What is Judo?
The official name of Judo is Nihon Den Kodokan Judo (Japan Traditional Kodokan Judo).
It is said that Jigoro Kano founded the Kodokan and Kodokan Judo in 1882 (Meiji 15).
In 1915 (Taisho 4), with the establishment of the Judo Association, Judo was officially defined as follows:
Definition of Judo
“Judo is the way to most effectively utilize the powers of body and mind.”
This has been abbreviated into the motto:
“Maximum Efficiency with Minimum Effort” (Seiryoku Zenyo).
The following is the opening section of Jigoro Kano’s final teachings.
Jigoro Kano’s Final Teachings(Purpose)
“Judo is the way to most effectively utilize the powers of body and mind. Its practice involves training in attack and defense to cultivate and refine both the body and the spirit, thereby grasping the essence of this path. Through this, the ultimate purpose of judo practice is to perfect oneself and contribute to the betterment of the world.”
What does it mean to most effectively utilize the powers of body and mind? And for what purpose?
At the core of judo lies the principle of Seiryoku Zenyo—the most effective use of energy for a good purpose. In other words, it means using the powers of body and mind in the most efficient way to achieve goodness. But what is this “goodness”?
Here, “goodness” refers to actions that support the survival and development of communal or social life. What does this mean?
Kano taught that humans form societies and live in communities, making it essential to function in harmony and cooperation with others within that group or society. This harmony and cooperation allow one’s own efforts and those of others to mutually benefit each other. As a result, this mutual benefit leads to shared happiness.
In essence, harmony and cooperation among people in communal or social life contribute to the survival and development of the group or society, which in turn leads to individual happiness. Therefore, this is considered “goodness.” The fundamental principle of harmony and cooperation culminates in Jita Kyoei—mutual prosperity for self and others. Thus, Jita Kyoei is regarded as the ultimate good. To summarize, the core significance of judo lies in using the powers of body and mind most effectively to achieve the purpose of mutual prosperity for self and others (Jita Kyoei).