Judô (The Gentle Way)

Modern Judô is commonly called a sport (Olympic level since 1964), a martial art, a way of spiritual harmony, a system of physical education, and a recreational activity. To some extent, all these definitions are accurate. People who practice Judô completely dedicated to the art consider it a way of life, but a full appreciation of the true nature of Judô is yet to be attained by many of its exponents. This is because the scope of Judô has frequently been viewed too narrowly; many of its important cultural aspects have been played down in favor of a few specialized ones.

In Japan, after the end of the bakufu (feudal government 1868), the Emperor was restored to power and an era of change swept Japan. The arts and skills of the samurai were a part of a heritage considered fossilic and outdated often falling into disuse.