Dr. Gigoro Kano

[sirmattu]

Did he have an official rank in Judo? Like 10th Dan? Also while i'm at it , does anyone know what degree of black belt Kano had in the jui jitsu systems he created Judo on?

[Cobra_nVidia]

Did he have an official rank in Judo? Like 10th Dan? Also while i'm at it , does anyone know what degree of black belt Kano had in the jui jitsu systems he created Judo on?

Kano...umm...developed the Dan system. The Ju-Jutsu systems did not involve Dans, they gave certificates. Dans are part of Budo, no Bujutsu (fighting)

As far as what Dan, dunno. Maybees a zillion

[sirmattu]

Woah now, that's a lot!!!

[IPON]

The proper spelling is Jigoro


More info available at www.judoinfo.com below is info from that site:


In the days before Kano created Judo, there was no kyu/dan ranking system in the martial arts. A more traditional method of recognizing achievement was the presentation of certificates or scrolls, often with the secrets of the school inscribed. Kano started the modern rank system when he awarded shodan to two of his senior students (Shiro Saigo and Tsunejiro Tomita) in 1883. Even then, there was no external differentiation between yudansha (black belt ranks) and mudansha (those who hadn't yet attained black belt ranking). Kano apparently began the custom of having his yudansha wear black obi (belts) in 1886. These obi weren't the belts karateka and judoka wear today -- Kano hadn't invented the judogi (Judo uniform) yet, and his students were still practicing in kimono. They were the wide obi still worn with formal kimono. In 1907, Kano introduced the modern judogi and its modern obi, but he still only used white and black belt ranks.

Around 1930 Jigoro Kano created a new belt to recognize the special achievements of high ranking black belts. Other arts such as the tea ceremony and swordsmanship provided recognition for their masters in the form of a special tea pot or sword. Jigoro Kano chose to recognize sixth, seventh, and eighth degree black belts with a special obi made of alternating red and white panels. The white color was chosen for purity, and red for the intense desire to train and the sacrifices made. The colors red and white are an enduring symbol of Japan, and they have been used in Judo since Jigoro Kano started the first Red and White Tournament in 1884. He also created the red belt to recognize 9th and 10th dans.

Other colored belts for students who had not yet achieved black belt originated later, when Judo began being practiced outside of Japan. Mikonosuke Kawaishi is generally regarded as the first to introduce various colored belts in Europe in 1935 when he started to teach Judo in Paris. He felt that western students would show greater progress if they had a visible system of many colored belts recognizing achievement and providing regular incentives. This system included white, yellow, orange, green, blue, and purple belts before the traditional brown and black belts.

The Judo practice uniform and belt system eventually spread to many of the other modern martial arts such as aikido and karate which adapted them for their purpose. Karateka in Okinawa didn't use any sort of special uniform at all in the old days. The kyu/dan ranking system, and the modern karategi (modified judogi) were first adopted by Funakoshi in an effort to encourage karate's acceptance by the Japanese. He awarded the first shodan ranks given in karate to Tokuda, Otsuka, Akiba, Shimizu, Hirose, Gima, and Kasuya on April 10, 1924. The adoption of the kyu/dan system and the adoption of a standard uniform based on the judogi were 2 of the 4 conditions which the Dai-Nippon Butokukai required before recognizing karate as a "real" martial art. If you look at photographs of Okinawan karateka training in the early part of this century, you'll see that they were training in their everyday clothes.

Promotion requirements for each rank vary according to the sensei and the national organization that you are affiliated with. There is no worldwide standard for each rank, although it is generally accepted that a blackbelt has had many years of practice and can perform at least the nage-no-kata, the gokyo-no-waza and the grappling techniques. For further information about promotion requirements see your sensei.

[sirmattu]

Ahh your right! I did spell it wrong. Mental error sorry for that, should have know better.

[Tant01]

Did he have an official rank in Judo? Like 10th Dan? Also while i'm at it , does anyone know what degree of black belt Kano had in the jui jitsu systems he created Judo on?

Good question, Ipon has provided alot of good stuff but to add, if I may, other sources have different dates for some of these things.

http://www.bstkd.com/JudoHistory/HistoryEight.htm

[Ju jitsu styles either had no rank at all, or rank systems identified by varying grades of teacher certification, roughly corresponding to "beginning teacher," "advanced teacher," and so forth.
...the point where one might be considered to have mastered a sufficient foundation of Judo to be considered a true student of Judo was a first Dan, or black belt, rank.
At first consisting of three white belt, three brown belt, and three black belt grades, the system gradually expanded to encompass genuine colored belts, such as yellow and green, and ten Dan ranks.

Kano himself had studied Seigo Ryu, and Yagyu Ryu, as well as his Kito Ryu and Tenshin shinyo Ryu. Tenshin shinyo Ryu was, itself, a fushion of Yoshin Ryu and Shin No Shindo Ryu ju jitsu. Yoshin Ryu was Yasmashita's specialty. Tenshinshinyo Ryu incorporated striking, throwing, holding, and choking techniques as well as joint locks...

Kano never claimed a rank in Judo, and was recognized by his students as an authentic founder. After his death, Kodokan recognized him with an honorary and unique grade of 12th Dan. As a founder, he could not be traditionally ranked with the system of his founding. Kano usually wore a wide white belt, although he wears an old black belt in some photographs.]

[sirmattu]

Wow i've never heard of the 12th dan thing, thats weird. Why 12th? Why not 11th. I'm guessing they did it took make him above what's possible for judokas to abtain, but yeah.... i guess i'm just confused.