Japan
situated between China and the United States is an archipelago
constituted by 4000
islands and islands among which 4 main islands: Honshu,
Hokkaido, Shikoku and Kyushu.
Historically japan was largely influenced by China and the Buddhism.
His
culture is strictly connected to the peach(fishing) (raditional dishes)
and to
the wood (160 sorts of tree listed in Japan against 70 in Europe). This
country
was torn for a long time by the feudal wars (1185-1868) which
established a
new tradition: the arts of fights.
I) 1185, Les Bushis in the
power:
Bushis
was warriors in armors, professionals since 710
(period Nara) and had
for role to enlarge the power of their clan.
Every clan
being in confrontation the one against the other one in single combats
to
acquire the ascendancy.
1615: Samurai
corresponding to the military
aristocracy, governed the country for Shogun. Civil servants armed with
the
peacetime (in the same way as polices today) they symbolized the Elite
of Japan.
Their main duty remained to serve their boss in the management of its
domains
and its interests. The bearing of cutting weapons was reserved for the
noble
persons. The rest of the population had to develop techniques of fights
with
bare hands or use agrarian tools to defend itself.
II) EDO's PERIOd
(1615-1868):
Ju-jitsu
takes its real development during this peace
period and on returning to the order (wanted by the emperor and
samurai). Bit
by bit samurai frequent dojos to replace battlefields. Techniques
become
refined and become soaked more and more with the spirit. Schools are
based by
samurai or fencing masters. The rivalry between them is terrible, the
challenges are numerous and bloody. Certain schools develop the
techniques of
katame-waza (immobilizations), shime-waza (constrictions) and swimming
- waza (projections).
In 1876 a
decree forbids
the port(bearing) of the sabre, the impact of the men
in weapons (the noble persons) is reduced to nothingness. Ju-Jitsu
reaches(affects)
then its highlight.
The legend of Ju-Jitsu tells that a doctor worn-out to the art of the
fight, the name of Akiyama,
native of Nagasaki
went in China to
study the medicine there. One day, during a snowstorm, he observed a
willow
branches of which covered with snow bent under the weight of this one
without
breaking contrary to the stiff pine branches of which had broken
themselves. He
had then the illumination of Ju-Jitsu which he wanted to see
practising. He
discovered 303 methods different from this art.
The principles of Ju-Jitsu:
-
Do not oppose to the opponent, but win the victory by adapting
itself.
- Not be
proud of the victory.
- Do not
stay in conflict but maintain the empty spirit.
- Not be
allowed disturb by unimportant things.
- Take big
care of the breath.
- Respect a
moral code (The BUSHIDO): Loyalty, Energy, Self-abnegation and
Self-control.
III) Jigoro Kano:
18
october 1860: Birth to Mikage
(near Kobe).
Nothing intended him for
the
fight, he was small and sick. His companions laughed at him. However,
in 10 years he receives the sabre of the samurai, before that the
Emperor Meiji forbids the bearing.
In 1877
Jigoro Kano brings in to the imperial University of TOKYO and
begins the study of Ju-Jitsu with the master Hachinosuke
Fukuda.
He discovers Atemi-waza (technics of carried knocks) and Katame-waza.
Diligent he went every day to Dojo the trainings of which were very
rough. Frail of nature there became stronger and more resistant, but
was always the smallest and the lightest. This handicap urged him to
study the other followers, their techniques and their movements to
finalize techniques allowing him to overcome them.
In the class of the master
Fukuda, a
pupil, Kenkichi Fukushima,
weighed about 90 kilos. After the well observed credit note, he asked
him if he agreed to meet him. He threw him then, in spite of his
weight, in a spectacular way with a technic which he had just
elaborated: Kata-guruma (technique of projection consisting in charging
the opponent on the shoulders before making him fall).
Intellectual, Jigoro Kano
studied in books a lot. He got itself original documents of the other
schools, learnt the techniques of the Sumo wrestling and rediscovered
the old art of the seizures (Kumi-uchi) which will end in the essential
work of Kumi-kata in judo (taken by nurse).
Jigoro Kano made a
synthesis of
its research work and created its own Dojo: the KODOKAN
Kodokan in view dates:
1882: 12
tapis,
24m², 9 pupils
1886: 40
tapis,
80m², 100 pupils
1889: several
schools, 600 pupils
1900: 200
black belts
1934: new
room, 1000
tapis, 2000m², 100 000 pupils
1938: death of
Jigoro
Kano
Judo in ths world:
1943: 1st
Male French championship (Jean de Herdt become the champion of
France)
1951: 1st
Male European championship in Paris
1956: 1st
Male world championship in Tokyo
1964: The
judo,
the sport of demonstration in the Olympic Games of Tokyo
1972: The
male
judo is Olympic sport in Munich
1975: 1st
Feminine European championship
1976: 1st
Feminine French championship
1980: 1st
Feminine world championship
1988: The
feminine
judo is Olympic sport in Seoul
|