The "Itsutsu-no-kata" were established in 1887 by the founder of Kodokan Judo, Master Jigoro Kano. They form the basis of Kodokan Judo. Inspired by the forms found in nature, he strived to come up with a way of expressing those forces through judo. The result is the "Itsutsu-no-kata".

There are no names for the specific techniques, but the "Itsutsu-no-kata" comprise all the fundamental principles of Judo, applying the theoretical basis of attack and defence to natural phenomena. In that sense they can also be appreciated from an artistic point of view.