Karl Tamai and Diane Jackson demonstrating Nage No Kata, 2014 World Judo Kata Championships, Malaga, Spain
The following documents detail the Kata Competition Criteria for evaluation and are useful as a guide for kata judges and for competitors at the national and international level. These documents assume a high level of proficiency with the kata and are not suitable as learning material for those just beginning their kata study. The United States has fully adopted the IJF standards.
IJF Standards*
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IJF Kata Competition: Criteria for the Evaluation (January 2022)
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IJF Kata Competition: Judges Guidelines (January 2019)
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Kodokan Kata Textbooks (These represent the most complete and authoritative technical guide to the performance of the kata.)
*Please be aware that the IJF standards were updated in January 2022. Please review the documents carefully.
IJF Kata Judging Scoresheets
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Downloadable IJF Scoresheets in Excel Format
Kata Document Archive
The following is historical material that may be of use in understanding the current international criteria and the transition from the USA National Kata Standareds to the IJF Standards. These documents include correlation guides between the different standards and training materials developed when the IJF standards adoption began.
US Standards Transition
The following are the combined US and IJF kata standards, adopted as a transition document for 2015 and 2016 in the US:
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Nage-no-kata
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Ju no Kata
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Katame No Kata
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Kime No Kata
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Goshinjitsu
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Presentation on US standards and IJF judging evaluation criteria – November 2015, Seattle, WA
Previous IJF Standards and Documents
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IJF Kata Evaluation Criteria-2015
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IJF Competition Rules – 2015
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2014 IJF Score Sheets (2015 eliminated separate score for fluidity and is considered in each technique)
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IJF Kata Commission – 2009 Analysis of Official Kodokan Video
EJU Kata Documents
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2015 EJU Kata Seminar Report, Rome, Italy
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IJF High-level Kata Elements to be Observed in Judging – 2015 (by EJU)
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Nage No Kata – EJU Judge’s Guide (2015)
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Katame No Kata- EJU Judge’s Guide (2015)
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Ju No Kata- EJU Judge’s Guide (2015)
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Kodokan Goshinjutsu- EJU Judge’s Guide (2015)
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Kime No Kata- EJU Judge’s Guide (2015)
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IJF Score Sheets
Unofficial (but very helpful) Judge’s Guides, with diagrams of start and end positions (created by EJU judge):
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2–page IJF High-level Kata Elements to be Observed in Judging – 2015 (created by EJU judge)
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Nage No Kata – Judge’s Guide (2015)
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·Katame No Kata- Judge’s Guide (2015)
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·Ju No Kata – Judge’s Guide (2015)
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·Kodokan Goshin Jutsu- Judge’s Guide (2015)
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·Kime No Kata- Judge’s Guide (2015)
