President, the Kodokan
UEMURA Haruki
Let me express my cordial new year’s wishes to you all in the beginning of the year 2024.
In the Kodokan Judo Museum & Library, there is an exhibit of the KATSU Kaishu’s writing which reads: “Being empty minded in a subtlety of nature and mastering the essence of changes without contrivance.” During the inauguration ceremony of the Kodokan’s Shimotomisaka Dojo held on May 20th, 1894, KANO Jigoro Shihan demonstrated “Kata” with Uke by Mr. YAMASHITA Yoshitsugu (with his final Grade of 10th Dan) and Mr. ODA Katsutaro. The “Kata” performed with YAMASHITA looked somewhat similar to that of the Kito-ryu Jujutsu, while the one exercised with ODA, demonstrated “Riai” slowly at first and, then, exhibited them literally in lightning-fast dexterity. Having been invited to the ceremony as one of the honored guests, KATSU Kaishu was deeply moved with KANO Shihan’s virtuosity. He wrote down this phrase and presented it to KANO Shihan. When he was young, KATSU devoted himself to the “Jiki-shinkage-ryu” Kenjutsu and it is believed that he was truly touched by the essence of techniques presented by KANO Shihan even though they were in the different arts. This framed calligraphy is being on display in the Kodokan Judo Museum & Library, so I wish you will spend some time to visit there.
In the 3rd Issue, Vol. 1 of “Judo” (published in June 1930), KANO Shihan wrote the Chapter of “To discuss the purpose of Kata and Randori Practices in Dojo.” He described that “There are various types of ‘Kata,’ so there should be different forms of Kata to be exercised depending on the purpose of practices” and that “You should choose different types of ‘Kata’ when you have different purposes. There are not so many categories of ‘Kata’ at present, but you can infinitely increase the number of ‘Kata’ as needed, so there should be so many new breeds of ‘Kata’ as for specific practicing purposes in the future.”
In practicing “Kata,” you are supposed to start by learning its basic forms and its sequence first. Then, you should figure out “Kuzushi,” “Tsukuri,” and “Kake” of each technique, as well as “Riai.” “Kata” has been configured to enable you to produce movements suited for “Riai” of each technique naturally without awareness.
The same principle should also be applied to “Uchikomi” which you have been practicing every day. First, you need to know the basic forms of each technique and then, you should learn to acquire how to apply “Kuzushi” to your opponent and a sequence of motions including “Tsukuri” to mobilize a technique. By repeating this cadence day after day, you will naturally learn to acquire “Riai.” Then, you will be able to leverage the technique, which you have learned with “Uchikomi,” by optimizing the positions of “Kumi-te,” “Kumi-kata” and how and when to start the technique and practicing how to apply the technique, while moving forward and backward, in accordance with your physical strengths and body size and experiences. In addition to learning “Kata,” you can improve its effectiveness and learnedness with “Uchikomi” and you can fascinate the people when they watch how you are performing.
The Olympic and Paralympic Games will be held in Paris this year. This is the third Olympic Games in 100 years since they were held in back 1924 and the very first Paralympic Games to be held in Paris. The Games will be held three years after the Tokyo 2020 Olympics and Paralympics, which were postponed by one year due to the COVID-19 Pandemics, so the athletes and officials will meet in the Games in a different cycle than usual. We all know that the French people take a very high level of interest in sports and, in particular, judo is one of the most popular sports, which has been recognized for its educational values and adopted as physical education classes in elementary schools, and that many French people are exposed to Judo in their childhood. I sincerely hope that all the athletes, who will participate in the Olympic and Paralympic Games in France with global attention, will make the most of what they have and perform to the best of their spirits, techniques and physical strengths.
We must work with “commitment” to Judo which has been established by our predecessor. We need to continue to discuss with you all what Judo should be and how it should be developed from the perspective of a competitive sport, education and culture. As a competitive sport, the Contest Rules should also be reviewed based on that perspective. The Kodokan Judo’s technical system has proudly inherited and refined a variety of “Jujutsu” techniques pursuing effective attack and defense methods in a match. It is our responsibility to properly pass this system on to our future generations. For the first agenda, we would like to start reviewing the essence of “To apply ‘Shime-waza’ or ‘Kansetsu-waza’ in a standing position (‘Tachi-shisei’)” and “Attack and defense below the belt.” As a matter of course, these actions have been banned for certain reasons and purposes and we understand that they cannot simply be turned back to the previous status. Needless to say, we must revisit these matters while clearly studying their causes. In addition to these, we should provide clear guidelines regarding “Clarification for the judgement of ‘Tachi-shisei’ and ‘Ne-shisei’ (standing and ground positions)” and “The transitional movement from ‘Tachi-shisei’ to ‘Ne-shisei’ or from ‘Ne-shisei’ to ‘Tachi-shisei’ and actions after the transition.” To that end, we believe that to call “Mate” timely and properly should be one of the effective means.
Among the throwing techniques (‘Nage-waza’) in Judo, there are such techniques as “Seoi-otoshi” by pulling down the opponent vertically or “Harai-makikomi” by laying down the body on to the mat while twining the opponent. In practicing these techniques, skills and abilities of the opponent are even more important than those of the one who applies techniques. Young boys and girls or beginners with limited experiences and unmatured physical attributes are not ready to apply the same techniques in the same ways as experienced practitioners with expertise and physical strengths. For each technique, there is a certain step and order to learn it. It has been recorded that the “Gokyo,” established in 1895 and revised in 1922, had been arranged in the order of “Techniques easy for ‘Ukemi’” as the first items, “Techniques easy to apply” the second and “Techniques with less risks and dangers” the third. At present, “100 Waza” are arranged by their classifications and we will propose appropriate instruction methods for them, as well.
KANO Shihan defined the training method of Judo as “Kata,” “Randori,” “Kogi” and “Mondo.” The “Mondo” means a practice to experience new findings between two parties while exchanging opinions and views mutually. So far, I have had the opportunities to exercise “Mondo” with those who have been involved in the education, dissemination and vitalization of Judo activities and a competitive sport during my tenure at the International Judo Federation (IJF), and so on. While we take many things for granted, people from overseas countries may wonder “why” they are so. It is not persuasive at all if we should try to insist that “they have been so ever since the beginning.” We should sincerely face those “why’s” and try to explain even difficult matters in concise and plain terms to make them understood better.
We are now able to organize tournaments and workshops as we did before the COVID-19 pandemics and many trainees have returned back from overseas countries to the Kodokan Judo Summer Course I with the primary purpose of teaching “Kata.” In addition to that, based on the request from the European Judo Union, we held the overseas Kodokan Kata Seminar for the first time in five years following the European Judo Championships Kata 2023 in Slovenia for coaching “Nage-no-kata” and “Katame-no-kata.” We have also dispatched instructors to Germany, Australia and other countries. We have already received many requests for dispatching instructors for Kata seminars and workshops home and abroad this year.
On October 28th, KANO Shihan’s birthday, IJF organized “The World Judo Day” with activities to connect the world through Judo. Since 2015, Kodokan has held various events as a part of the Anniversary of KANO Shihan’s birthday. Last year, under the name of “Let’s Talk About the Judo Day,” we practiced exercises of “Kata,” “Randori,” “Kogi” and “Mondo.” At the Kodokan, we held a seminar of “Nage-no-kata” and “Nage-waza” and organized a “Mondo” event in which each discussion group mutually exchanged opinions by setting a specific theme for discussion. Diverse participants actively expressed their opinions and enjoyed the “moment of new findings.” We announced the Anniversary of KANO Shihan’s Birthday event for 110 domestic organizations consigned for Dan Promotion Recommendations all over Japan and the Kodokan Committees in 16 overseas countries to call for their participation. We would like to take advantage of such opportunities to mutually promote cooperation and realize “Jita-Yuwa-Kyoei (harmony and mutual prosperity of self and others” on the day.
During the COVID-19 pandemics, the web mediums were used extensively. In addition to using videos, we tried to create effective means to present our techniques and knowledge since it was necessary to communicate by providing images, which were easy to understand, and explanations in appropriate words. However, there is no better way than face-to-face meeting, while sharing the same time and space, to appeal our goals for Judo to you all. We will continue to organize and enhance the “Kodokan Seminars” for Kata and basic techniques instructions and referee training, the “Kodokan Youth Cultivation Training Seminars” and “Dojo Visits” with the co-sponsorship by Token Corporation Co. Ltd. to promote Judo properly and revitalize Judo activities in each area.
We have learned the words and teachings left by KANO Shihan and digested them as our knowledge. We also need to use those assets as a catalyst or wisdom to survive in the present time while solving various social issues and challenges. To inherit the tradition of Kodokan Judo established by our predecessors and create furthermore history, we are determined to practice “Seiryoku-Zenyo” and “Jita-Kyoei” and promote the spirits and essence of Kodokan Judo both home and abroad.
Let me call for your continuing guidance, support and cooperation from all the members of Kodokan for the entire year and I sincerely wish a happy and prosperous new year for you all.
