A Brief History of Judo
Judo the way of gentleness,specially created from traditional Japanese martial arts to be an ideal form of physical exercise and reliable system of self defence against armed or unarmed attack.
Jigoro Kano,the creator of Judo was born 1860.As a young man he studied and became master in various schools of Jujitsu or Yawara and Kendo.As Kano studied,he tried to find some common theme or principle in the various techniques.He did not.
Creating his own,he applied his principal of maximum efficiency to the techniques he had mastered.Using techniques which complied with his theme or by modifying them to become more efficient,he started teaching his improved system,Judo,in 1882.
Keiko Fukuda`s grandfather, Hachinosuke Fukuda, taught Tenshin Shinyo Ryu Jujitsu to a young Jigoro Kano. She was personally invited by Jogoro Kano to begin training at the Kodokan, and she enrolled at age 21. She was one of the first women to earn a black belt in Judo, and two years later achieved 3rd Dan and became an instructor in the women`s section of the Kodokan.
Keiko Fukuda, US Kata Technical Advisor and the highest ranking woman judoka in the world. She celebrated her 90th birthday in 2003 as 9th Dan."Be strong, be gentle, be beautiful."