33 Judo Quiz Questions with Answers (Trivia)

33 judo quiz questions with answers, from Jigoro Kano and the belt ranks to throws, scores and Olympic history. Reveal each answer, or read the key at the end.

Each question comes with three options and holds the correct one behind a button, so you can keep score honestly. If you want the whole set of judo trivia questions and answers in one block, the key below the scoring table lists all 33 in order. The terminology and belt questions make a fair round for a dojo evening, and the easier judo quiz questions near the front work as questions about judo for younger students.

Round 1 of 3: Warm-up

These 10 questions are the ones most fans get right.

1. The black belt and the dan ranking system used across many martial arts were first introduced by the founder of which one?

A) Judo
B) Karate
C) Taekwondo

2. Who founded judo?

A) Gichin Funakoshi
B) Jigoro Kano
C) Morihei Ueshiba

3. What does the word “judo” mean in Japanese?

A) The way of the empty hand
B) The art of peace
C) The gentle way

4. Judo grew out of which older Japanese fighting art?

A) Sumo
B) Jujutsu
C) Kendo

5. Besides white, which color judogi is worn in international competition so the two athletes are easy to tell apart?

A) Blue
B) Black
C) Red

6. What is the traditional judo uniform called?

A) Dobok
B) Hakama
C) Judogi

7. What is the main way to win a judo match?

A) Knocking out the opponent
B) Throwing or pinning the opponent
C) Scoring points with strikes

8. What is the full score that ends a judo contest at once?

A) Shido
B) Ippon
C) Waza-ari

9. What is the name of the mat that judo is practiced on?

A) Dojo
B) Shiai
C) Tatami

10. Which country has won the most Olympic gold medals in judo?

A) France
B) South Korea
C) Japan

Round 2 of 3: Getting tougher

Records, history and the finer points of the rules.

11. In which year was judo founded?

A) 1882
B) 1851
C) 1921

12. What is the name of the Tokyo school Jigoro Kano founded as the home of judo?

A) The Butokuden
B) The Kodokan
C) The Shobukan

13. What is the judo term for breakfalls, the safe way to land when thrown?

A) Kihon
B) Randori
C) Ukemi

14. What does “nage waza” refer to in judo?

A) Throwing techniques
B) Grappling techniques
C) Striking techniques

15. What is the focus of “katame waza” in judo?

A) Throwing techniques
B) Striking techniques
C) Grappling techniques

16. In which year did judo make its Olympic debut?

A) 1932
B) 1956
C) 1964

17. What does the referee call to start a judo contest?

A) Matte
B) Hajime
C) Sore made

18. Which judo hold is commonly called the scarf hold?

A) Kesa gatame
B) Kami shiho gatame
C) Juji gatame

19. How many Olympic weight classes are there for men in judo?

A) 7
B) 5
C) 10

20. How long must a judoka hold a pin to score ippon?

A) 20 seconds
B) 10 seconds
C) 30 seconds

21. Which French heavyweight won individual Olympic gold at London 2012, Rio 2016 and Paris 2024?

A) David Douillet
B) Teddy Riner
C) Clarisse Agbegnenou

22. Who became the first American to win Olympic gold in judo, at London 2012?

A) Ronda Rousey
B) Kayla Harrison
C) Jimmy Pedro

23. How is a judo contest decided when the scores are level at the end of regular time?

A) A referee decision
B) It goes down as a draw
C) Golden score, an extra period that ends on the first score

Round 3 of 3: Hard mode

The last 10, for people who really know their judo.

24. Which Dutch judoka stunned Japan by winning the open category gold at the Tokyo 1964 Olympics?

A) Anton Geesink
B) Wim Ruska
C) Mark Huizinga

25. Judo debuted at the 1964 Olympics but was left off the program at the next Games. Where were they held?

A) Munich 1972
B) Mexico City 1968
C) Montreal 1976

26. Women’s judo first became a full Olympic medal event at which Games?

A) Los Angeles 1984
B) Seoul 1988
C) Barcelona 1992

27. Which judo event was added to the Olympic program at Tokyo 2020?

A) The mixed team event
B) Kata competition
C) The open weight category

28. Which Japanese judoka won two Olympic gold medals and seven world titles, mostly in the 48 kg class?

A) Ryoko Tani
B) Kayla Harrison
C) Ingrid Berghmans

29. In 1909, Jigoro Kano became the first Asian member of which organization?

A) The International Olympic Committee
B) The League of Nations
C) The International Red Cross

30. Which of these judo techniques is a foot sweep?

A) Harai goshi
B) Deashi barai
C) Osoto gari

31. Which technique is judo’s classic cross armlock?

A) Hadaka jime
B) Harai goshi
C) Juji gatame

32. Which of these is a judo strangle?

A) Kuzure kesa gatame
B) Uchi mata
C) Hadaka jime

33. What is the Japanese term for a judo competition bout?

A) Randori
B) Shiai
C) Kata

Results

# of Correct Answers	Percentage Range	Label	Description
0-	0-49%	White BeltArmchair Athlete	You've got some learning to do, but don't worry, there's always the next game!
-	50-64%	Yellow BeltRookie Runner	Not bad! Keep practicing, and you'll be a sports trivia champ in no time.
-	65-79%	Green BeltMidfield Maestro	Impressive! You're getting closer to the top, keep up the good work.
-	80-94%	Blue BeltAll-Star Striker	Wow, you really know your sports trivia! You're a force to be reckoned with.
-33	95-100%	Black BeltLegendary Champion	Unbelievable! You're a true sports trivia master. Your knowledge knows no bounds!

Judo Quiz Answers: The Full Answer Key

Every question in this judo quiz with its correct answer, in the order the questions appear above. Check your score against the table, or use the list as a set of judo trivia questions and answers for a quiz night of your own.

#	Question	Answer
1	The black belt and the dan ranking system used across many martial arts were first introduced by the founder of which one?	A) Judo
2	Who founded judo?	B) Jigoro Kano
3	What does the word "judo" mean in Japanese?	C) The gentle way
4	Judo grew out of which older Japanese fighting art?	B) Jujutsu
5	Besides white, which color judogi is worn in international competition so the two athletes are easy to tell apart?	A) Blue
6	What is the traditional judo uniform called?	C) Judogi
7	What is the main way to win a judo match?	B) Throwing or pinning the opponent
8	What is the full score that ends a judo contest at once?	B) Ippon
9	What is the name of the mat that judo is practiced on?	C) Tatami
10	Which country has won the most Olympic gold medals in judo?	C) Japan
11	In which year was judo founded?	A) 1882
12	What is the name of the Tokyo school Jigoro Kano founded as the home of judo?	B) The Kodokan
13	What is the judo term for breakfalls, the safe way to land when thrown?	C) Ukemi
14	What does "nage waza" refer to in judo?	A) Throwing techniques
15	What is the focus of "katame waza" in judo?	C) Grappling techniques
16	In which year did judo make its Olympic debut?	C) 1964
17	What does the referee call to start a judo contest?	B) Hajime
18	Which judo hold is commonly called the scarf hold?	A) Kesa gatame
19	How many Olympic weight classes are there for men in judo?	A) 7
20	How long must a judoka hold a pin to score ippon?	A) 20 seconds
21	Which French heavyweight won individual Olympic gold at London 2012, Rio 2016 and Paris 2024?	B) Teddy Riner
22	Who became the first American to win Olympic gold in judo, at London 2012?	B) Kayla Harrison
23	How is a judo contest decided when the scores are level at the end of regular time?	C) Golden score, an extra period that ends on the first score
24	Which Dutch judoka stunned Japan by winning the open category gold at the Tokyo 1964 Olympics?	A) Anton Geesink
25	Judo debuted at the 1964 Olympics but was left off the program at the next Games. Where were they held?	B) Mexico City 1968
26	Women's judo first became a full Olympic medal event at which Games?	C) Barcelona 1992
27	Which judo event was added to the Olympic program at Tokyo 2020?	A) The mixed team event
28	Which Japanese judoka won two Olympic gold medals and seven world titles, mostly in the 48 kg class?	A) Ryoko Tani
29	In 1909, Jigoro Kano became the first Asian member of which organization?	A) The International Olympic Committee
30	Which of these judo techniques is a foot sweep?	B) Deashi barai
31	Which technique is judo's classic cross armlock?	C) Juji gatame
32	Which of these is a judo strangle?	C) Hadaka jime
33	What is the Japanese term for a judo competition bout?	B) Shiai

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FAQ

How many questions are in this judo quiz?

There are 33. Each question gives three options, and the correct answer sits behind the reveal button below it.

Where can I find the judo trivia questions and answers together?

The answer key near the bottom of the page lists all 33 questions with their correct answers in order, so you can check a whole round at once.

Are these judo quiz questions hard?

They get harder as you go. Round 1 covers the founder, the uniform and the basic terms, round 2 moves into rules, scoring and Olympic history, and round 3 is for people who train or follow competition closely.

Can I use these questions for a dojo quiz or a club night?

Yes. Read the question and its three options aloud, let everyone write down a letter, then work through the answer key at the end and count the correct ones.

What is a good score on this judo quiz?

Anything above half is a good result. The scoring table under the last question turns your total into a rank, from White Belt at the bottom to Black Belt at the top.

Who founded judo and when?

Jigoro Kano, in Tokyo in 1882. He built it from older jujutsu schools, stripped out the most dangerous techniques and taught it as an educational system as much as a fighting art.

What does the word judo mean?

The gentle way. Ju means gentle or yielding and do means way, reflecting Kano’s principle of using an opponent’s force rather than meeting it head on.

What is an ippon in judo?

The full score that ends a contest immediately. It is given for a throw landing the opponent largely on the back with control and speed, for a pin held for 20 seconds, or for a submission to a strangle or an armlock.

What are the judo belt colors in order?

Below black dan grade the usual order is white, yellow, orange, green, blue and brown, though national federations vary. Above black, the 9th and 10th dan grades wear red.