As the first episode of my blog, I would like to briefly share why I decided to create this kind of website.
I originally worked in planning and producing Japanese television programs. I conducted interviews based on various themes and created and broadcast numerous TV shows. One day, I was involved in a documentary program themed around "Judo," but to be honest, I didn't have a strong interest in "Judo" itself. However, once I started interviewing and researching about "Judo," I began to see many of its possibilities and challenges.
https://www.bsfuji.tv/judo/pub/index.html
（The only TV program in Japan dedicated to the theme of "Judo."）
What I immediately realized when I started my research was that "Judo" is a communication skill that goes beyond words. In fact, at the Judo's headquarters, Kodokan, judoka from all over the world gather, and every day you can see them dedicating themselves to practice even when language barriers make communication difficult. Children practicing Judo often train without concern, even when paired with foreigners. For those who practice Judo, it might seem obvious or unnecessary to mention these things now, but for the vast majority of Japanese people who do not practice Judo, having the experience of physically engaging and grappling with foreigners is almost impossible.
I heard another interesting story. There are Japanese Judo practitioners who, even if they are not fluent in foreign languages, travel around the world carrying just their Judo gi, visiting various dojos. I believe this story exemplifies how Judo is a remarkable form of communication skill.
On the other hand, I heard a story from a foreign Judo practitioner practicing in Japan. They said, "I thought everyone in Japan practiced Judo," and "Even if I wanted to practice Judo in Japan, I had no information about where I could do it." While I acknowledge that Kodokan and the dojo in Osaka do provide English information on their websites, and there are some other dojos that have expressed their willingness to accept foreign practitioners, the number of such places is still quite limited.
Through my research for the Judo program, I also uncovered a problem facing the Japanese judo community: the crisis of dojo survival due to a declining number of practitioners. Japan’s judo population has been decreasing year after year and is said to have halved compared to 30 years ago. The decrease in the number of people who enjoy judo directly puts pressure on dojo management. In fact, some rural dojos have closed down, and even those that are still active have significantly fewer members, with many losing momentum in their activities.
This led me to the idea of connecting foreigners who want to enjoy Judo in Japan with dojos all over the country, creating a system that allows people to enjoy Judo more freely and actively. That is the reason I decided to develop this website.
The appeal of Judo is not limited to "communication skills." With its practice beginning and ending with respect, Judo also has a high educational value, and I believe this is one of the reasons why it is loved by people overseas. In fact, all the foreign Judoka I have met are very polite and pleasant people. I hope that this website will work well and that active exchange between these foreign Judoka and local dojos in Japan will increase. I believe that spreading the appeal of Judo to more people and revitalizing the Japanese Judo community will help Judo in Japan become even more lively and popular.