Jigoro Kano

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Kano Jigoro (嘉納治五郎 Kanō Jigorō, 29 October 1860 - 4 May 1938) is the founder of the Japanese martial art of judo.

Kano Jigoro was the founder of judo.

Kano Jigoro was born to a sake brewing family in Kobe, Japan.

After entering the Imperial University he learned both Kito-ryū and Tenjin Shin'yo-ryū jujutsu, two styles focused on different aspects of koryū (traditional or old-style) fighting techniques.

In 1882, Kano founded the Kodokan (institute for teaching the "way") and, over time, was able to introduce his art to the Japanese school system. His roles in Japan as an educator and the father of modern sports in Japan are almost as famous as his founding of judo.

Kano was a member of the the International Olympic Committee (IOC) for Japan and lobbied for having the 1940 Olympic Games held in Japan. He hoped that the games would bring countries together and avoid war. In 1938, returning from an IOC conference, Kano died of pneumonia aboard the SS Hikawa Maru. His dream was finally realized in 1964 when the Olympics were held in Tokyo. At that time judo was introduced as an Olympic sport.

[edit] Controversy over his death

There are allegations that Kano was murdered by food poisoning rather than dying of pneumonia. Supporters of this hypothesis claim that, since Japan was engaged in war, the government had plans to turn the Kodokan into a military academy. This was something about which Kano was outspoken in opposition. A few weeks after his death, the Kodokan did indeed become a military academy.^{[citation needed]}