Judo events do not always have to revolve around formal contest matches. The All Japan Judo Federation has announced that “Dojo Wasshoi! in Ehime 2026” will be held on 28–29 November at Ehime Prefectural Budokan, giving children, parents and dojo communities a different way to experience the sport.
The event is built around three themes: bonds between teammates and families, the essence of judo, and the growth of dojo communities. Unlike a standard competition that focuses mainly on wins and losses, Dojo Wasshoi! places greater emphasis on taking part, working as a team and the everyday foundations of dojo life.
According to the AJJF announcement, participants do not compete only through ordinary sparring or match play. Teams take on a range of events that include ukemi, reiho and newaza-strengthening races, along with the games and parent-and-child pair races seen at the 2025 Ehime edition, and each position in the team — from the first to the last — takes on a different task. Things that are normally treated as basics or preparation become part of the scoring.
The AJJF notes that the format is designed so that beginners and children with no competition experience can also contribute. In youth judo, attention tends to gather around the most experienced or most successful competitors; Dojo Wasshoi! widens the stage so that children can be applauded for good ukemi, tidy etiquette, effort and teamwork.
The event runs over two days: a judo class on the first day and the team competition on the second, and entrants may take part in either day on its own.
It does not reject competition. It reminds people that judo has always been more than competition alone: what children learn in the dojo includes not only how to win a contest, but how to protect themselves, respect others, cooperate with teammates and find their place in a group.
From a parent’s perspective, that has additional value. A judo event becomes more than a scoreboard when ukemi, reiho and ordinary training habits are put at the centre; it turns judo into a shared community experience rather than a result to be read off a list.
The format also raises a practical question for every youth dojo: if we want more children to stay in judo for the long term, should dojo events be about more than formal competition? In the 2026 season Dojo Wasshoi! is held in four places — Fukuoka (19–20 September), Ishikawa (31 October–1 November), Miyazaki (14–15 November) and Ehime (28–29 November). The Ehime edition was last held on 13–14 September 2025.
