Four Guardians of the Kōdōkan refers to the four notable judo competitors of the early Kōdōkan: Tomita Tsunejirō, Yamashita Yoshitsugu, Yokoyama Sakujiro, and Saigō Shirō.
Shiten'nō refers to four Devarajas, Hindu gods, historically adapted by Japanese Buddhism.
[2] Traditionally, the Four Heavenly Kings are the guardian gods that are worshipped as the protecting deities of Buddhist sanctuaries.
However, Kano drew a loyal following that included exceptional fighters.
Hence the term "Four Guardians of the Kōdōkan" came into existence referring to Tomita Tsunejirō along with Yamashita Yoshitsugu, Yokoyama Sakujiro, and Saigō Shirō.