The Pyjama Game: A Journey into Judo

by Mark Law

Following the history of the sport back to its Samurai beginnings, this study on the most popular and enduring of the martial arts profiles the history of the sport and the legends of judo. From the Japanese Kimura to the giant Dutchman Geesink, this superbly written, intellectually rigorous, and surprisingly witty account is a magisterial exploration of a sport practiced by thousands across the globe, and illustrates how it remains one of the most enigmatic of pastimes.

Genres: Martial Arts, Sports, Biography, Nonfiction

336 pages, Paperback

First published February 25, 2007

Reviews

[Reynolds · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would've given it 4 stars - it's an excellent book - but that which is most interesting, the most compelling aspect of the story, is that which he writes the least about. That is, the author's own story of taking up a sport so incredibly physically demanding at the age when most people are closer to getting a hip replacement than learning a hip toss. There is far too little of this own experiences, the daily grind of learning a grappling sport where, unlike most traditional martial arts, you are tested with reality at pretty much every training session with live sparring. The same is true of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu - if you're not really and truly learning the techniques taught, you will get immediate feedback in the form of an ass-kicking during sparring. Nevertheless this is a great read and I recommend it to anybody, especially older people, interested in taking up judo or bjj.

[Goran Powell · Rating 4 out of 5]

Anyone who steps onto the Judo mat as a beginner at the age of 50 deserves respect. Anyone who goes on to earn a black belt in this wonderful, unforgiving art deserves admiration.

Mark Law did just that, and from his writing, it's clear what gave him the strength to succeed - his passion for Judo shines through from start to finish.

'The Pyjama Game' tells the story of Judo, from its founder Jigoro Kano to the redoubtable Kimura; the rise of Europeans Judo in the form giant Dutchman Geesink; the coming of the Russians and the re-emergence of Japanese dominance more recently.

Mark Law trained at the world-famous Budokwai in London, where he rubbed shoulders with many Judo greats including Brian Jacks. His book is filled with anecdotes from these great teachers and champions past and present. Recommended.

[Kieran · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great book about the sport and inspirational story about an older man falling (no pun intended) in love with judo. I have also recently started judo and it was great to see somebody else navigate through that world. Even if you are not aware or keen on the sport; it's a well written non fiction sports book with enough anecdotes and real life wisdom to appeal to all readers.

[yana · Rating 1 out of 5]

I don't even know where to begin listing my problems with this book.

The narrator flourishes quiet, small racist/xenophobic jokes, comparisons, similes, and allusions throughout the whole text. "Mongolian" is used interchangeably with 'savage', Japan with "the Orient" and the bodies of those from Asian descent are constantly described as differing from the Western norm.

"Woman" is used to signify inferiority and weakness, except for at the end of a paragraph where Mark offers us a twig of an olive branch by saying something along the lines of "some really can be quite good judoka". Contrasted with the titanic, biblical, bard-like praises and glory he uses to describe just about any man to put on a gi, his disregard for female athletes is easily evident. The chapters that are dedicated to women are invariably told from the point of view of either their male coaches, fathers, or husbands. Every story about a successful female athlete has a glazed over description of their successes and is hyper focused on their injuries in a way that makes women seem endlessly more likely to have sustained injuries than the men Mark talks about (in hundreds of pages of detail as opposed to the women's 20 total). Even though the women sustain infinitely more brutal injuries (like Briggs trying to 'put back' a tibia and fibula snapped in half and a dislocated ankle), Yamashita's torn calf and his resilience receives more focus than anything the women face and push through.

There is no mention of Keiko Fukuda, a 10th dan judoka who continued to practice judo and teach until her death at 99 (one month short of 100). She was the last-surviving student of Jigoro Kano and was supremely influential in the development and spread of judo but Mark doesn't find it necessary to inform us that the "handful" (four, three men and one woman) 10th dans in the world included a woman...

Probably because the existence of furiously capable female judoka runs contrary to our Mark's Samurai Machoism nostalgia. He does a brave effort trying to disguise this and poke some fun at himself for having once been one of 'those people' whose ego was wounded when bested by a woman, after which he dedicates a shady amount of time speaking about "some people" and their sexist beliefs. This is a tactic we linguists refer to as "virtue signalling anti-sexist talk" and it is exactly the same as your uncle saying, "I'm not racist but...". You figure out the rest; hint: he quotes an unreferenced general knowledge "it is estimated" source that "women have about 50% the strength of men". Interesting, considering the field of sports science has of yet been unable to determine the difference in strength between men and women, considering the extensive environmental factors that stunt or promote the development of strength depending on upbringing... Or the fact that the differences appear to be closer to 25%, if Mark had bothered to look up anything.

Mark started out very strongly, with a compelling style and a wealth of research... And then the red flags started building up. At first it was small word choices, then it was the clear omission of women and the implication that any woman who did participate in judo was an aberration inspired by her brother or something, then he said how some believe judo fixes fat kids, then he said how others believe that judo is a remedy to the growing effeminization of society, then he glorified some more macho shit... Etcetera.

Every single crappy belief or behaviour that "other people" are guilty of is given an amazing amount of attention and an uncritical delivery. At around page 220, I lost hope that Mark would finally relieve the tension he was building and give some critical thought or evidence to the contrary about his beliefs...

A dinosaur of a writer that has made me, for the first time, say "OK, boomer".

Mark, I cordially invite you to come try your mettle against the numerous women of the judo world ranked the same as you or, indeed as so very many are, way the hell above you.

[Amanda Hasan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Started reading this book because I’m a newbie Judoka. While the author writes with a lot of wit and character, I was wishing he had included a little more of his personal experience rising through the ranks of Judo. What little he did share, however, was interesting and also hilariously relatable to me as someone who is also starting this sport late in life (and who is not very athletic). Maybe I was hoping for more of his Judo memoir? The bulk of this book details the history of Judo as an extension of Japanese Jiu Jitsu, of notable players and coaches in the sport, and of the role women have played in the game. I learned so much and found myself saying “wow!” often while reading. Highly recommend to anyone just learning Judo or who is well-versed but maybe unaware of its history.

[Mike Oliveri · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed the first half when he talked about his own experiences stepping onto the mat, and the earlier Judo history was interesting.

Unfortunately the book then gets bogged down in more recent history, which doesn't come off as interesting, and it becomes more about Law's love affair with Judo than Judo itself.

[Keith Krajewski · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a really good insight into what it's like to practice judo. I wish there had been a little more info about the author's journey in particular. The historical information that fills most of the book is very interesting and it's very well written.

[Christopher · Rating 3 out of 5]

English journalist Mark Law took up judo as a pastime in his forties, rather late for a man to be getting into something that requires strength, flexible joints, and abundant free time for practice, but he had few pretensions for glory and just enjoyed the ride. His 2007 book The Pyjama Game is both the story of his personal experiences training in this sport in London, and a vast history of judo from its beginnings in Japan to its first international spread and ultimately its status as an Olympic sport: training routines, injuries, nerves, rivalries, the genealogical thrill of sparring with someone famous who once sparred with a famous forebear. The sedentary reader almost gets a feeling of what it’s like to be out on the mat.

This book went on my to-read list when I first came across it at a Helsinki bookshop. Once I finally managed to get my hands on a free copy nearly two decades later, I found that it was worthwhile, but the book does sag in the middle. Law gives several chapters in a row about doings in various international competitions that read like unedited reprintings of prior journalism. A thread holding the book together, and the link to his own personal story, is lost.

Still, pressing on to the end won me a fair bit of interesting trivia. I was also fascinated by just how big the infrastructure for judo is in England and some other countries, and has been all the way back to the 1950s, even though judo is not very much in the public eye.

[Ryan L · Rating 3 out of 5]

DNF. Read about 50% of the book. This book was recommended by a friend for partial history of Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. The first half gives a great history of BJJ, which is what I was really interested in. I practice BJJ, not Judo.

I was less interested in finishing the reading on the exhaustive history of Judo. Mark writes in extreme detail, and names become hard to follow as lines also get blurry. I may return to it one day, but for now I am content with the first half.

[David Cusack · Rating 4 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. I’m glad it didn’t go too deep into his own journey. There’s a lot of those types of stories out there. I liked he combined it with a history of Judo.

The end dragged a little, but if you are new to judo you’d probably enjoy it a lot more.

[Eddie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I think it's best to read this over time.
The beginning is the most intriguing to me with the historical aspect and information.
After that it's a lot of names and stories that for the most part are recent happenings.

[Giancarlo Rendina]

Excellent and very readable history of Judo and a first hand account of practicing the art. Mark Law began his study on the edge of fifty! Inspirational words for those who feel it's never to late...

[Bernie Gourley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Law’s book contains two types of book in one volume, unified by the theme of judō. On the one hand, it’s a microhistory of the martial art and sport of judō--and, no, it’s not redundant to say the martial art and the sport because while these aspects overlap they aren’t identical. On the other hand, the book presents a personal account of Law’s experience as a judōka who began his practice at the ripe age of 50. The two elements of the book are interwoven together, and aren’t forced into distinct sections by the book’s organization. The history is obviously organized in a chronological fashion, but personal accounts are peppered throughout, and sometimes stories appear in history chapters.

As a history of judō, Law begins with the pre-history of the art in its ancestor martial art of jujutsu, he travels through the arts influence on off-shoots like Sambo and Brazilian Jujutsu, and he examines how the art has contributed to mixed martial arts—the 800 pound gorilla of present-day combative competitions. Particular emphasis is given to Kanō Jigorō’s role as founder of the art and the evolution of judō as an Olympic sport. Interestingly, besides founding Kodokan Judō, Kanō’s other claim to fame was in being the first Asian member of the International Olympic Committee (IOC). However, he never saw judō become an Olympic event, and—ironically--at least a few among those close to him doubted that Kanō would’ve been pleased with his art’s inclusion in the international games.

While Japan dominated judō when the sport first entered the domain of international competition, it wasn’t long before there were a number of other countries including the Netherlands, Russia, the United Kingdom, France, Cuba, and Korea that were producing first-rate judōka. Law devotes considerable discussion to the global blossoming of this sport, including entire chapters on some of the more prominent nations. The book discusses the double-edged sword that Japan faced. On one hand, the Japanese were heart-broken when other nations started beat them at their own game. On the other hand, it was clear that this had to happen for the sport to retain a global following. (Otherwise, the sport might have gone the way of baseball—being pulled out of the Olympics because only a handful of North American, Caribbean, and East Asian nations had any interest in it.

There are also chapters on women’s judō, a development that no doubt faced a good deal more misogyny than many sport’s bi-genderifications. There’s always been resistance to encouraging women’s participation in combative activities—even judō, a martial art whose dangerous edges were supposed to have been rounded off through rules, equipment (e.g. sprung flooring), weight classes, and close monitoring. Law discusses the hard fought evolution of the women’s side of the sport.

As a personal narrative, Law talks about the lessons he learned from training in judō and from testing for rank—an arduous process that requires beating other rank-pursuers in randori (free-form grappling, i.e. the grappling version of sparring.) Many of these lessons will be familiar to anyone who has practiced a martial art (e.g. while it’s more intimidating to fight someone who’s much more experienced in the art, it’s usually vastly more safe—both because senior players are more in control of their bodies and because they have less need to prove anything—i.e. they won’t injure an opponent to protect a fragile ego), but much of this discussion is specific to the culture and practice of judō.

If you’re interested in the history and development of judō, I’d recommend this book. I found the book to be at its most interesting when it addresses the history and globalization of the sport. However, those who haven’t practiced martial arts may find Law’s personal insight to be useful—particularly if you’re considering taking up judō and all the more if you intend to take it up past mid-life.

It should be noted that—judging by the identical table of contents and subtitle—this book was also released under the title Falling Hard: A Journey into Judo. The book does is annotated and provides references. Law is a journalist, and the niceties of that discipline are followed throughout.

[Brendan Crowley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was lucky enough to be in Rio during the 2016 Olympics and got to see a huge amount of events live. But the sport I saw most of during those 2 weeks was judo – simply because at all times it was on at least 4 Brazilian TV channels 24/7 during the Games. After plenty of hours watching without any knowledge of Portuguese, I felt only a little the wiser as to what went on but strangely fascinated nonetheless.

So I approached The Pyjama Game with a keen interest in figuring out a little more about the sport that seemed second only to soccer in the Brazilians’ hearts. Mark Law is a journalist who took up judo as he approached 50 and became obsessed with the sport. This book is a fascinating in-depth look at the world of judo both as a competitive sport and as a martial art practiced for love rather than competition.

Law moves deftly between telling judo’s origin story and more modern history together with his own musings on what judo is, what made it spread around the world and what it means to him. The history of judo is fascinating and told really well. The game developed largely as one remarkable Japanese man’s efforts to make jujitsu safer and more effective. It was spread by its disciples largely through their ability to beat all-comers from other disciplines.

Women’s judo is also given pretty decent coverage and it was fascinating to see that the women’s game developed more in the West before the Japanese got their act together and became dominant. Japan and Japanese culture are also central to the story and the book offers interesting insights into that remarkable and fascinating country.

Law remains steadfastly immune to the philosophical accompaniments that come with judo – given its Buddhist origins – but this doesn’t stop him waxing lyrical about how much judo has given him and how much joy he derives from practicing it. At times this can be a bit repetitive and at times he felt the need to make negative comparisons of football (a pet hate of mine) but these are very minor irritations. Overall it is a really enjoyable and entertaining read that makes you want to seek out a judo club and try it out for yourself.

It should also be said that the Aurum Sports Classic edition of the book is quite beautiful and looks great on the bookshelf. It looks like that imprint has gone out of business which is a real shame.

You can read all my sports book reviews at https://allsportsbooks.reviews

[John Poulain · Rating 4 out of 5]

Whilst the author can be a bit much about how much of a big deal judo is, mentioning ippon is symbolic death and that other games have balls for aggression but in Judo the opponent is the ball (watching American Football makes me think that maybe sometimes in that game the opponent is also the ball).

There are some quite clever moments:

I'm on a southbound flight loss over central London heading towards Gatwick, passing over Chelsea. At an altitude of 22 feet on the first floor class of the Budokwai. I'm flying over someone's shoulder and am about to crash. I concur with the proposition of is better to travel hopefully than arrive.

A white belt in the Dojo is like a toddler at a tea party with similar etiquette: people take turns to play with him; encourage and praise his simplest achievements and not laugh when he falls over.

There's a great overview of Judo history but the book can overreach a bit talking about the future of Judo. Using a half dummy to measure resistance isn't exactly a winner.

reread 16/04/25 I found this a little more uneven having read the author's sequel and I'm now seeing more of what I disliked and already know the little vignettes that he's covering. There is some very clever wordplay, saying that the looser gis were designed to make.judo look better on camera, literally Judo was tailored for TV. It's still the best martial arts book I've read (massive bias obviously).

[Evan Micheals · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book was timely as I was embarking on my journey from Brown Belt to Black in Judo. I found the book familiar, but also foreign. I could recognise the aspect of club world, but foreign to the International echelon. It made for an interesting and informative read. I could recognise “collect judo autographs” in my own throwing Winston Gordon for Ippon once in 2001 at Budokwai during randori, and recognise the subsequent being thrown from one end of the Dojo to the other. I too have grappled with greatness, without coming close to climbing the judo mountain myself.

I liked that it was written by an ordinary club player that I could have easily randoried with at some time. It gave a perspective I could easily empathise with. It is readable for non Judokas, as it takes care to explain Judo knowledge at a basic level. It also had me reflecting and affirming as to why I do Judo. I have come full circle in that I started Judo as a sport, but now it has become a martial art to me. I get the philosophy of Judo as described by Law. It has given me a better understanding of the world of Judo and my place within it.

[Noah Bourdeu · Rating 4 out of 5]

Mark Law does a great job of providing an exhaustive history of Judo, highlighting not only the major competitors and champions, but also in noting the contribution to Judo by countries other than Japan. It shows the dedication and heart that is required to be involved in this sport.

My only slight complaint is Mr Law is a bit critical on striking arts, he has a bit of disdain for Karate and Taekwondo. Albeit this section is very short, and I do agree with certain points on his criticisms for these martial arts, it is worth noting nonetheless.

I would love to read this again and make a list of all the noted athletes and try to research some of their famous matches and learn more about these amazing competitors.

Great book on the history of Judo, highly recommended for martial artist fans.

[Ben G · Rating 4 out of 5]

Given my recent embarkation (back) into Judo and at a similar age to when the author wrote this, would appear an entirely appropriate juncture to re-read.

This is a comprehensive and thought provoking account of the history of Judo and it's development into the Olympic sport and widely practiced Martial Art it has become today. Mark recounts his own experiences on the mat and what it actually feels like to throw and be thrown.

Thankfully, Mark Law does ask the question whether Jigoro Kano ever intended Judo to be an Olympic sport at all? Mark doesn't really provide a definitive answer to this, but does point to the many faceted nature of Judo as an art and philosophy of life.

In summary, a great read and a must for any aspiring Judoka.

[Theo Kokonas · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you're into judo you'll love this book. It's got a detailed history of Judo, a strong leaning to the history of British judo, and the author has interesting stories to tell.
I've recently got back into judo after an absence of 21 years so I felt an affinity for the author's experiences with getting into judo after his 50th birthday.
You'll amuse yourself with the author's name-dropping but then again, he has met (and trained) with some of the true greats; he's got fantastic self-deprecation to balance it out as well.
I give it 5 stars because I found it was difficult to put down in most sittings.

[Electric · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great book written by a real enthusiast of all things judo. Everything you always wanted to know beside the actual techniques. Where did it come from, who were the big players, the legends, the outlaws? How did it become olympic? When did the woman start to compete? It`s everything there plus some really good reflections on training, competition and tradition. The only thing I didn`t like was his less knowldgable treatment of the striking arts but this is a book about judo. Should be on every judokas reading list.

[Barnaby Chesterman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Rip-roaringly entertaining. Law is a fantastic writer with a masterful eloquence. The tales of his exploits in the judo world can only be bettered by those of us lucky enough to have actually been on the mat with him! I'm still nursing a bruised coccyx from the experience! But more importantly, even for those no avid lovers of the pyjama game, this is just a damn good book.

[Kam Wa Tang · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting book for any martial artist. I'm not a judoka myself; however this books gives some great insights into that world, particularly into the competitive aspects and into the competitors themselves and their motivations.

[Shawn Mcvay · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well written. Not what I expected, but novels aren't always. I could have done with less sports commentary and more about the author's personal experiences, but the author's experiences are in there just the same.

[yumi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of fun. A brief and broad history of global judo. Engaging, endearing, and conversational.
Author admits all of the limitations of the book in the beginning so no point in lamenting what more could have been covered, except I wouldn't have minded him going on a smattering longer.

[Logan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great starter book into the fascinating history of how Judo came to be. It is evident to see Mark has a love of all things Judo, and it's fun to read about his modest beginnings in the martial art, more so because he started at 50, which is deeply respectable.

[Malcolm · Rating 2 out of 5]

Law writes well, and his history of judo merges with a tale of movement into the sport. As a non participant with minimal knowledge of judo this was entertaining: worthy as a beach book.

[Carl Smith-owens · Rating 5 out of 5]

re-read 30.4.11 / 4.11.13

[Dave · Rating 4 out of 5]

(4 stars if you're already into judo, otherwise probably a 3)

[Jeffrey Nelson · Rating 3 out of 5]

A good history of judo, but I expected more about the author’s own journey of taking it up later in life.

[Enrique · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved it! This one will make you want to learn Judo.