The British Judo Council (BJC) is a membership organisation and a governing body for
Judo
is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponi ...
in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
.
History
In 1955
Kenshiro Abbe
was a prominent Japanese master of judo, aikido, and kendo.Morgan, K., & Ellis, H. (2006)Kenshiro Abbe Sensei 1915–1985: A man with too many friends (originally published in ''Martial Arts Illustrated'', December 2006). Retrieved 7 April 201 ...
, then a 7th dan Japanese judoka and the highest ranked judoka outside Japan, was invited to Britain on a two year contract to teach
Judo
is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponi ...
at the London Judo Society, a Judo School in South
London
London is the capital and largest city of England and the United Kingdom, with a population of just under 9 million. It stands on the River Thames in south-east England at the head of a estuary down to the North Sea, and has been a majo ...
. Abbe parted ways with the LJS in the following year and started his own school for Judo. He then in 1958 formed the British Judo Council, assisted by William (Bill) Wood his senior student, then a 3rd dan. The British Judo Council subsequently amalgamated with the MOSJ an organisation founded by Masutaro Otani, another high ranking Japanese judoka.
Membership of the BJC grew rapidly through to the early 1960s. Abbe served as president until 1964 when he returned to Japan. Masutaro Otani, in turn, served as BJC president until his death in 1977. The presidency was then filled by Masutaro's son, Robin Otani, who serves as president to the present day.
The BJC was affiliated to the British Judo Association (BJA) in 1994.
Philosophy
The BJC have a more traditional outlook towards Judo than is generally the case in Britain. The traditional white judogi is preferred over the more recent blue judogi that was introduced for international competition. Etiquette is more rigidly adhered to than is often the case in more sport-oriented clubs and organisations. The BJC stress the importance of kata, a view that is not shared by some other large organisational bodies in the UK.
[Otani (2007)]
See also
*
Judo in the United Kingdom
Judo in the United Kingdom has a long history; the martial art being first introduced in 1899, and the first dojo, the Budokwai, being the oldest in Europe. The British Judo Association is the United Kingdom's official governing body for Judo - in ...
Notes
Bibliography
*
*
*
{{Authority control
Sports organizations established in 1958
Judo organizations
Judo in the United Kingdom