Kodokan Judo is the martial art created by Jigoro Kano in 1882 at the Kodokan Judo Institute in Tokyo, Japan. Jigoro Kano, under the societal pressure of modernization, wanted to preserve older martial traditions in Japan (known as "koryu"), from which Judo draws its technical concepts, such as Kito-ryu and Tenjin Shinyo-ryu. The central principle of Judo is "ju", softness or gentleness, for which the art is name. Judo emphasizes the practices of "randori", where students practice competitively against each others' resistance, and of "uchikomi", where students repetitively practice techniques. Techniques in Judo are separated into those that are safe to practice in "randori" and those that are preserved only in "kata" with solitary practice, such as striking techniques, for safety. Practitioners of Judo are referred to as "Judoka", students of Judo.

Jigoro Kano developed a unique practice uniform for Judo practice called a "judogi", consisting of a heavy, textured jacket with a study, wide lapel, pants with reinforced knee patches, and a sturdy belt. Judo also introduced the concepts of wearing white belts and "kyu" ranks for junior students and black belts and "dan" ranks for senior students. Later Judo also introduced the concept of colored belts to distinguish "kyu" ranks beyond just wearing a white belt.

Practitioners of Judo from Japan both visited and/or immigrated to Brazil, such as Mitsuyo Maeda (sometimes referred to as "Conde Koma" - Count Combat), in the early 1900s. Maeda, either directly, or through a student, taught Judo to Carlos Gracie, Luiz Franca, Jacintho Ferro, and others. Maeda was not the only practitioner of Judo to arrive in Brazil during this time, and not the only one to teach in Brazil, but is certainly one of the most well known. Maeda referred to the art as "Kano jujutsu", which was transliterated as "Jiu-Jitsu" in Portuguese. These students In Brazil then went on to later create what is known as "Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu", "Gracie Jiu-Jitsu", or simply just "Jiu-Jitsu".

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