The Demonstration of Gentleness Ju-No-Kata

Ju-no-kata (formal demonstrationof ju or gentleness) was a special exercise for two people devised by Dr. Jigoro Kano, the founder of modern Judo. It requires no special clothing or equipment, and can be practised anywhere. As one of the leading figures in Japanese education early this century, Dr.

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Kano introduced Junokata into the physical education of Japanese youth, and it is widely practised in schools, especially by girls, to whom he believed it was specially suited. A knowledge of Junokata is now part of the syllabus for the Ladies' Section of the British Judo Association, which is thus continuing the tradition of Japan where some of the best exponents are women.

The word Ju, literally means softness, has a technical meaning in Judo. The classical example is a wilow which gives before the fury of the tempest, so that at the end its flexible branches remain unbroken, whereas the rigid oak is up-rooted. Sometimes the principle is misunderstood as complete non-resistance. But it should be noted that the willow does use some strength, in that it keeps its root firm; it is only that it does not directly resist the force of the wind. Similarly, in Judo, force is not directly resisted: but there is indirect resistance. The indirect resistance is based on balance, skill and strategy.

Contents

Introduction
I First section
II Second section
III Third section

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