Judo Nomad Reaches Portugal as Julien Brulard Turns Dojos Into Family

Julien Brulard’s Judo Nomad journey has now carried him through more than 60 countries, and his latest chapter in Portugal showed exactly why this project keeps resonating in the judo world. Built after the COVID period as a way to reconnect through the tatami, the idea has grown into a long-running mission of visits, shared sessions and real human ties across borders.

Portugal was country number 62 for Brulard. The trip began in Braga at Focus Santa Tecla, where he returned to the mat for another exchange shaped by training and community.

From there, he moved on to Aveiro and 4 Judo Project. That stop had a personal meaning, because Luis had supported the project on Patreon for years before the two finally met in person. After messages exchanged from afar through a shared love of judo, they were at last standing on the same tatami together, and the visit extended beyond practice into time with Luis and his family in the city.

More than 60 countries in, the project still feels deeply personal.

Lisbon became the emotional center of the Portuguese leg. Mariana Esteves, a three-time African Champion and Paris 2024 Olympian, hosted a two-day seminar with Sport Algés e Dafundo Judo and Salesianos de Lisboa. For Brulard, working alongside international-level athletes brought a different level of intensity to the sessions.

Away from the dojo, the city itself added another layer to the experience. Lisbon was in the middle of the Feast of Saint Anthony, with streets filled with lights, music and the atmosphere of celebration. Brulard also found himself among a huge crowd watching Portugal face Nigeria, one of those unexpected moments that can stay with a traveler long after the trip ends.

He also described the visit in more personal terms, from time at the beach with Mariana and her friends to discovering Belém and some of Lisbon’s best-known landmarks. What stood out most, though, was the way judo kept turning introductions into something closer. In his own view, the goal is not simply to collect contacts around the world, but to build a trusted circle through the sport.

The judo part of the Portugal chapter closed in Albufeira in the Algarve. Dinis and his club welcomed Brulard for two days, first for a training session and then for a regional training camp organised by the Associação Distrital de Judo do Algarve. With full tatami, the Atlantic nearby and strong local hospitality, it left a lasting impression.

That connection also became practical support, as the club officially joined the project’s backers. Porto then offered the final goodbye to Portugal, ending the stay with one last look at a country that had clearly left its mark.

In Portugal, shared training quickly became shared trust.

There was still one more important stop after that. Brulard briefly returned to Slovenia, not as a new country in the count but for a camp at the Vito Dragič Academy. Invited by former international athlete Vito Dragič, he coached alongside France’s European champion Alpha Djalo and Japan’s Olympic champion Mashu Baker.

The camp brought together participants from across Europe and even the United States, from 12-year-olds to veteran athletes. For Brulard, it was another sign that the project is evolving, with major camps and masterclasses becoming a bigger part of the road ahead.

Next on the route are Romania, possibly Moldova, the Commonwealth Games and one final training camp in France before the move toward North America. With the United States and Canada coming up as one of the biggest challenges yet, the next phase of Judo Nomad will depend heavily on preparation and funding. But if Portugal showed anything, it is that this journey is still being powered by something stronger than miles: the bond created through judo.

Source: IJF.org

Image source: IJF / International Judo Federation