Google Doodle pays tribute to ‘Father of Judo’ on his 161st birth anniversary

New Delhi: To honour the 161st birth anniversary of Professor Kano Jigoro, popularly known as the ‘Father of Judo, Google has dedicated a doodle to his name. Kan Jigoro saw Judo as an art that aims to bring people together on the principles of justice, courtesy, safety, and modesty, even while throwing opponents on the mat sometimes. Today’s doodle has been illustrated by Los Angeles, the CA-based artist Cynthia Yuan Cheng.

The clickable doodle has eight slides opening consisting of a sketch of Jigoro while other sides show the practice of judo.

Jigoro was born in the Japanese town of Mikage (now part of Kobe city) on October 28, 1860. Late he moved to Tokyo with his father at 11 years. He was known as a child prodigy in school, however, faced many adversities. Thus, to build strength, he started studying the martial arts of Jujutsu.

During his study at Tokyo University, Jigoro found Jujutsu master and former samurai Fukuda Hachinosuke, who taught him Jujutsu.

“Judo was first born during a Jujutsu sparring match when Kan incorporated a western wrestling move to bring his much larger opponent to the mat. By removing the most dangerous techniques used in Jujutsu, he created “Judo,” a safe and cooperative sport based on Kan’s personal philosophy of Seiryoku-Zenyo (maximum efficient use of energy) and Jita-Kyoei (mutual prosperity of self and others,” states the Google Doodle page.

In 1882, Jigoro opened his dojo (a martial arts gym) known as the Kodokan Judo Institute situated in Tokyo. He started welcoming women into the sport in 1893.

Decades later, judo became a universal sport and was added to the Olympics sport in the Tokyo Games in 1964. Jigoro became the first Asian member of the International Olympic Committee.

Today, the International Judo Federation unites over 200 national federations and 5 continental nations.

Jigoro rightly said about the martial arts, “Judo is the way of the highest or most efficient use of both physical and mental energy. Through training in the attack and defence techniques of judo, the practitioner nurtures their physical and mental strength, and gradually embodies the essence of the Way of Judo.”

He died in the year 1938, at the age of 77.