Kyoto Judo Tradition

Judo has become an Olympic sport, with Japan as the greatest medal-winning nation. Founded by Jigoro Kano, judo is rooted in the philosophy of 'maximum efficiency with minimum effort' and transcends sport as an educational value. Practiced in over 190 countries, judo won Japan 16 Olympic gold medals at Tokyo 2020, representing the pride of Japanese sports.

Judo became an official Olympic sport at the 1964 Tokyo Olympics, with Japanese athletes winning numerous medals. Since then, judo has become an iconic Olympic discipline and is recognized worldwide as a traditional Japanese martial art. Through founding the International Judo Federation and Japan's leadership role, judo became established as the pinnacle of combat sports.

Olympic gold medalist Toshihiko Koga revolutionized judo education in Japan. He transformed traditional athletic judo into a highly competitive discipline by introducing scientific training methods. His work was instrumental in maintaining Japan's judo dominance in international competition and establishing successor development systems.

Japanese-origin martial arts including judo, kendo, karate, and aikido are practiced worldwide and featured in the Olympics. The spirit of beginning and ending with respect embodies the philosophy of 'budo,' representing Japan's unique sports culture emphasizing physical and mental training alongside character development.

A Japanese figure skating phenomenon who achieved consecutive Olympic gold medals at the 2014 Sochi and 2018 PyeongChang Games, becoming the first men's singles skater to accomplish this feat in 66 years. Combining extraordinary technical difficulty—he was the first to land a quadruple loop in competition—with unmatched artistic expression and showmanship, Hanyu broke world records nineteen times across his career. His performances drew unprecedented attention to figure skating, creating a massive, devoted international fanbase. After turning professional in 2022, he sold out arena ice shows instantly, demonstrating his enduring star power. Hanyu transcended his sport to become one of Japan's most beloved and recognizable cultural figures worldwide.

Japan's representative gymnast. He won multiple Olympic gold medals and set a world record in the all-around competition. Known as the leader of gymnastics through his exceptional technique and beautiful movements. His consecutive all-around gold medals at the 2016 Rio Olympics represent a historic achievement in Japanese gymnastics. A globally acclaimed outstanding athlete.