whom is the highest ranked Kendo sensei!

[herb mowery]

Hello all ;
This is my first thread on this site and i have a question for all of you otu here who is the highest ranked kendo instrutor in the USA and Japan and is the 10th dan rank no more? I have rare footage of Takano sensei and even some nice photos of him in 1980's was he the last 10 th dan in Kendo?:nervous:

[joekc6nlx]

Highest rank in kendo is now 8th dan (hachidan). There are 3 shogo as well, which are awarded to 6th, 7th, and 8th dan holders upon successful completion of a rigorous examination. Renshi, kyoshi, hanshi in ascending order. There is also an order that links the two rankings.

A 7th dan, renshi is outranked by a 6th dan kyoshi. I don't know why that is, but it's that way.

As for who is the highest ranking kendoist in the U.S. and Japan? Good question, since there are several 8th dan in the U.S.

[herb mowery]

Joe;
Thanks for reply:silly: this info i understand all to well my sensei is Inoshita 6th dan sensei of the Unitied States Kendo federation he is out ranked by only two other sensei in this organization Kato sensei seventh dan of new york and Tegawa sensei of Detriot whom is only 8th dan state side so we are told ,i just was wondering if still any 10th dan or have they all passed ,and why 10 th dan know longer avaliable ,these are east coast sensei of the Unitied States kendo federation ,we are the Greater Northeastern kendo federation ,Joe thanks again i really found it informational and educational i will pass this info on to lower rank students in a booklet i'm doing for new students .thanks for your time and train hard .
Sincerely ;
Herb

[herb mowery]

Joe;
i didn't know you are in the same orgaization as us was you at the Cleveland tournament in april?

[RC_Kenshi]

. . . my sensei is Inoshita 6th dan sensei of the Unitied States Kendo federation he is out ranked by only two other sensei in this organization Kato sensei seventh dan of new york and Tegawa sensei of Detriot whom is only 8th dan state side so we are told . . .

????

Don't know where you got your information from, but NCKF (Northern California Kendo Federation) has a number of nanadan (at least two or three that I know of) and one hachidan hanshi (Miyata-sensei). I believe SCKF/SCKO (Southern California Kendo Federation/Organization) has a couple of hachidan sensei's as well. If I'm not mistaken, Martsen-sensei, who is an occasional poster here, is nanadan as well.

RC_Kenshi

[tango]

JEFF Marsten is 7.dan...
His brother Curtis (also posts here) is 6.dan (Renshi 6.dan, I think?)

[NorthernKendoka]

As far as I know there aren't any 10th dan left but I have had keiko with one of the remaining 9th dan, Inoue-sensei so I know they are still around.

[ScottUK]

A 7th dan, renshi is outranked by a 6th dan kyoshi. I don't know why that is, but it's that way.Apparently, that isn't possible:

Kyoshi - The candidate should be ranked nanadan for at least two (2) years

(from a ZNKR handbook)

[nebosuke]

????

Don't know where you got your information from, but NCKF (Northern California Kendo Federation) has a number of nanadan (at least two or three that I know of) and one hachidan hanshi (Miyata-sensei). I believe SCKF/SCKO (Southern California Kendo Federation/Organization) has a couple of hachidan sensei's as well. If I'm not mistaken, Martsen-sensei, who is an occasional poster here, is nanadan as well.

RC_Kenshi

Indeed he's been told some misleading info. In SoCal Miyahara sensei is hachidan hanshi.

[MAZ77]

Indeed he's been told some misleading info. In SoCal Miyahara sensei is hachidan hanshi.

There is also Koo (Huang) sensei from i BELIEVE Norwalk whom is also Hachidan. Although, I do not believe he has any shogo.

[Kingofmyrrh]

Apparently, that isn't possible:

Kyoshi - The candidate should be ranked nanadan for at least two (2) years

(from a ZNKR handbook)
It's perfectly possible. That rule was only implemented a few years ago. There are many hanshi 7th dans around, for example, a rank which would be impossible to achieve these days.

[sainueng]

I believe Tagawa sensei recently obtained hachidan while testing in Japan. :shocked: :spchless: :scared: <in awe...> I don't know if all of the other hachidan in the US were promoted in Japan or here in the US. I assumed at least some of them were promoted in Japan, but I could be wrong. Could that be the confusion?

[Paburo]

i've done keiko with another 9dan, Kurasawa-sensei... another of the remaining kyudan out there as far as i know... btw, he resides in japan.

[Chris R]

I may be wrong, but I'm almost positive that you can only obtain hachi-dan in Japan. No one has ever been promoted to hachi-dan inside the USA.
It's pretty much impossible,because every judge on the panel has to be hachi-dan or higher.
They would have to bring all or most of the hachi-dans from Japan to effect a hachi-dan test outside of Japan.

[Kenshi]

As King says, there are a few what look like wierd ranks out there, for example 6th dan kyoshi and 7dan hanshi. Come to the Kyoto taikai one year and see for yourself.

There are certainly some 9dans still alive. I did keiko with one of only two that are in Osaka. I cant comment on the numbers for the rest of the country.

[ScottUK]

As King says, there are a few what look like wierd ranks out there, for example 6th dan kyoshi and 7dan hanshi. Come to the Kyoto taikai one year and see for yourself.Is that for kendo AND iaido?

When's the 2007 taikai?

[Kingofmyrrh]

I may be wrong, but I'm almost positive that you can only obtain hachi-dan in Japan. No one has ever been promoted to hachi-dan inside the USA.
It's pretty much impossible,because every judge on the panel has to be hachi-dan or higher.
They would have to bring all or most of the hachi-dans from Japan to effect a hachi-dan test outside of Japan.
This is also untrue. Ranks above 7th dan are awarded at the discretion of the local governing body. I believe that there may have been some US-created 8th dans, although I'm sure that I'll be corrected if I'm wrong.

[ChaShu]

This is also untrue. Ranks above 7th dan are awarded at the discretion of the local governing body. I believe that there may have been some US-created 8th dans, although I'm sure that I'll be corrected if I'm wrong.

I believe that you can only test for hachi-dan in Japan, as it requires other hachi-dan of long standing (at least 5 or 15, I'll have to watch the video again). The awarding of the rank is up to the home federation I think. I'm not sure if any other country can put together a hachi-dan judging board. Korea maybe, or Taiwan, but not many others.

[bobdonny]

I am not an expert but isn't only every 6 months alternating between kyoto and tokyo??

[Ignatz]

I believe that you can only test for hachi-dan in Japan, as it requires other hachi-dan of long standing (at least 5 or 15, I'll have to watch the video again). The awarding of the rank is up to the home federation I think. I'm not sure if any other country can put together a hachi-dan judging board. Korea maybe, or Taiwan, but not many others.
I believe that any federation that can muster the requisite number of examiners can have a hachidan exam. They don't have to be from that federation, of course they would have to bring them in from Japan.

Murakami sensei was telling me that he wanted to have hachidan examination in the U.S. Many people think that such a rank would call for an * in the books (* obtained in the U.S.) and somehow being lesser in value.

I have no idea and probably wont live long enough to get there anyway.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Any IKF federation can award any rank they like. I don't think any requirements for qualifications of the committee are required. Canada recently awarded hachidan to two fine teachers, Asaoka-sensei of Youshinkan and Kamata-sensei of Etobicoke. Both gentleman had participated in the exam in Japan and made the first cut to 60 in the past.

[ahmed61086]

Highest rank in kendo is now 8th dan (hachidan). There are 3 shogo as well, which are awarded to 6th, 7th, and 8th dan holders upon successful completion of a rigorous examination. Renshi, kyoshi, hanshi in ascending order. There is also an order that links the two rankings.

A 7th dan, renshi is outranked by a 6th dan kyoshi. I don't know why that is, but it's that way.

As for who is the highest ranking kendoist in the U.S. and Japan? Good question, since there are several 8th dan in the U.S.


What is a shogo, and how does it make a 6th dan outrank a 7th dan? Seems realy weird.

[neko]

Any IKF federation can award any rank they like. I don't think any requirements for qualifications of the committee are required. Canada recently awarded hachidan to two fine teachers, Asaoka-sensei of Youshinkan and Kamata-sensei of Etobicoke. Both gentleman had participated in the exam in Japan and made the first cut to 60 in the past.

i find that interesting neil. i am not sure i agree with it though. would you please indulge me with your opinion on this, i am curious what you think about it. of course, anyone else is welcome to express an opinion.

[Neil Gendzwill]

This was hashed over fairly thoroughly here (http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5652). My feeling is that both sensei are well deserving of their new rank.

[neko]

thank you for the link. :)

[herb mowery]

????

Don't know where you got your information from, but NCKF (Northern California Kendo Federation) has a number of nanadan (at least two or three that I know of) and one hachidan hanshi (Miyata-sensei). I believe SCKF/SCKO (Southern California Kendo Federation/Organization) has a couple of hachidan sensei's as well. If I'm not mistaken, Martsen-sensei, who is an occasional poster here, is nanadan as well.

RC_Kenshi
RC HEY THAMKS FOR CORRECTING MAN , I HATE HAVING WROUNG FACTS THOSE ARE THE HIGHEST RANKED SENSEI IN MY AREA AS I HAD STATED ON EAST COAST I DIDN'T KNOW THAT THERE WERE MORE OF THE SAME RANK OR HIGHER ON WEST COAST PLEASE FORGIVE ME FOR THIS ERROR .SINCERELY.HERB

[herb mowery]

And It Seems I Can Type Either Or Spell!

[Kenshi]

Is that for kendo AND iaido?
When's the 2007 taikai?

dont know about iaido as im not active in the scene, but i cant imagine why not (if ZNKR).

The kyoto taikai is every year during Golden Week - May 3-5. The day before the kendo demos is the koryu stuff.

[ScottUK]

The kyoto taikai is every year during Golden Week - May 3-5. The day before the kendo demos is the koryu stuff.Righto, done then. I was planning for an April 07 visit, but I'm sure I can delay it by a few weeks... :)

[ga1lyons]

And It Seems I Can Type Either Or Spell!

Well i've known that for years now. Why didnt you just ask Go? Or looked through your cleveland tournament booklet he is in there i do believe.

[Kendoka]

Returning to the topic.

Tadatoshi Haga from Shizuoka is 8 dan hanshi in kendo and iaido.
Another 8th dan told me that Haga sensei is the most senior ranked and most highly regarded in Japan.

[Neil Gendzwill]

I've had the good fortune to train with Haga-sensei on several occasions, he's an amazing man. But I think there are still a couple of 9 dan people around who outrank him.