Combat Sports 🇯🇵Japan Olympic19th century

Judo

Japanese grappling art of throws, pins, chokes and arm-locks — win by ippon (perfect throw) or accumulate waza-ari.

📐tatami⏱~4 min🌤indoor

What is Judo?

Judo (柔道, 'the gentle way') is a modern Japanese martial art and Olympic combat sport founded by Kanō Jigorō in Tokyo in 1882. Drawing on older jujutsu schools but stripped of dangerous techniques, judo emphasises throws (nage-waza) and grappling (katame-waza) — pins, chokes and joint locks — with the aim of scoring ippon: a single technique of such quality (a clean throw flat on the back, a 20-second pin, or a submission) that it wins the match instantly. Judo was included in the Olympic programme in Tokyo 1964 (men) and Barcelona 1992 (women). The International Judo Federation (IJF) governs the sport worldwide.

Quick facts

How it works

Objective

Score ippon (an instant-win technique) or accumulate more waza-ari than the opponent within regulation time.

Match structure

Athletes bow onto the tatami, salute each other and grip up on 'hajime'. They fight standing (tachi-waza) and on the ground (ne-waza). Any clean throw landing flat on the back scores ippon and ends the bout; lesser throws score waza-ari. Ground fighting may score with a 20-second pin, or a choke/armlock forcing submission. If regulation ends level, golden score runs until any scoring technique or shido penalty decides the winner.

Rules

Basic rules

Ippon (full point)
Throwing an opponent flat on their back with control, force and speed. Also scored for a 20-second pin (osae-komi) or forcing submission via choke/armlock.
Waza-ari (half point)
A throw that lacks one of the ippon elements — e.g. landing partly on the side. Two waza-ari end the bout.
Osae-komi (hold-down)
Ground pin controlled with the opponent's back to the mat — 10 sec = waza-ari, 20 sec = ippon.
Chokes and armlocks
Legal from age 15+. Locks on the elbow joint only — no wrist, knee or spine locks. Submission is signalled by tapping.
Illegal techniques
Leg grabs, kani-basami (crab scissors), striking, spine cranks and neck cranks are all banned in IJF rules.

Advanced rules

Shido (minor penalty)
Given for non-combativity, false attacks, stepping outside the contest area, or defensive posture. Three shido = hansoku-make (loss).
Hansoku-make
Direct disqualification for a serious infraction (e.g. dangerous technique) or accumulating three shido.
Golden score
Overtime with no time limit — first score or first shido decides the bout.
Newaza transitions
Ne-waza (ground fighting) is only allowed as a continuation of a scoring throw or clear attack; stalling on the ground triggers a matte (stop).

Scoring

Ippon = instant win. Two waza-ari = ippon. Yuko was abolished in 2017.

Action	Points
Ippon (perfect throw / 20-sec pin / submission)	match-ending
Waza-ari (near-ippon throw / 10-sec pin)	1
Shido (opponent penalty)	0

Win condition · Ippon, two waza-ari, opponent's third shido, hansoku-make, or highest score at time / in golden score.

Playing area

Called

tatami

Dimensions

Contest area 8 m × 8 m to 10 m × 10 m, within a 14 m × 14 m safety zone

Padded straw mats laid on a sprung floor. Athletes wear the traditional white or blue judogi.

Equipment

Judogi
Thick cotton uniform — jacket, drawstring trousers and a coloured belt (obi). One athlete wears white, one blue.
Obi (belt)
Signals rank — from white (beginner) through six colours to black dan grades.
Tatami
Padded mats offering safe landing for repeated throws.

Officiating

The referee controls the bout inside the tatami; two corner judges support decisions. Since 2013 the CARE (Judogi Control And Video Refereeing) system uses instant replay to confirm scoring and penalties.

Referee (in-tatami)
Two judges (corner)
Care system (CARE) video review

Penalties & fouls

Penalties

Shido
Warning for passivity, false attack, stepping out, defensive grip, etc. Three shido = loss.
Hansoku-make (direct)
Immediate disqualification for banned or dangerous technique; may include tournament suspension.

Strategies

Kuzushi-tsukuri-kake
The three-phase throw: break balance, fit-in, execute — every technique is trained on this template.
Combination attacks (renraku-waza)
Chain a failed attack into a follow-up as the opponent reacts.
Counter-attacks (kaeshi-waza)
Use the opponent's attack momentum to throw them instead.
Newaza pressure
After a scoring throw, immediately transition to a pin or submission for ippon.

Terminology

Ippon: A perfect scoring technique — instant win.
Waza-ari: Half-point technique — two ends the bout.
Shido: A minor penalty — three ends the bout.
Nage-waza: Throwing techniques.
Katame-waza: Grappling techniques — pins, chokes, joint locks.
Osae-komi: A ground pin — 20 seconds scores ippon.
Uchi-komi: Repetition throwing practice — entering without completing.
Randori: Free-form sparring practice.
Judoka: A practitioner of judo.
Ukemi: Breakfalling — the first skill every judoka learns.
Hajime / Matte: Begin / Stop — the referee's fundamental commands.

Major competitions

Summer Olympic Games
quadrennial · worldwide · since 1964
Men 1964; women 1992; mixed team 2020.
World Judo Championships
annual · worldwide · since 1956
IJF World Tour
annual · worldwide · since 2009
Grand Slams, Grand Prix, Masters.
European / Pan-American / Asian / African Championships
annual · continental

Where it is played

Governing bodies

International Judo FederationIJF
Founded 1951 · Budapest, Hungary
Official site ↗
Kōdōkan
Founded 1882 · Bunkyō, Tokyo
Official site ↗

Famous names & records

Famous athletes

Kanō Jigorō (founder)
Yasuhiro Yamashita
Teddy Riner
Ryōko Tani
Shōhei Ono
Kayla Harrison
Clarisse Agbegnenou
David Douillet
Ilias Iliadis

Records

Most Olympic judo golds
Tadahiro Nomura (JPN) — 3 (1996, 2000, 2004) (2004)
Most World Championship golds (male)
Teddy Riner (FRA) — 10 (2023)
Longest unbeaten streak
Teddy Riner — 154 fights, 2010-2020 (2020)

Learn this sport

beginner

1
Ukemi (breakfalls)
Learn to fall safely — mae-ukemi, ushiro-ukemi, yoko-ukemi, mae-mawari-ukemi.
2
Basic throws (nage-no-kata 1)
O-goshi, seoi-nage, o-soto-gari, uki-goshi — the foundational hip and leg throws.
3
Basic pins
Kesa-gatame, kata-gatame, yoko-shiho-gatame, kami-shiho-gatame — the four standard hold-downs.
4
Rei (etiquette)
Bowing to the dojo, sensei, and partner — essential judo courtesy.

intermediate

1
Combinations
Renraku-waza — link two or more attacks in fluid sequences.
2
Counter throws (kaeshi-waza)
Turn opponent's throws against them — sasae-tsuri-komi-ashi counter, o-uchi-gari counter.
3
Newaza submissions
Juji-gatame (cross armbar), hadaka-jime (rear naked choke), sankaku-jime (triangle).
4
Randori
Free-sparring rounds against progressively skilled partners.

advanced

1
Competition strategy
Grip fighting, pace, opponent scouting, weight management.
2
Advanced kata
Master Nage-no-Kata, Katame-no-Kata, Kime-no-Kata for dan grading.
3
Coaching
Learn to teach — many countries require coaching qualification for higher dan grades.

Frequently asked

Is judo painful to learn?+

The first weeks are the hardest — you fall a lot. Once ukemi (breakfalls) become second nature, judo is one of the safest combat sports (backed by insurance data).

Can you strike in judo?+

Not in competition. Strikes exist in kata (atemi-waza) as a study of vulnerable points, but they are never used in randori or contests.

Why can't you grab legs in modern judo?+

The IJF banned direct leg grabs in 2010 to differentiate judo from wrestling and to promote spectacular throws. Leg grabs remain legal in sambo and BJJ.

How many weight classes are there?+

Seven per gender in the IJF senior events: men -60, -66, -73, -81, -90, -100, +100 kg; women -48, -52, -57, -63, -70, -78, +78 kg.

What's the highest dan grade?+

The Kōdōkan awards up to 10th dan; only 15 people in history have ever received it. Most senior competitors and coaches hold 4th-6th dan.

Sources & provenance

Wikipedia — Judo— Wikipedia
IJF — Sport & Organisation Rules— International Judo Federation
Kōdōkan — What is Judo— Kōdōkan Institute

Last verified 2026-08-24.community