Order of a Normal Class

An average day begins with the arrival of the students. They remove their shoes and socks outside the room, take off any jewellery or other hard objects, and dispose of any gum or other food. If the instructors are still putting down the mats and preparing the dojo, the students should wait by the door of the room until they are invited to enter. Students bow at the doorway and then check in for attendance. They then bow again before stepping on the mats.

When the sensei (teacher) calls "line up", the students line up along the window side of the mats facing the instructors. The most senior/highest ranking mudansha (non-black belt student) should be at the far end of the room (with the picture of Dr. Kano on it). The remaining students line up in order of descending rank (highest at the far end, lowest by the door). Anyone without a judogi is at the very end of the line.

When the sensei calls "kyotsukei" ("attention"), the students stand up straight with their hands at their sides and their feet together. The instructors kneel one-by-one in order from senior to junior. The most senior student then kneels into seiza position followed by all of the other students in turn. When all are kneeling, the most senior student pivots towards the front of the room with Dr. Kano's picture (called Kamiza or Shomen). When everyone else has pivoted to face the picture at once, the student says, "Kano sensei ni rei" ("Bow to Kano Sensei"). Everyone performs a kneeling bow (zarei) simultaneously.

All of the students then pivot to face the instructors. The senior student says, "Sensei ni rei" ("Bow to your teacher") and the students and instructors bow to each other. The sensei says "Mokuso", and everyone closes their eyes and breathes quietly for approximately one minute. This is a moment to clear our minds of distractions and to get us ready to enjoy the practice of judo.

Following any announcements, there is a brief warm-up.

After the lesson and a cool-down, the process is reversed.

Once again, when the sensei calls "line up", the students line up along the window side of the mats facing the instructors. The most senior/highest ranking mudansha (non-black belt student) should be at the far end of the room (with the picture of Dr. Kano on it). The remaining students line up in order of descending rank (highest at the far end, lowest by the door). Anyone without a judogi is at the very end of the line.

When the sensei calls "kyotsukei" ("attention"), the students stand up straight with their hands at their sides and their feet together. The instructors kneel one-by-one in order from senior to junior. The most senior student then kneels into seiza position followed by all of the other students in turn. When all are kneeling, the senior student says, "Sensei ni rei" ("Bow to your teacher") and the students and instructors bow to each other. Then the most senior student pivots towards the front of the room with Dr. Kano's picture (called Kamiza or Shomen). When everyone else has pivoted to face the picture at once, the student says, "Kano sensei ni rei" ("Bow to Kano Sensei"). Everyone performs a kneeling bow (zarei) simultaneously.

The class is officially over, but it is customary to turn and bow to the people beside you and to thank them for working with you during the class. Students also bow at the edge of the mat before stepping off and bow again at the door (facing into the room) before leaving.