokan Judo. Jigoro Kano began his training at the age of seventeen in one of the may forms of jujutsu practiced at that time. By twenty-one, he became a master in Tenjin-Shino-ry jujutsu and by twenty-two, he started his own school. Kano was not a man of large stature and therefore relied heavily on technique rather than strength to best his opponents. In his essay "Jigoro Kano," Andy Adams describes Kano's goal during this time. He writes, "He dedicated himself to formulating a system of reformed jujitsu founded on scientific principles, integrating combat training with mental and physical education." The idea that was born of this intense dedication was the principle of maximum efficiency, which became the maxim of judo. Tadao Otaki, author of __Judo: Formal Techniques__, defines this principle as such: "Whatever be the object, the best way of attaining it is the most efficient use of mental and physical energies directed to that goal" (21). Kano effectively transitioned the fighting arts from "a //jutsu// form, primarily concerned with martial matters, to a //do// form, where emphasis is on character development and the perfection of the individual" (Otaki 21). Judo, therefore, can be translated as "the gentle way." In addition to championing the principle of maximum efficiency, codifying old techniques and creating new ones, Kano also removed the most dangerous maneuvers so that Kodokan judo could be practiced more safely by more people. Above all, Otaki stresses, "he intended on a strict code of ethics for all Kodokan members. Examples of good character were set by himself and his instructors" (22). This aspect of moral education is the main thing that separated Kano's judo from jujutsu. In fact, Kano was known for his dedication to education. An excerpt from his private notes reads, "Nothing is of greater importance than education; the teachings of one virtuous man can reach many, and that which has been learned by one generation can be passed on to a hundred" (Otaki 21). Given that judo is practiced worldwide by thousands of practitioners, it would appear that he was correct. Jigoro Kano was the first Asian to be elected to the International Olympic Committee. He officially represented Japan at most of the Olympic games between 1912 and 1936. Judo officially became an Olympic sport in 1964. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> <span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">** Technical Aspects of Judo **

<span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> Wikipedia provides a succint account of judo's fundamental technical attributes: <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> // [Judo's]<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw // // <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> manoeuvre, or force an opponent to submit by joint locking the elbow or by applying a choke. Strikes and thrusts <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">(by hands and feet) — as well as weapons defences — are a part of judo, but only in pre-arranged forms (kata) <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> and are not allowed in judo competition or free practice. //  <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 90%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">  <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> The video below, from Kyoto University, is done in an artistic way and set to music. I like it because everything is in slow motion and they've done a good job focusing in on the footwork so that you can really see the technique involved in these beautiful moves. Judo is known for its graceful throws, many of which you will see in the video. Someone who practices judo is called a //judoka//. media type="youtube" key="MkuTkdzVb_0" height="344" width="425" <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">The emblem of Kodokan Judo expresses much about the culture of Japan. An anonymous essay entitled "A Guide for Judo Teachers, Symbolism in Judo," can be found on the website called "The Original Judo Information Site" (citation below). This essay tells us that the eight-leaved cherry blossom "symbolizes the power of glowing iron amidst the silky, flexible, white blossom, or else 'strong towards the inside, soft towards the outside.'" It further explains that "The red circle within the blossom is supposed to symbolize our inside: concentrated and hot like glowing iron. The white circle is supposed to symbolize our outside: humble, plain and pure." Skidmore, in the article entitled, "Oriental Contributions to Western Popular Culture: The Martial Arts," implies that these attributes have a religious origin or connection. He states, "Strength comes from calm, considerate, and attentive conduct. In this, judo is similar to most of the other Oriental arts, which, in fact, have their roots in Zen Buddhism."
 * Judo as an Art Form and Expression of Japanese Culture **

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<span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> **Judo in Britain**   ======

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<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">"The History of Kodokan Judo" by Keo Cavalcanti sheds some light on how judo began to be transmitted across continents and cultures. He explains that "Between 1912 and 1952, when the International Judo Federation was founded, several Japanese experts immigrated to other continents, spreading Judo teachings. Sensei Gunji Koizumi, 7th Dan, went to Great Britain in 1918, founding the London Budokwai." ======

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<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 110%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">The first evidence of a judo club at Oxford University is the photograph below, taken in 1926. Sensei Gunji Koizumi is present in the photo (middle row, second from right). According to the website "Oxford Judo," Koizumi and the Budokwai's first chief instructor, Yukio Tani, commuted regularly to Oxford following requests by undergraduates. The first official judo competition against Cambridge took place in 1930 (Oxford Judo). ====== <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">   <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">The link between Oxford and Cambridge Judo and Japan persists. During the 1980's, with the help of <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">[|The Sasakawa Foundation] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">, Oxford University, together with its fierce rival, Cambridge University, established a relationship with Tokyo University's Judo Club. The Oxford Judo website tells us that " their purpose was to plan for a joint team of 25 former Oxford and Cambridge team members to visit Japan and compete against teams from some of Japan’s foremost Universities, a visit which eventually took place in August 1990." Since that time, Oxford and Cambridge judokas have had the opportunity to both visit Japan and host Japanese judokas on several occasions. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 120%; font-family: 'Arial Black', Gadget, sans-serif;">** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">Notable Judokas   ** <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> Satoshi Ishii is a 22-year-old Japanese judoka. He was the All-Japan Judo Heavyweight champion in 2006 and 2008. He also won the gold medal in the heavyweight division of the judo competition at the 2008 Summer Olympic Games in Beijing, China.

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">Craig Fallon is the premiere British judoka in the lightweight category. He won the the World Judo Championships in Cairo in 2006, becoming only the third British male to win a world title in judo. Impressively, Fallon went on to win The 2007 Men's World Cup (lightweight division) at the NIA Arena in Birmingham. He was the only Brit to medal at the Olympic ranking event. Because of this, he was Great Britain's great hope for a medal at the 2008 Summer Olympics, which is the subject of the video below. Unfortunately, Fallon did not capture a medal in Beijing. media type="youtube" key="L_aBIIEuiGE" height="344" width="425"

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"> For more information about judo, the following websites may be of assistance: [|The Budokwai] (The oldest Japanese martial arts club in Europe) <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">[|Oxford University Judo] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">[|British Judo Association] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">[|International Judo Federation] <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">[|The Original Judo Information Site]

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">"A Guide for Judo Teachers, Symbolism in Judo." __The Original Judo Information Site__. 1 Dec 2006. 29 Nov 2008. < <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">http://judoinfo.com/symbols.htm <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">>
 * <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-size: 130%; font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">Works Cited  **

Adams, Andy. "Jigoro Kano." __The Original Judo Information Site__. 18 Jan 2004. 1 Dec 2008. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">http://www.judoinfo.com/kano4.htm

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">Cavalcanti, Keo. "The History of Kodokan Judo." __The Original Judo Information Site__. 20 Apr 2003. 29 Oct 2008. <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">http://judoinfo.com/jhist.htm <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">"Judo." //Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia//. 4 Dec 2008, 02:45 UTC. 4 Dec 2008 < <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Judo&oldid=255767540 <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">>.

<span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;"><span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">Otaki, Tadao, and Donn. F. Draeger. __Judo: Formal Techniques__. Vermont: Tuttle, 2001.

"Ancient History." //Oxford Judo//. 2008. 4 Dec 2008. <http://fighting.materials.ox.ac.uk/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=43&Itemid=47>.

Skidmore, Max J. "Oriental Contributions to Western Popular Culture: The Martial Arts. " __Journal of Popular Culture__ 25.1 (1991): 129. __Research Library__ __Core__. ProQuest. 1 Dec. 2008 <span style="font-family: 'Palatino Linotype', 'Book Antiqua', Palatino, serif;">http://www.proquest.com/