google doodle October 28, 2021, is the 161st birthday of Professor Kano Jigoro, known as the Father of Judo, CA-based artist Cynthia Yuan Cheng, illustrated by Los Angeles, CA-based artist. Kano was a Japanese teacher, athlete and founder of Judo.
Judo literally means “gentle way” and represents a Japanese martial art built on the principles of “justice, courtesy, protection and modesty”. Kano invented judo in 1882 and saw it as “a way of bringing people together, even while throwing opponents to the mat”.
Kano was born in Mikage (now part of Kobe) in 1860 and moved to Tokyo with his father at the age of 11. In Tokyo, he learned jujutsu from jujutsu master and former samurai Fukuda Hachinosuke. He created judo by removing the most dangerous techniques in jujutsu during a match of jujutsu. Judo is based on Kano’s philosophy of “seryoku-geny” which means maximum efficient use of energy and “jit-kyi” which means mutual prosperity of self and others.
In 1882, Kano opened his own ‘dojo’, a martial arts gym in Tokyo, and developed judo over the years. They welcomed women into the sport in 1893. His dojo is now known as the Kodokan Judo Institute in Tokyo. The institute is now the center of the worldwide judo community.
Kano has several honors to his name, including the First Order of Merit and the Grand Order of the Rising Sun, and the Third Imperial Degree. Kano was also the first member of the International Judo Federation (IJF) and was inducted into the Wall of Fame in May 1999.
He is also noted for his contributions as the Director of Elementary Education for the Ministry of Education from 1898 to 1901, and as president of the Tokyo Higher Normal School from 1900 to 1920. He is also credited with making judo and kendo a part of the Japanese public. School program in 1910.
.