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Sarah Mayer is an important figure in the history of women’s judo internationally. Her achievement as the first foreign woman in Japan to receive a black belt for judo in 1935, gives an indication of her significance, but a study of her life and background as an actress and theatrical entrepreneur, and as a sportswoman; in conjunction with an investigation into the social stratum in which she existed, gives us important insights into this sporting pioneer and role model.\ud \ud Mayer was a British actress and playwright, who played a role in terms of the globalization of sport in the interwar years. She was treated in an unprecedented way by the establishment in Japan, whereby, as a woman, she was allowed to train in male dōjō, particularly, the Kōdōkan and Butokuden, the former being the origin of judo in Japan, and the latter, part of a military training establishment. Mayer also contributed to the drive for female participation of judo in Japan in the lead up to the Second World War.\ud \ud Drawing primarily on the letters that Mayer wrote to her judo teacher, Gunji Koizumi, this paper covers seven main themes which relate to her life;\ud 1. Max Mayer – Diamonds and Pearls\ud 2. Gunji Koizumi – Judo at the Budokwai\ud 3. Herbert Percival - Letters from a ship\ud 4. Bathing with the police\ud 5. Kano, Hatta, Mifune, Isogai – The Kodokan and Butokukai\ud 6. A black belt returns from Japan\ud 7. The Shaw Millionairess\ud \ud Max Mayer, her father-in-law, was a diamond and pearl merchant based in Hatton Garden, London, and the victim of the ‘Great Pearl Robbery of 1913’. He also owned the Agra Diamond (32 carats), formerly owned by the First Mogul emperor Babur (1483-1530)\ud \ud In 1926 Sarah started to practise judo at the London Budokwai near Buckingham Palace, where she was taught by Koizumi Gunji, ‘The father of British Judo’. In December 1933, Sarah travelled from Liverpool to Bombay, and onward to Kobe, and started to write to Koizumi.\ud Writing about Capt. Herbert Percival of the ship City of Baroda, she says; ‘If all the captains I meet are so kind to me, I shall never want to come back’.\ud She was introduced to the Kōdōkan by Hatta Ichiro from Waseda University, Secretary to Jigoro Kano who later became a member of Japanese Diet, and President of All-Japan Wrestling Association,\ud \ud In 1939, Sarah Mayer wrote an article in the Sunday Express, entitled, ‘Having a Bath in Japan’.\ud ‘Anyway I am getting used to them all now and they are getting used to me. I have even recovered from the shock of finding that I was expected to share the bathroom -- not to mention the bath -- with the entire Kobe police force’.\ud In 1935 Isogai Hajime, awarded Sarah 1st dan at the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai in Kyoto, after she had received 1st Kyu at Kōdōkan. This received a lot of press attention.\ud \ud She returned to UK May 1935 and started divorce proceedings citing Mrs Dorothy Harris (Dorothy Seacombe, Hollywood Actress), and was awarded a significant settlement.\ud Returning to the Theatre, she met George Bernard Shaw, who re-wrote “The Millionairess” to make the lead character Epifania, a judo player. A role played by Sarah in 1940 in Eastbourne, before Katherine Hepburn in 1951 in the West End, and Sophia Loren in the 1960 movie opposite Peter Sellers.

Background and Study Aim: Time-motion analysis can provide specific information for the judo physical and technical performance in each group and weight categories. The aim of this study was to verify the hypothesized that Lithuanian female judo athletes of light-weight categories (under 48 kg and under 52 kg) perform faster time-motion actions during a match compared to heavier categories. Material and Methods: Analyses of literature resources, competition match protocols and pedagogic surveillance methods were applied in this study. The statistic computation was performed using SPSS 18.0 for Windows. Data was collected from 58 high rank female adults fights at the Lithuanian Judo Championship 2016. Results: It was identified that only the indicators of total time of technique (p0.05). The hypothesis that indicators of light-weight matches time-motion data significantly varies from heavy weight categories was proved only partially. Conclusions: Lithuanian women judo athletes of lighter weight feature with faster motions while competing in verical posture (standing position), without a grip and with a grip. The heavier athletes are slower and, except the tasks in ne waza, all motions are performed longer. In case of competition high level women judo athletes, their indicators of time-motion data are adequate to results of international elite athletes.

There is a link between judo athletes and dancers since they are both interested in kinesthetic awareness. This paper considers that dancers and judo athletes share a common understanding of body rhythm through the kinesthetic awareness in their training. More precisely, the paper goes on to propose a 10 step approach to the development of rhythm that can be applied by judo coaches.

2018 marks the centenary of the opening of the Budokwai in London. Billed as ‘Europe's oldest and most prestigious judo and martial arts club’. This paper explores the early origins of the Budokwai, and its adoption of Kōdōkan judo.

Sarah Mayer was the first foreign woman in Japan to be awarded a shōdan (black belt) for judo. She was awarded shōdan by Isogai Hajime at the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai in March 1935, having earlier trained at the Kōdōkan, and met Professor Kano. Mayer is an important figure in the history of women’s judo internationally. This research focusses on Mayer’s relationships with senior figures in the Kōdōkan at that time. Hatta Ichiro, Samura Kaichiro, Mifune Kyuzo, Isogai Hajime and Nagaoka Hideichi. Four of whom went on to be awarded 10th dan. There is discussion about the 50th Anniversary of the Kōdōkan.\ud Based on original primary biographical research material, understanding her relationships gives insight into global gender issues in sports history. Sources include: Kōdōkan Library and Archive, National Archives of UK, and Mayer Letters in the Bowen Archive, Bath\ud The way Mayer was treated in Japan was highly unusual. She was not separated from the men, but expected to fight against and even bathe with them. All of the male teachers under whom she learnt in Japan, accepted her, not as a woman, but as if she had no gender, despite her being attractive and feminine in western terms. The research is presented in the context of the positive influence made by women’s sport on the struggle for female emancipation during the early 20th century. Her journey is an important example of historical global interaction in the sporting arena. The efforts of Mrs. Mayer led the way for all the female judoka in Europe. \ud Keywords: Judo, Kōdōkan, History, Women, Kano, Biography, Gender

Kata are formal exercises intended for practicing judo developed primarily by the founder of judo, Dr. Kanō Jigorō in harmony with the tradition of other martial arts (Kodokan, 2014; Kotani, 1970; Leggett, 1963; Otaki & Draeger, 1983; Yerkow, 1956). Katame-no-kata (Grappling Forms) was created after Nage-no-kata and is made up of fifteen representative techniques (originally ten until 1915), divided into three sets; osae-waza, shime-waza and kansetsu-waza (Bennett, 2009). In 1906 when the Butoku Kai kata were being formulated, Kanō submitted the fifteen techniques of katame-no-kata used by the Kōdōkan for consideration; they were accepted after some minor modifications (Bennett, 2009).\ud One of the reasons why Kōdōkan Judo has become so widespread in Japan and around the world is because randori and kata are ideal forms of exercise (Kano, 2005). Practicing katame-no-kata today is commonly in order to pass to dan grade and for kata competitions. Does osae-komi-waza as in katame-no-kata have a methodological, pedagogical and realistic value in teaching and practicing motoric movements in practicing ne-waza or not? \ud Are the techniques listed in that group applicable and realistic, or have they remained just a part of historic and traditional character of the growth of judo?