Kodokan Judo Association - What to Expect at a Judo Tournament A basic guide for beginner players, parents & spectators:
As you progress in judo you will want to test your skills against the abilities of others of your own age, weight, and skill level. A judo tournament is the place to do this. Tournaments are hosted and organised by local clubs, State and National organisations.

A typical tournament day begins with registration and weigh-ins. Registrations are often held in the morning before the tournament, usually from 10:00 am to 10.30 am. Some events require pre-registration by mail several weeks prior to the tournament. Usually there is a small fee required to enter the tournament. Make sure to bring your Judo membership card.

Minors entering some tournaments will require permission from a parent or legal guardian in the form of a signature on the registration form. Registration details are found on the tournament notice which is sent to clubs in advance.

After all contestants have registered, the tournament officials will set up the draw to decide who fights who. Tournament draws are set up so that you will fight people of your own age, weight, and experience level.

When the tournament begins, an official will announce the names of the people fighting in a division. Since there is often more than one fighting area, you will be directed to the mat area where your division will be competing. A worker at the mat area will identify the next two contestants. One will be given a red belt (worn around the waist) and the other a white belt. This is the traditional way of identifying competitors on the contest area.

In recent years, International Judo Federation rules have changed requiring one competitor to wear a blue judogi and the other a white judogi, thus making it easier for the Referee’s to identify competitors apart. However, the Kodokan Judo Association acknowledges that for local Judo Tournaments this can become very expensive, thus meaning that each competitor would have to have 2 white Judogi’s & 2 blue Judogi’s (a spare of each colour because of the blood rule). So, to keep the sport affordable, the Association maintains its position on promoting traditional Judo, therefore continuing to use white Judo Gi’s & the red and white belts.

Terminology used during contests is in Japanese however as the players progress in the sport, their level of understanding of the Japanese terms, develops rapidly.

Tori= Person executing a technique.
Uke= Person being thrown, held down or having arm-lock/strangle applied.

Referee’s:
A contest is controlled by 1 x Centre Referee & 2 x Corner Judges. All scores or penalties awarded are by majority decision. If the centre Referee awards a score and the corner Judges disagree then they must indicate what they believe the score to be and if the corner Judges over rule the centre Referee, then the score must be changed. Referee’s utilise a sign language of assorted “gestures” which are used & recognised world wide. Judo is practised in 178 countries around the world, therefore gestures are used along with verbal commands so that people of different languages can understand.

The Competition Area:


Bowing Procedure:
Competitors bow before entering the competition area. They walk to the outside edge of the contest area (outside edge of the red mats) on their respective sides (white side/red side) and bow again. They proceed to their lines. Then they face each other and bow together to each other. They then take one step forward (left foot first) and stand inside their lines with their hands at their sides and their feet apart. This shows that they are ready to begin. The referee shall announce "hajime" (begin) and the contestants will begin.

The Kodokan Judo Association runs 2 minutes continuous time contests for competitors under 10 years & 3 minutes stop/start for those under 16 years. Intermediate contests (16yrs to U20yrs) are 4 minutes duration and Senior contests are 5 minutes – both male and female.

Each time matte (wait) is called they return to their spots inside their lines. When the referee calls soremade (that is all), they return to their positions and await the decision. When the referee awards the match, they each step back behind their line, and bow together. They leave the competition area the same way they came, bowing again at the edge of the contest area (the outside edge of the red area).

When a contestant scores ippon, the referee shall announce, "ippon, soremade". An ippon, or full point, immediately ends the match (like a pin in wrestling, or a knock-out in boxing). The contestant scoring ippon is the winner. An ippon can be scored in both tachi-waza (standing) and ne-waza (groundwork).

However, the Junior Modified Rules utilised by the Kodokan Judo Assocation, is designed to enhance enthusiasm, increase physical activity and encourage the participation of younger players (U10) in competition, whilst keeping the activity - fun. The modified rules & compound scoring is designed to remove the pressure from the young to just win but at the same time reward players for trying better techniques.

Score & Penalty terminology:
Ippon is scored when: A contestant with control throws the other contestant largely on his back with considerable force and speed; or a contestant holds with osaekomi-waza (ground hold) the other contestant, who is unable to get away for 25 seconds. An Ippon will be awarded when a contestant gives up by tapping twice or more with his hand or foot or says "matte" (I give up), generally as a result of a grappling technique, shime waza (strangle) or kansetsu-waza (armlock); or the effect of a strangle technique or arm lock is apparent to the referee. These techniques are not allowed by children in tournaments under the age of 16 years.

Should one contestant be penalized "hansoku make" (disqualification), the other contestant shall be declared the winner. Should a contestant score two waza-ari's, he shall be declared the winner by ippon. Where a contestant has 3 shido penalties and receives a further penalty, that player will be penalised “hansoku make” and an ippon score awarded to the other contestant.

Waza-ari is scored when: A contestant throws the other contestant with control, but the technique is partially lacking one of the elements necessary for ippon, or a contestant holds with osaekomi-waza the other contestant who is unable to get away for 20 seconds or more, but less than 25 seconds.

Should one contestant be penalized 3 shido penalties, the other contestant shall receive waza-ari immediately.

Yuko is scored when: A contestant with control throws the other contestant, but the technique is partially lacking two of the other three elements necessary for ippon, or a contestant holds with osaekomi-waza the other contestant who is unable to get away for 15 seconds or more, but less than 20 seconds.

Should one contestant be penalized 2 shido penalties, the other contestant shall immediately receive yuko.

If ippon is not scored, the winner of the match shall be the contestant who has scored the most points which holds the highest value. For example; waza-ari is higher than yuko. If one contestant has two yukos and the other contestant 1 yuko, the contestant with two yukos will be declared the winner. If the score is even at the end of the time allowed for a match, the “Golden Score” rule is applied.

Golden Score Rule means that the contest time is re-commenced until one competitor scores. The first competitor to receive a score wins the tournament. If at the end of the 2nd period of contest time neither player has received a score, the referee and two judges will decide the winner. They will signal their choice for winner by raising either a red or white flag (corresponding to the red and white sash worn by the competitors). All decisions are decided by "majority of three" (i.e. at least two of the three judges).

Osaekomi - The referee shall announce osaekomi when the contestant being held is controlled by his opponent. He must have his back, both shoulders, or one shoulder in contact with the mat most of the time. Control can be made from the side, from the rear, or from the top. The contestant applying the hold must not have his leg(s) or body controlled by his opponent's legs and at least one contestant must have any part of his body touching the contest area at the announcement of osaekomi. Should any one of these criteria not be met after the announcement of osaekomi, the referee shall immediately call “toketa” and the hold will be considered broken.

Sonomama - If at any time the referee announces "sonomama" (freeze, he will place one of his hands on each contestant as he calls sonomama) the contestants will immediate stop, and "freeze" in whatever position they are in. When he wishes the action to continue, the referee will apply pressure down with his hands on each contestant, and call yoshi (continue) as he lifts his hands from the contestants.

Matte - When matte (wait) is called, the contestants shall come back to their positions in front of their lines and await the announcement of hajime (begin) to continue.

This document has been formulated to improve the understanding of the sport by information release to spectators and participants. Should you have any questions regarding competitions, Referees, Officials, Judo in general or the functions of the Association, please do not hesitate to ask your Sensei, Committee members, Referee’s or an experienced player.
Common gestures used by the Referee’s: SCORES & PENALTIES

Affiliated with:


Osaka International Judo Friendship Association
Asahikawa Judo Federation
Japanese Society of Sport Sciences & Osteopathic Therapy
New Caledonia Judo Federation (France)

_{This booklet has been prepared by D.GORDGE for the Kodokan Judo Association (S.A.) 2010.}