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The Beginnings of Judo in Canada

It was around 1924 that Judo was introduced on the Canadian West Coast under the impetus of and through the enthusiasm of a young Japanese Judoka, Takagaki, who was at the time a fourth Dan.  He and a few fellow immigrant Japanese founded the first Canadian Dojo, for both socio-cultural and sport purposes.  After a few years, Mr. Takagaki returned to Japan where he later obtained his 9th Dan.


Among the pioneers of that era was Mr. Steve Sasaki, who became the director of the Dojo.  Later, during a visit to Vancouver, Master Kano gave the name Kidikan to this first Canadian Dojo. 

During World War II Japanese and Canadians of Japanese origin were relocated to the east of the Rockies.  At the end of the War, many of them preferred to remain in their new communities, and developed the sport of Judo.  This period saw the beginning of the Raymond and Lethbridge Dojos in Alberta as well as the Hatashita Judo Club in Toronto and the Montreal Shidokan.

In the early 1950's, many European Judoka with black belts settled in the East, especially in Quebec.  Not all of them were teaching Kodokan Judo but they contributed largely to its practice on a wider scale.  They established the first Canadian Judo Federation (C.J.F.) which became affiliated with the International Judo Federation, also a newly established organization.

At the time of the first World Championships of 1956, in Tokyo, there were two representatives from the Canadian Judo Federation.  During that same year, the Canadian Kodokan Black Belt Association (CKBBA) was formed, regrouping members from several different Provinces , with Mr. Sasaki as its first president. (October 25, 1956).

In 1958, at the second World Championships, Canada was represented by Mr. Umetsu, the second president of the CKBBA, who was both a delegate to the Congress of the IJF, and a competitor.  That same year, recognition was granted to Judo Canada by the International Judo Federation.  To this present day, Judo Canada is the only official organization governing Judo in Canada.  Mr. Hatashita was elected third President of the Association in 1961, and held this office until 1978.  There is presently a Judo Association in each province and territory.

As Judo Canada began developing a relationship with the IJF, Canadian athletes began achieving results on the international scene.  In 1964, Doug Rogers won the silver medal at the World Championships followed by a bronze medal a year later.  Almost twenty years later, Phil Takahashi and Kevin Doherty of Ontario both won bronze medals at the 1981 World Championships.  Then in 1984 Berger of Manitoba won a bronze medal in the Los Angeles Olympic Games and in 1992 Nicolas Gill won Canada's third Olympic medal when he placed third in Barcelona.  He repeated this success in the World Championships in Hamilton Canada with a second place performance.

copied from http://www.judonl.ca/canhist.htm

and http://www.judocanada.org