About

Like most individuals interested in Judo, I initially began my journey with sport Judo, as it is the predominant practice in today’s world. However, almost two decades ago, I started questioning the alignment between Judo founder Jigoro Kano’s philosophy and the current state of Judo. This perplexity led me to delve into Dr. Kano’s writings.

In 2010, I had conversations with individuals who had previously competed in the sport Judo but had ceased their participation due to injuries. Surprisingly, many of them were in their 30s, yet the injuries sustained from sport Judo had left them physically compromised and unable to partake in physical activities.

I successfully completed and passed all the tests for the 6th Dan, including Koshiki No Kata, Te Waza, Ne Waza, and Jujitsu.

I pursued this achievement because I believed it was a natural progression after dedicating nearly four decades to the disciplines of Judo, Jujitsu, and Karate. However, something continued to nag at me.

It became increasingly evident that what I was practising didn’t align with the true principles of Judo as envisioned by Dr. Kano. Much of it relied on physical strength, and opposition, and had UKE playing a passive role.

Dr. Kano, while not a scientist, possessed deep intuitions and a profound passion for human development. His quest was to facilitate personal growth and character improvement. From both neurological (making people aware of what they move in order to free their body and then, reducing the unnecessary brain activity) and physical perspectives (The Hamilton-Langrange or principle of Least Action), his vision proved correct.

The day eventually arrived when I was to be officially recognized and receive my 6th Dan certificate. Yet, I made a conscious decision not to attend the ceremony. I even wrote a letter to the FFJDA, requesting my removal from their list.

I simply couldn’t accept a grade that, in my view, held no genuine value

This stark contrast to Kano’s principles deeply affected me, and I made the decision to discontinue my involvement in sport Judo.

Thanks to the Internet, my son, who is also a Judo practitioner, discovered the International Autonomous JUNOMICHI Federation, a judo federation dedicated to preserving the fundamental principles of Jigoro Kano’s teachings. Intrigued, I immediately travelled to France for a three-day practice and was amazed by what I experienced.

During the practice, a young boy, a green belt and much smaller than me, invited me to join him on the mats. Given my years of experience in sport Judo, I thought it would be an easy match. However, before I could finish that thought, I found myself on the ground.

Since that day, my life has been transformed. I have finally found what I had been searching for. I am now an active member of this federation and dedicated to developing JUNOMICHI JUDO in Scotland.

When I share and teach Judo-Junomichi, I have two goals:

1. To ensure that each participant embarks on an inner journey that deepens their self-understanding and commitment to continue this journey.
2. To learn from my students and make them aware that they can share their knowledge for the mutual growth and prosperity of all.

Why a School of JUDO SCOTLAND?

To align with Jigoro Kano’s principles and goals, the term ‘school’ has been chosen. The word “school” has its etymology rooted in the Greek term “skhole,” which signifies an intermission of work, a time for learning, leisure, discussion, and a meeting place for teachers and students. It encompasses the idea of instruction and a community of disciples following a teacher.