Kyuzo Mifune

Canon of Judo

• The weed crushed and pressed by the heavy rock may slowly and gently grow up anew helped by the fresh air, sunshine, and sympathetic rain. On the other hand, the rock is often broken through exposure to nature and weathering. Life is a strong power to grow in tenderness; this fact may be considered as having a close relation with human life. At the same time tenderness has sometimes stronger power against stiffness or hardening due to extreme strain.

• A good Judoka never anticipates his action in a match, but his mind is as clever as a polished mirror which enables him to foresee precisely anything to happen and he displays freedom of his physique to cope with any change. Such mental state and physical action are called sei or tranquility and do or action, sometimes they are called ju and go or tenderness and sturdiness, in and yo or negative and positive, etc.

• Of course the strong are strong and the weak weak.

• A chance to try your technique is in one instant never to be regained, so try it without hesitation.

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• Ju means being natural or in other words the way which is natural and in accords with the truth of the universe and the one that human beings have to follow. Also, Ju may mean anything reasonable, just and honorable, accordingly noble: namely the realization of Truth , Good and Beauty.

• This lofty spirit of Judo is in its pure and firm trait, for its principle can only be grasped by continual self-annihilating efforts and endeavor, or in other words, through continuous hard exercise in sweltering summer and rigorous cold winter. Judo training is attainable only by dint of endeavor, perseverance, and modesty besides physical exercise.

• The mind, if slackened even a little, will cause defeat, the same as fearing the opponent will make you unable to use full strength.

• True spirit of Judo is nothing but the gentle and diligent free spirit. Judo rests on flexible action of mind and body. The word flexible however never means weakness but something more like adaptability and open-mindedness. Gentleness always overcomes strength.

• Cause your opponent to repent, then let him fall.