Kano

Jigoro Kano, the father of Judo

Jigoro Kano was born on the 28 October 1860, in the city Migake. He's the third son of Jirosaku Mareshiba Kano a merchant. The Kano family consists of mother and father, three boys , two girls and grandfather.
When Jigoro Kano is fourteen years old, and studying English and other foreign languages at the Ikue-school. Here is where he first encounters the Victorian philosophy. In 1877, Jigoro is sent to the Tokyo University to study English. It's here he takes on ju jutsu, according to Tenshin Shinyo ryu. The specific techniques of this ryu is the grip- and control-techniques, and Kano becomes a dedicated student of the ryu.

Kano gets his exam 1881, in English and social politics. He ensures himself a place as a literature teacher at Gakushuin, an exclusive school for the children of wealthy Japanese.
Kano also starts to study Kito ryu jujutsu, a ryu specialized on throwing techniques. In may 1882, he starts teaching jujutsu in the Eishojitemple in Tokyo. The school is named Kanjuko, forerunner to Kodokan judo, and the mat is 12 tatami big (6 x 4 meters). In the beginning, Kano is helped by the Kito ryu master Ikubo two-three times a week, and in these early days, more jujutsu than judo is practiced.

In February the next year, Kano moves his dojo Jimbocho in Kanda. The size of the mat is reduced to 10 tatami, and six month later Kano moves the dojo again, now to his own home, and can double the mat size to 20 tatami.
In 1884 the name of the system is changed to Kodokan Judo. The first judo competitions are held the same year. The technical side of judo is complete, concerning the basic techniques, in 1887. Kano moves Kodokan from his own home to a neighbor. The mat is again doubled, to 40 tatami. The next year, Kano becomes the principal of Gakushuin.
In September 1889 Kano takes part in an official Japanese visit to Europe. They visit, among other cities, Paris, Berlin, London and Stockholm. Kanos intentions is to do a study about other countries education systems.

While Kano is still touring Europe, Kodokan is once again moved. This time to Hongo-ku, and the mat increases to 60 tatami. Kano doesn't return to Japan until January next year. In august he marries Sumako, oldest daughter of Seisei Takezoe, former Japanese ambassador in Korea. Kano gets nine kids with Sumako, six daughters and three sons.
In 1901, Kano is invited to China with the intentions that he should prepare young Chinese students for studies in Japan, and advise that Kobun Gakuen is found in Japan for Chinese students. The Japanese government gives Kano the mission to organize the school.

Kano is elected into the IOC (International Olympic Committee) 1909, and keeps this position until his death. He travels to America and Europe to spread judo. In 1911 "The Judo Teachers' Training Department" is formed in Japan, and Kano also takes part of the forming the Japanese athletic federation, and becomes the first president of it.
Japan is, for the first time, represented at the Olympic Games in 1912 in Stockholm. Jigoro Kano is heading the Japanese delegation, and continues to do so until 1936.

When, in the 1920s, the Japanese nationalism gets stronger, Kano is forced to change the competition rules of judo. In the beginning of the 30s, the scoring system of judo is changed in the way that only one ippon is needed to win. Earlier one had to gain two ippon of three possible to win. This change was wanted to reflect the spirit and lifestyle of the samurai.
In 1932 Kano founds a society for medical studies about judo, and the first thing this society does, is to check if there are any medical reasons why women shouldn't practice judo.

Kano visits Paris and is visited by the young Feldenkrais, who hands over a manuscript for a manual in jujutsu studies. This becomes the only book connected with judo that Kano is involved in writing.
Kano visits the Budokwai in London for the fifth and last time in 1936. He tells Gunji Koizumi about his work to get judo as an Olympic sport:
"I don't feel like taking the initiative. Firstly, judo isn't just like any other sport. I look upon it as one of the principles of life, an art, a science. As a matter of fact, judo is a way to achieve personal cultural talent. Competition judo is a declining art. judo must be free from political, national, financial and other organized interests. But it can be hard to get westerners to accept this."

Kano passes away the fourth of may 1938, due to pneumonia, aboard the passenger ship Hikawa Maru, on his way home to Japan from Cairo, where he had attended a meeting with IOC, at which Japan is elected to host the Olympic Games 1942.