Nonprofit educational institution whose functions are to train judoka, provide seminars for instructors, to conduct research in judo techniques, award dan promotions, send instructors to dojo in Japan and abroad, and promote judo as a sport. The world’s first judo school, it was opened in Tokyo in 1882 by Dr. Jigoro Kano at the age of 23. In its first year, the Kodokan had only nine students. There were nine other kodokans before the present one was constructed. Today, its students number in the hundreds of thousands, and the 500-mat facility is considered the mecca of all judoka. Kodokan means “hall for teaching the way.” Headquarters of the All Japan Judo Federation, it is the largest single establishment for the practice and promotion of judo. Located in the Suibodashi area of Tokyo, the present Kodokan is a seven-story building completed in 1958 at a cost of more than $750,000. It has more than 60 rooms, including seven dojo. Its staff of coaches and administrators numbers well over 100. The main training hall has a capacity of 500 mats; three smaller dojos with over 100 mats and three with 54 mats. There are showers, changing rooms, weight room, and 20 dormitory rooms on the 6th and 7th floors. A library, basement dining room, administrative offices, and lounges occupy the remaining areas. The Kodokan offers training to foreigners, women, children, beginners, and advanced students. Contests, called tsukinami-shiai, are held every month except January, May, and October. The All Japan Judo Championships, for 5th-degree black belts and above, is also held at the Kodokan. Co-sponsored with the All Japan Judo Federation, it is usually conducted close to May to commemorate the death of Dr. Kano. The first Kodokan was located at the Eishojo temple and contained 12 mats. Dr. Kano moved the dojo to a 360 square foot area in Kaminibacho. In 1886 the dojo again moved, this time to Fujimicho, Kudansakwe, where it grew to 40 mats (720 square feet). In 1889, the dojo was relocated to Hongo Masago (70 mats, 1,260 square feet), and in 1894, to Shimo Fujisaka Koishikawa (270 mats, 3,500 square feet). In 1933 the dojo moved to a building in Suidobashi, which had more than 500 mats, and remained there until 1958.

Homepage: http://kodokanjudoinstitute.org/en/