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?

[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 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. <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.