Judo in Canada Sasaki's students went on to establish their own dojos across Canada. The Canadian Kodokan Black Belt Association was incorporated in 1956 and recognized by the International Judo Federation in 1958. Now known as Judo Canada, it is the national governing body and a federation of associations in each of the ten provinces and three territories. Today, an estimated 30,000 Canadians participate in Judo programs in approximately 400 clubs across Canada. Judo uses a hierarchical ranking system divided into "kyū" and "dan" grades that its founder, Jigoro Kano, adapted from the ranking system for the traditional board game Go. "Kyū" grades
Judo in Canada focused on recreation and rehabilitation. Canadian judoka have been decorated by the Emperor of Japan with the Order of the Sacred Treasure, Gold Rays with Rosette and the Order of the Rising Sun, Gold Rays with Rosette. Four judoka have been awarded Membership in the Order of Canada, the country's second highest civilian honour of merit, for outstanding contributions to their communities through Judo: James Driscoll of Belleville, Ontario (1978), Yuzuru Kojima of Richmond, British Columbia (1983), Yoshio Senda of Lethbridge, Alberta (2007), and Hiroshi Nakamura of LaSalle, Quebec (2012). Four judoka are members of the Canadian Olympic Hall of