All Japan Hachidan Examination

[joekc6nlx]

Hamish,

Isn't the All-Japan Hachidan Examination scheduled for May 7-8 in Kyoto? I didn't see it on the calendar. Not that I plan to test, but my sensei is going to test.

Thanks!

[Miles]

Here are some possibly helpful dates from the AJKF Annual Event Calendar for 2005:

TOURNAMENTS
1 May Osaka The 53rd All Japan Inter-Prefectural Kendo Taikai
2-5 May Kyoto 101st All Japan Kendo Enbu Taikai
18 July Tokyo 22nd All Japan Housewives' Kendo Taikai (Team)
4 Sept Fujieda 44th All Japan Womans' Kendo Championship (Individual)
25 Sept Kagoshima 51st All Japan East-West Kendo Taidai (Team)
2 Oct Sendai 32nd All Japan Jodo Taikai (Individual)
15 Oct Chiba 40th All Japan Iaido Taikai (Individual)
3 Nov Tokyo 53rd All Japan Kendo Championship (Individual)

EXAMS
2 May Kyoto 8 Dan
14 May Kyoto 7 Dan
15 May Nagoya 7 Dan
3 Aug Kitamoto Up to 6 Dan
21 Aug Morioka 6 Dan
27 Aug Takamatsu 7 Dan
28 Aug Takamatsu 6 Dan
19 Nov Nagoya 7 Dan
20 Nov Nagoya 6 Dan
28 Nov Tokyo 8 Dan
29 Nov Tokyo 7 Dan
30 Nov Tokyo 6 Dan

Hope someone finds this useful.

[joekc6nlx]

It's about 5:19AM in Tokyo as I type this. I wonder how the testees are feeling right about now.

I'm hoping that my sensei is well-rested and relaxed and that he'll do well in the promotion exams. I asked our assistant sensei about the format of the exam, and he said he wasn't sure, but he believes that they have multiple courts to do the initial screening, passing about 10% of the entrants. Then they do another screening, and only 10% of those are advanced to hachidan. That figures out to 1%, or if there are 1500 entrants, then only 15 will make it. I'd hate to be that 16th guy, though, you'd figure you just missed it, while the 1500th guy knows he screwed up.

I wish we could watch it on TV, but here in the Midwestern United States? No, if anything is on, it'll be the NBA Playoffs, followed by six or eight hours of watching people play poker.

[slidercrank]

The exam result is out:

http://www.kendo.or.jp/competition/judgment/shinsa_2005_haru.html

14 out of 1288 passed, 1.1%.

[joekc6nlx]

The exam result is out:

http://www.kendo.or.jp/competition/judgment/shinsa_2005_haru.html

14 out of 1288 passed, 1.1%.

Dammit! I can't get my computer to give the results in English. I'm no good at katakana or hirikana. Any way of figuring out the results in English? I see where there are 3 who are 57 years old (so is my sensei), and I'm not sure if one of them is he or not.

Can you help, please?

Domo arigato!

[Neil Gendzwill]

I asked our assistant sensei about the format of the exam, and he said he wasn't sure, but he believes that they have multiple courts to do the initial screening, passing about 10% of the entrants. Then they do another screening, and only 10% of those are advanced to hachidan.
That's what they showed in the documentary. Two panels of 7 judges assess candidates for the first round. If you pass the first round, then you appear before the combined panel (14 judges). You need unanimous approval to pass the second round. I'm not certain that they have any percentages in mind, but that's about what it worked out to in the documentary (60 out of over 800 made the first cut, then 6 passed).

[kuzu70]

14 out of 1288 passed, 1.1%.

Those are horrible odds for a test.

[joekc6nlx]

:paranoid: The suspense is killing me! I can't figure out the names - I think one of them might say "Ariga", but darned it if I can tell....I just don't have the knack to pick out Japanese names.


Any help?

Thanks.

P.S. 1.1% is actually higher than projected. We were told 1% was the norm, although if you're going to quibble over a tenth of a percent, that could actually be the difference between making it or going home without.

[joekc6nlx]

Oh well, I just found out he didn't pass. Maybe in November in Tokyo......:down:

[Neil Gendzwill]

Has anyone ever passed who wasn't born, raised and still living in Japan? Just curious if anyone knows.

[Curtis]

Has anyone ever passed who wasn't born, raised and still living in Japan? Just curious if anyone knows.

Yes. The sensei living in France. He has been there for a number of years I am told. I could not find any info with a quick search though.

[Neil Gendzwill]

Is it Sakudo in Marseilles (http://fudokan.free.fr/php/rubrique.php?id_rubrique=15)?

[Curtis]

Is it Sakudo in Marseilles (http://fudokan.free.fr/php/rubrique.php?id_rubrique=15)?

I found information indicating it was Kenichi Yoshimura.

[slidercrank]

Oh well, I just found out he didn't pass. Maybe in November in Tokyo......:down:

Sorry, I should have written in my original post that all the successful candidates came from Japan, based on their prefectures of origin. If your sensei had passed, I expected they would have listed America in katagana under the "place of origin" column.

FYI, 80 candidates passed the first selection.

[joekc6nlx]

Sorry, I should have written in my original post that all the successful candidates came from Japan, based on their prefectures of origin. If your sensei had passed, I expected they would have listed America in katagana under the "place of origin" column.

FYI, 80 candidates passed the first selection.

That's possible, but he is Japanese, he was born in Tokyo, went to university in Tokyo, but now lives in Ohio. So, there's no way I would have known, probably, and they may have not put America as the place of origin.....oh well, like I said, he goes back in November to try again.

[Antonin]

The hachidan in France is definitvely Mr Yoshimura, who is japanese but has been living in Paris for, I think, 30 years.
He's one of the technical advisors for the French squad.
A.

[kuzu70]

So Antonin, have you practiced with Yoshimura sensei? Sounds like you know him personally.

[mad_god]

That's possible, but he is Japanese, he was born in Tokyo, went to university in Tokyo, but now lives in Ohio. So, there's no way I would have known, probably, and they may have not put America as the place of origin.....oh well, like I said, he goes back in November to try again.

If he had passed when was living in America, yes, probably they would write "Hokubei" or "America".
What matters is the organization he is coming from. Not the place of birth.
I know few foreigners (born and started Kendo overseas) that probably will get the 8 dan within 10 years.

[mad_god]

The hachidan in France is definitvely Mr Yoshimura, who is japanese but has been living in Paris for, I think, 30 years.
He's one of the technical advisors for the French squad.
A.

I saw his Kendo long long time ago.
He is a lucky guy. Although from a modest beginning, going to France was the best thing he could do in his Kendo carrier.
Having direct contact with highest senseis from Japan every year, hearing their personal advices and teachings during 30 years.
Congratulations to him anway.

[Antonin]

Well, I have met him on several occasion, and he is well known in france. On the other hand, I live in the UK now, so I rarely practice in France, and never in Paris, so I have not practiced with him. I might have had when I was a teenager doing kendo in France a long time ago, but I don't remember.
A.

[Dave Fowler]

Has anyone ever passed who wasn't born, raised and still living in Japan? Just curious if anyone knows.

I'm assuming also your not talking about the honorary ones from CKF either.

[Neil Gendzwill]

I'm assuming also your not talking about the honorary ones from CKF either.
Those aren't honorary. Each country has the ability to confer rank. I was talking about people who have tested and passed in Japan.

[ISSAC RU]

Any foreigners succesfully pass the hachidan test ?
How are they gonna do the written test?

[KhawMengLee]

Any foreigners succesfully pass the hachidan test ?
How are they gonna do the written test?

Aren't there a few Korean Hachidan?

[KhawMengLee]

Well, I have met him on several occasion, and he is well known in france. On the other hand, I live in the UK now, so I rarely practice in France, and never in Paris, so I have not practiced with him. I might have had when I was a teenager doing kendo in France a long time ago, but I don't remember.
A.

'Tonin...WAGAHAI WA NEKO DE ARU...hmmnnn...shouldn't you be using the version on that lovely T-shirt I gave you. :wink: