What is Judo?

Maximum efficiency with minimum effort

Judo (柔道) translates to "the gentle way."
It is formed from two Japanese characters:柔 (ju) meaning "gentle," "softness," or "flexibility,"道 (dō) meaning "way," "path," or "principle."

Judo is a martial art rooted in the idea that softness can overcome hardness. One of the principles of Judo is not to oppose force with force, but rather to use the attacker’s efforts to redirect and control. As a martial art, judo teaches control, balance, and the intelligent use of an opponent’s energy.

In essence, judo is not about fighting strength with strength — it is about mastering movement and mind.

Born our of Kanō's vision

Judo was founded in 1882 by Professor Jigorō Kanō. At the time, traditional Japanese jujutsu schools were declining, and Kano — a scholar and martial artist — saw the need for a new approach

.Kano studied multiple jujutsu styles but found that many techniques were dangerous, focused purely on fighting without promoting personal growth. He envisioned something more: A system that preserved the powerful techniques of jujutsu but refined them into a practice for physical, mental, and moral development.

Judo was born out of this vision — not just as a martial art, but as an educational method, a philosophy of life, and a discipline that could build better individuals and, through them, a better society.

Judo - More than Martial Arts

Professor Jigorō Kanō envisioned judo as a discipline shaped by two timeless principles.
The first, Seiryoku-Zenyo (精力善用), teaches that true mastery lies in achieving the greatest effect with the least amount of effort — refining every movement, every thought, until nothing is wasted.
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The second, Jita-Kyoei (自他共栄), reminds us that personal advancement is incomplete without contributing to the wellbeing of others.Together, these ideals make judo not simply a martial art, but a lifelong practice of efficiency, respect, and shared growth — both on and beyond the mat.