Judo evolved out of the fighting system of feudal Japan. Founded in 1882, Judo is a refinement of the ancient martial art of Ju Jitsu. Judo founder Dr. Jigoro Kano, at the time President of the University of Education, Tokyo, studied the ancient forms and integrated what he considered to be the best of their techniques into what is now the modern sport of Judo. He worked to prove that a gentle fighting system (without the violent techniques) was every bit as effective as traditional forms. Furthermore, he developed training and fitness regimens to increase a judoka's performance.

Judo entered many countries from 1902 to the 1930's. In the United States judo gained an early foothold because of the interest shown by President Theodore Roosevelt. As an expression of goodwill Kano sent Yoshiaki Yamashita, a high ranking member of the Kodokan, to America in 1902 to be his personal instructor. Roosevelt trained regularly , and in due course a room was set aside at the White House for judo purposes. It was thirty-odd years, however, before an American reached dan grade in the USA itself. Clubs were set up in Seattle in 1903 and Los Angeles in 1915.

The first World Championships in Judo were held in Tokyo in 1956, and again in 1958. The first World Championships to be held outside Japan were in Paris in 1961. The first Olympic event for Judo was as an exhibition sport in the Tokyo games of 1964, which was also the first introduction of weight classes for a world-level event. The first medal event for Judo was the Munich games of 1972.

World Championships for women in Judo were introduced in 1981 in New York. Women's Judo entered the Olympics in the Barcelona games of 1992. Currently, both women and men have the same number of weight classes in both the World Championships and the Olympics, as well as equal competition opportunity in the many world cup events annually.

Judo is an ideal sport for all ages, males or females and attracts many disability groups. Confidence and self-esteem are enhanced as a player progresses through the ranks and the very nature of the grading system ensures that the next goal is always realistic and achievable with effort. The grading system also ensures that regardless of their skill level all Judo players can actively compete with players of similar ability and hence they have a reasonable chance of emerging victorious.