Hanshi, Renshi, etc.

[Phorest]

What do these mean?

This is one of the few things about Kendo I haven't picked up in my recent internet research. I don't see it listed in any "about kendo" pages.

Could someone explain this to me? What do Hanshi, Renshi, etc. after your Dan rank mean?

[Neil Gendzwill]

renshi etc are shogo, teaching certificates. See http://www.kendo-usa.org/rank.htm for more detail.

[Phorest]

Wow...how could I have missed that?

The again...its me we're talking about here.

Thanks for the link.

[kendokamax]

do you think someone could become shodan hanshi?!?!
that would be coooool!!

ya ya I know it can't happen because you need to be at least 6th dan.!

But shodan hanshi sounds extremly cool!

Imagine a match at all japan, the announcer calling the names of the compititor:

"Miyazako Masahiro Senshu, shodan hanshi
dai
Sato- Mitsunobo Senshu, gokkyu kyoshi"


uh yes I do need sleep.

[mingshi]

8th Dan (http://www.kendo-world.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12&perpage=20&pagenumber=1)

An old thread on the subject.

[don_lubo]

But shodan hanshi sounds extremly cool!

Imagine a match at all japan, the announcer calling the names of the compititor:

"Miyazako Masahiro Senshu, shodan hanshi
dai
Sato- Mitsunobo Senshu, gokkyu kyoshi"

Kendokamax you are one little kid!!!

[Confound]

O great scot. the troll returns... It's my job to pick on kendokamax, find your own targets.

On a more thread related note: I've never encountered anyone who uses those terms, or is addressed by those titles. Occasionally there is a venerable old sensei who appears at a tournament, or someone talks about a sensei who came from Tokyo to do some teaching for a weekend. Those are the only times I've heard titles used.

Does anyone hear them used regularly?

c

[Ares2907]

They seem to be used mainly for the 'oooh aaaah' factor.

Kendoka A: I trained with X sensei last week. Do you know him?

Kendoka B: No.

Kendoka A: He's hanshi hachidan and won x,y and z tournaments

Kendoka B: Ooooh, Aaaaaah. . .

[mark]

I have heard full tittles frequently used when introducing a visiting sensei, or the members of a panel of judges. However, I have never heard them use the honorific designations (Hanshi etc...) during conversations where rankings are relevant. In those cases, I have only heard them mention dan levels.

[Jerry Wellbrock]

I believe that shogo or teaching titles such as Renshi, Kyoshi and Hanshi were originally developed by the Dai Nippon Botoku Kai......the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai does have a Hanshi Board which is similar to a Board of Directors and is responsible for approval of certification of rank and title for that organization.....when introduced to such individuals usually the title of Hanshi is used but the dan rank is not mentioned ie., Jones Hanshi or Smith Kyoshi but not Renshi Sixth Dan Brown etc., usually a Renshi would be at least 6th Dan, a Kyoshi a 7th Dan and a Hanshi a 8th Dan, however there are exceptions to this approved by the Hombu Hanshi Board....Dan rank is based on testing and years of training and experience and Shogo is based on the same plus teaching and contribution to the particular martial art and service to others.....I apologize for any error is this information as this is my understanding of Shogo.....Jerry

[Hyaku]

In ZNKR we generaly recieve these titles just after the grades of 6th, 7th, 8th. As most people have already put in the required number of years.

I don't think there are many people of these grades that don't have the Shogo to go with it. So I really dont know why people bother going to the trouble to explain it. Renshi used to be awarded at Godan but they changed it.

However perhaps its different in other countries as it related to your association

No, you dont call people "Hanshi". Sensei might be an over used honorific but thats what we say regardless of teaching rank as the word denotes an ablity to teach.

Grades are also issued posthumously in Japan. Sadly I found this out attending a few funerals.

So if you do reach Nanadan you have the satisfaction of knowing that you will be Hachidan after you die!

Hyaku