The first schools of ju-jitsu

It is considered that the first school of samurai hand-to-hand fighting in light armor ("kogusoku"), utilizing technics similar to modern ju-jitsu, was developed in 1532 by Takenouchi Hisamori in Sakusikijama, a small town on Kyushu island.
A quarter a century later, in Edo (present-day Tokyo), came an emigrant from China, Chen Yuan, the oustanding master of Tsinna (or shin-on), an art of trapping, grappling, constrictions, and painful throws. Beginning in 1558, he taught his techniques to samurai and monks in the Buddhist temple Syokoku-dzi. Chen taught many pupils, three of whom, Miura Ositatsu, Fukuno Masakatsu, Isogai Dzirodzaemon, later developed their own systems of ju-jitsu, known as Miura-ryu, Fukuno-ryu, Isogai-ryu. (Ryu means system, or school.)

Elitism of ju-jitsu

For more than 300 years, the samurai-cultivated origins of family-school.ju-jitsu were extremely secretive. Though known as the gentle art, it was ultimately deadly, especially as practiced by seasoned warriors. Commoners were forbidden to study this martial art.
According to tradition, training was extended to three phases, or stages. The first phase was the reception of the pupil into a school (ryu). For this purpose, it was necessary to secure someone's recommendations. Then, to determine whether the pupil was qualified for instruction, he had to sustain a series of physical, mental, and moral tests.
The second phase initiated a few years in careful study of basic physical techniques. Those students who proved above average in their physycal, mental, and spiritual disciplines, and who demonstrated devotion to the school and sensei (teacher), were initiated to the third phase of ju-jitsu training. At this phase, the most closely-guarded secrets of the school's system (okuden).were entrusted, when skilled students then became masters.

Ju-jitsu outside of Japan

In 1868 came Japan's bourgeois Meidzi revolution, when it was declared illegal to carry swords freely, and the out-moded samurai had lost the glory of their their former rank and privilege. Many martial arts masters left their native land, bringing their techniques with them to new lands. Techniques and styles of training have changed and adapted, while the tradition of ju-jitsu always remains the same in its roots and in its spirit.

Ju-jitsu today

The priority in ju-jitsu is in the learning of disciplined techniques of self-defense without rules and restrictions, while observing the laws and restrictions of states, on which territories pass trainings. Thus ju-jitsu differs from those fighting arts which put themselves in rigid frameworks of certain styles or traditions designed specifically for competition.
An advantage of ju-jitsu is that the fighter can operate more effectively using any methods or techniques without restriction. Yet, many national and international ju-jitsu organizations conduct competitions using established restrictions for the benefit of varying skill levels.
The practice of ju-jitsu is an excellent tradition of highly-developed physical exercises which promote increase in flexibility of the body, physical and mental endurance, and spiritual focus Devoted ju-jitsu training offers self-awareness, self-confidence, coordination, and psychological stability.

The origin of modern rank belts

The traditional uniform commonly worn in the practice of modern judo (and karate) is called a gi. The later karate-style gi is much lighter in weight, while the judo gi - designed for tugging, pulling, and rolling - is longer and heavier, and is often quilted, with double-stitched reinforced seams. Both the judo and karate gi are traditionally white. But the traditional gi was not designed for martial arts training. It was adopted through tradition.
Originally, ju jitsu was practiced by the samurai in their traditional robes or their lightest-weight armor - or by monks in their traditional temple robes. Later, when common people began to secretly train in martial arts, they wore only their regualr daily clothing.
As ju jitsu began to spread, and schools were established, multiple students were usually taught not in the sensei's home, but in a shrine or temple where there was ample room. The student was taught much more than physical techniques. Training was almost a religious discipline, and often taught by a master who was also a monk, and therefore, all respect and honor was made toward the temples and shrines. Jigoro Kano, the father of judo, was the son of a Shinto priest. Teaching his judo on the spacious floor of a temple, he and his students each respectably wore their gi. The gi was a robe meant to be worn in shrines and temples - that is why they were white.
Ju-jitsu used no recognizable rank system to distinguish one student's skills from another's. The master knew the strengths and weaknesses of each of his students. Kano, at his judo dojo, began the kyu and dan system of skill-level rank recognition.
The traditional belt, which served only to keep the gi tied closed, was sewn in thick layers, with many rows of stitching. While the gi, itself, was regularly washed and cleaned, the belt was not, because it would tend to twist and shrink if washed and dried. Eventually, the white gi belts became soiled from training, even though the gi remained clean and white. The master's belt, much more worn than his students', eventually became so soiled and dirty, that it looked black. It would take years before the students' belts would become that old and dark. The master was always immediately recognizable by his "black" belt, and his students, some with their belts still very clean white, and some whose belts were becoming dirty.
When Jigoro Kano began teaching his system of Judo, he maintained most of the traditions of ju jitsu, though his disciplines were aimed more toward the practice of a sport than as a way of life. As judo began to spread with popularity, it was important to recognize students of differing skill levels and weight classes to keep competitions better matched. Still, there was no visible insignia to show others what skill level any particular student held.
The Shaolin gung fu systems had long used colored sashes to signify various styles, and then other gung fu systems incorporated colroed sashes to indicate a particular school or master sifu. Master Kano's Kodokan judo system began to use color-dyed belts as a form of rank insignia to indicate an individual's skill level.
Initially, there were only a few colors -- white belt, 1st through 6th kyu - brown belt, 7th through 9th kyu, and black belt, 1st - 10th dan. Eventually, different schools used different rank systems, some using a colored tip system, others using simply more colors. Karate styles soon adopted the colored belt system as well, eventually reaching a somewhat standard color ranking with only minor variations.
Aikido does not use colored belts. There are white-belt students, and black belts, though the sensei does grade kyu ranks to the skill levels of his students. At 1st dan black belt, the aikidoka are allowed to wear the hakаma, a wide-legged sort of split skirt, ankle length, usually black, worn over the traditional gi pants. Female aikidoka of even 1st kyu may wear a hakama.