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In the Kodokan archives, the first enrolment of women dates back to 1893. Miss Sueko Ashiya was recorded as the first girl to enter judo classes. Kano taught his wife, Sumako, and her personal friends. But, it is only in November 1926, that a women's section (joshi bu) was formally opened. The first woman to be awarded a black belt, in January 1933, was Katsuko Osaki.
Noriko Watanuki, Kano's eldest daughter was head of the women's section for many years.
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In a conversation with the late Prof. Jigoro Kano, he said to me, "I hope to spread women's judo throughout the world as widely as men's judo. Miss Fukuda, you must pursue the study of judo with this in mind". Naturally, those words of the founder of judo strongly impressed my young mind, and still remain vivid. Since then, I have endeavoured, in my own way to propagate women's judo. Perhaps, because of this effort, Prof. Kano often told men judoists, "If you really want to know true judo, take a look at the methods they use at the Kodokan joshi bu (women's section)". I am very proud of these words which have become a legend in the Kodokan. "Develop one's mind and technique in harmony" is taken as the motto of the women's section, it is also important in men's training.
The late Prof. Kano's ideal for women's judo was to study randori in parallel with kata. This randori must be done between women. I was instructed only in this manner for the first ten years of my judo study. Judoists in general spend many hours on randori. Although it is also true in women's judo, its characteristic is not to neglect kata while placing the importance on randori. This leads to the realistic methods of self-defense. This results in the increase of confidence in their everyday lives. Those who seriously study judo and master a higher degree of kata, may reach the point of acquiring "satori", comparable to that concept of "spiritual enlightment" in Zen Buddism, possessing a highly trained physique.
*Keiko Fukuda, Born for the Mat, a Kodokan Kata Textbook for Women, 1973
Kano was taught jujutsu tenjin shin yo style from Keiko's grandfather Hachinosuke Fukuda. Keiko Fukuda and Masako Noritomi gave an exhibition of ju no kata during the Tokyo Olympics
Noriko Watanuki, Kano's eldest daughter was head of the women's section for many years.
**********************************
**********************************
In a conversation with the late Prof. Jigoro Kano, he said to me, "I hope to spread women's judo throughout the world as widely as men's judo. Miss Fukuda, you must pursue the study of judo with this in mind". Naturally, those words of the founder of judo strongly impressed my young mind, and still remain vivid. Since then, I have endeavoured, in my own way to propagate women's judo. Perhaps, because of this effort, Prof. Kano often told men judoists, "If you really want to know true judo, take a look at the methods they use at the Kodokan joshi bu (women's section)". I am very proud of these words which have become a legend in the Kodokan. "Develop one's mind and technique in harmony" is taken as the motto of the women's section, it is also important in men's training.
The late Prof. Kano's ideal for women's judo was to study randori in parallel with kata. This randori must be done between women. I was instructed only in this manner for the first ten years of my judo study. Judoists in general spend many hours on randori. Although it is also true in women's judo, its characteristic is not to neglect kata while placing the importance on randori. This leads to the realistic methods of self-defense. This results in the increase of confidence in their everyday lives. Those who seriously study judo and master a higher degree of kata, may reach the point of acquiring "satori", comparable to that concept of "spiritual enlightment" in Zen Buddism, possessing a highly trained physique.
*Keiko Fukuda, Born for the Mat, a Kodokan Kata Textbook for Women, 1973
Kano was taught jujutsu tenjin shin yo style from Keiko's grandfather Hachinosuke Fukuda. Keiko Fukuda and Masako Noritomi gave an exhibition of ju no kata during the Tokyo Olympics
there are many women in Judo for many reasons. Fitness itself among them.
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