Best is a subjective term, but overall, from what you've heard/experienced, what universities would you say are the best for judo?
I know that in Korea it's Yong-in University.
In the US it's San Jose State.
I asked one of my senseis who's originally from Japan and also a 7th Dan which university he thought was better between Tenri and Tokai and he said the latter.
I don't know about any other universities.
Please share your knowledge/experiences.
Tokai is the famous place for Judo... Lots of foreigners, lots of top level Japanese. Yamashita is the coach-- when he is there. They have an international dormitory for judokas. Every major team in the world goes there annually.
But, if you are looking for a place to get in a lot of really good training that I would tell you to avoid Tokai for some time. You simply will not get mat time until you are tops in the world.
You can go to places like Nittai'dai, Kokushikan, Chuo, Budo, and many, many others-- get your entire being kicked in day after day-- and improve your judo umpteen fold.
Very informative; thanks for the response. Still haven't been able to travel to Japan since I began doing judo. Hope to check off my bucket list one day.
Ill be very honest, and you might take this the wrong way, but that's your decision.. unless you under 27 years old and are coming from a place where you train like a collegiate wrestler 5 to 6 days a week and your judo is really dialed in, you have absolutley zero business going to any of those places with a judogi.
They are not really spectator friendly, they really do not like people with no business being there just showing up becuase they want to see the best in the world train. in fact, they will tell you no unless somebody who they trust will vouch for you before you arrive-- and if it turns out badly then that person will not have many favors left.
you want something you can go and do? Go to the Kodokan. They have sessions for everybody of all skills and ages. DO NOT bring a blue judogi there though and do not wear a shirt under your gi unless you are a woman.
you want to watch the best japense judokas train? sometimes they open the balcony when the Japanese National Team trains at the Kodokan once a month. but they tend to not like being recorded.
Actually had Kodokan in mind when I mentioned hoping to go to Japan. Can understand where the universities are coming from re: unwanted visitors.
Start out at the Kodokan. You will meet a lot of people there. Once a week (Wednesdays I think if memory serves me right) the top university teams go there and the randori is good that day. If you can hold your own, you will receive invitations to train with the top colleges (and the police dojo).
About which university is the best, check out the results of the all japan championships. When I was there, Tokai was the best but sometimes it is edged out by one of the other top programs.
Good luck have fun.
Where is the best place for a black belt but non-competitive player to LEARN judo in Japan? It seems the Kodokan classes are only open to people who live there year round, and not for people who are just visiting for the summer. Is there anyplace that teaches a curriculum from the ground up?
Excuse me but I'm pretty drunk right now.
The Kodokan classes didn't require a year minimum before. When I was in Japan people were doing them while living there for 3 months or something like that. That being said I don't think they're that useful. What Japan has going for it is the number of players on the mat at any one time. You can randori against 50 good players a week if you split your time between the police dojo, kodokan on wednesdays, and college clubs. I don't however think Japan is that good for learning judo. Most of the good players learned it when they were very young. Not too many Japanese learn judo as adults.
For the summer? If you have 3 months you might as well go to the Kodokan but it will be hot as fuck there.
my opinion:
tsukuba for women and men -81kg
tokai/kokushikan/tenri for basically everyone, but heavies are ALWAYS good at these schools
IPU (koga is the coach) for women. this is the best women's program in japan at the moment.
Korea has cheaper beer and food, and perhaps better judo at the moment. Why not go there instead?
Not to mention the girls don't whimper like beaten dogs when you nail them.
RexKwonDo - Korea has cheaper beer and food, and perhaps better judo at the moment. Why not go there instead?
I did actually live in Korea for a while, but out in the sticks of Gyeong-nam, a long way from Yong-in.
I trained at the school in my town; mostly beginners there.
However, my friend there who was an active player in high school (attended Samcheonpo High School) schooled me regularly. He was able to hang with the few Yong-in guys who ever showed up at our school.
KRA Judo Team and City Hall players were the toughest I trained with but they didn't roll through that often.
LOL @ "Not to mention the girls don't whimper like beaten dogs when you nail them"!
RexKwonDo - Not to mention the girls don't whimper like beaten dogs when you nail them.
^ quote of the year ...