Kanō Jigorō
Japanese judoka, educator and politician (1860–1938)
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Key Takeaways
- Kanō Jigorō ( 嘉納 治五郎 ; 10 December 1860 – 4 May 1938) was a Japanese judoka, educator, politician, and the founder of judo.
- Pedagogical innovations attributed to Kanō include the use of black and white belts, and the introduction of dan ranking to show the relative ranking among members of a martial-art-style.
- In his professional life, Kanō was an educator and a promoter of multiple sports in Japan, including swimming, athletics, weightlifting and other forms of physical education.
- He also helped Gichin Funakoshi and other masters to introduce and systematize karate in the country.
- His cousin Kenji Kanō, founder of one of the first western boxing clubs in Japan, was also influenced by him.
Kanō Jigorō (嘉納 治五郎; 10 December 1860 – 4 May 1938) was a Japanese judoka, educator, politician, and the founder of judo. Judo was one of the first Japanese martial arts to gain widespread international recognition, and the first to become an official Olympic sport. Pedagogical innovations attributed to Kanō include the use of black and white belts, and the introduction of dan ranking to show the relative ranking among members of a martial-art-style. Well-known mottoes attributed to Kanō include "maximum efficiency minimal effort" (精力善用, seiryoku zen'yō) and "mutual welfare and benefit" (自他共栄, jita kyōei).
In his professional life, Kanō was an educator and a promoter of multiple sports in Japan, including swimming, athletics, weightlifting and other forms of physical education. Aside from judo, he is considered by some to be the originator of modern strength training in Japan. He also helped Gichin Funakoshi and other masters to introduce and systematize karate in the country. He was also a high member of the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai martial arts organization, and played a key role in making judo and kendo part of the Japanese public school programs. His cousin Kenji Kanō, founder of one of the first western boxing clubs in Japan, was also influenced by him.
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