u/whysopizza

This plaque is believed to have hung in a judo dojo. I was told it is Japanese cursive calligraphy (草書), but I don’t know its age or provenance.

I’m primarily looking for a transcription of the characters. If some of them are unclear, I’d much rather have “unknown” than guesses.

Questions:
- Can anyone read the inscription with confidence?
- Is it Japanese, Chinese, or something else?
- Does the smaller writing on the left appear to be a signature or dedication?
- Is this a known martial arts or judo phrase?

Thank you very much!