Term · Japanese culture
Judo
The martial art that got into the Olympics by first agreeing to become a sport.
In Otakana the clue reads: Throwing art that became an Olympic sport
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- Japanese culture
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- 4 · Easy
Kano Jigoro founded judo in 1882 at a Tokyo temple with nine students, having trained in older jujutsu schools and decided they needed editing. He removed the strikes that could not be practised safely, kept the throws, pins, chokes and joint locks, and built a system where students could go at full effort against a resisting partner. That last decision is why judo spread and why most of its rivals did not.
Randori, free practice, is the engine. Two people grip the jacket and each tries to break the other's balance, and the throw arrives when the balance goes rather than when the arm swings. Kano wrote the aim as maximum efficiency with minimum effort, and paired it with mutual benefit, which he meant as a teaching principle rather than a slogan.
The Kodokan sent instructors abroad from the 1900s, judo turned up at the 1964 Tokyo Games as the first Asian martial art in the Olympics, and a Dutch competitor won the open category in front of a home crowd that had assumed otherwise. Anime keeps the art around for its throws, which read clearly in motion in a way that punching does not.
Spelling JUDO
JUDO is four letters and the only common Japanese word in the game that starts with J. Both of its vowels are long in Japanese, ju and do, so a faithful romanisation gives you JUUDOU and neither U belongs on the tiles. Once the J lands you are almost done. The DO ending is shared with kendo, aikido and bushido.