• Judo is loved by all generations.

  You can see people of all ages from six to over

  eighty years, and people of all professions,

  nationalities and sexes enjoying Judo at the Kodokan.

  They all have their own purposes.

  Some of them want to be strong,

  some want to be healthy,

  some want to strengthen their mind,

  some want to appreciate the pleasant feeling after perspiring,

  some want to be able to defend themselves,

  some want to become instructors of Judo,

  and some are already devoted to training others.

  Why is Judo attracting people of all ages and people

  with so many different purposes?

 Prof. Kano created Judo from Jujutsu as the means

to learn the great principle of humanity,

not only to learn Waza.

He named the training institution "Kodokan".

The word "Kodo" means to learn, prove and practice

the principle.

The fact that Prof. Kano named Judo "Kodokan Judo"

shows us how he made much of the principle and

made it a principal objective of life to learn.

Prof. Kano himself said that

the purpose of Judo is to strengthen body by practicing

attack and defense,

to complete the personality by training the mind,

and finally to devote oneself to society.

The photograph above is a calligraphy by Prof. Kano,

which shows the principle and ideal of Judo :

"Maximum-efficiency" and "Mutual welfare and benefit."