Haruki Uemura, Sergey Soloveychik and Franco Capelletti have no doubts: the role of kata in judo is very important. The 2nd EJU Kodokan Seminar, which began on Tuesday in Lignano Sabbiadoro. It was the perfect audience to emphasize this in front of 250 experts from 19 nations came to be perfected and then disseminate knowledge. “I hope the competition kata can also arrive at the Olympics – said the president of the Kodokan and the Japan Federation, Haruki Uemura – but we must work hard to spread increasingly throughout the world. The role of Italy in this moment – he added – is particularly important, because judo is very popular here, there are great athletes, and the Kata World Championship will be held in September right here in Pordenone.”
Uemura has also highlighted the importance of kata comparing it to the grammar, that only after you have learned it proceeds to the next steps, which are for judo randori and shiai. “Italy is an example of this positive philosophy – said the Eju Presidente Sergey Soloveychik – as it is very engaged in kata and master, here in Lignano we are 250, for the upcoming events the target may be 400 participants”.
Franco Capelletti focuses instead on the 90% of practitioners who frequents the gym and has no need or ability to compete. “Judo has a compelling answer to this wide group – said the EJU and Fijlkam Vice President – and the reading key is just in kata.
The region Friuli was not chosen at random, because here the motivations are very strong, making Friuli the ideal base to support this new interpretation of judo. ” The second day of the seminar saw the first performances of Nage No Kata and Ju No Kata brought to the attention of the Japanese Committee and only those who scored highest was able to receive the Kodokan certificate with the assessment. The program provides for Thursday Katame no kata and Kime no Kata, 9-12 a.m. and 3-6 p.m.
Watch the video report on the Kata Demonstration:
Watch photos in our media gallery: