grading

[Confound]

I know there have been a few threads about grading, and there was just a survey in the magazine (a shameful confession, I don't buy the magazine, i know i should), but having just recently gotten a very low and humble grade, I'm wondering about the different requirements in countries outside Japan.

Out of curiosity, I looked at the Hizen Dojo requirements for ikkyu, and they require the first 3 kata. I was shocked! In Japan, sho-dan only requires the first kata. You don't need to know the third until 3rd dan! For ikkyu in Japan, or at least in my area, you only need to be able to peform good kirikaeshi, and show good form and zansshin in keiko. very different standards.

who sets the grading requirements in each country?

c

[David J]

Hi Confound

You're right - the magazine has alluded to discrepancies in expectations for gradings in Japan vs other countries, and I suspect there are fairly wide variances in requirements.

Speaking for Hizen though, what you will have seen on the website will be drawn from the British Kendo Association, who (I believe) set the standards. I suspect that will be the case in most countries, with some sort of body laying out a specification, which may be very different from that in an average Japanese dojo. Hizen is not a very grading-oriented club though, and students grade by visiting other clubs - our sensei doesnt see a lot of value in the lower kyu grades (and cant be bothered to organise gradings!), and I believe that dan gradings must take place at a dojo other than your own (?).

But in the end - does it matter? I guess if you are moving to another country, it would be nice to have the grade be "transferrable", and I guess that we dont want a situation of "he's a shodan, but only from XXXX". Other than that, unless we're all taking gradings for ego or status, does it really matter if the standards in other countries are different? <discuss>

<rei>

Dave

[JSchmidt]

Each country pretty much sets their own standards, although they tend to follow the guidelines from ZNKR.
Some countries have you start from 6/5th kyu and you have to grade each of the 'kyus' (As is common in other martial arts in Europe). It is in general acknowledged that below 4th dan, it's harder to grade outside Japan,

Having said that;
" For ikkyu in Japan, or at least in my area, you only need to be able to peform good kirikaeshi, and show good form and zansshin in keiko. very different standards."
Which is exactly the same you need to do for ikkyu in the UK, apart from also doing the first 3 kata forms. (And the sooner you learn kata, the better IMO).

Regards,

Jakob

www.hizen.org

[A. Henriksson]

4 kyu: Dai ichi kihon or Suburi, Uchi komi with bogu: Men, Kote-men, Kote-do, gi and hakkama not needed.

3 kyu: Dai ichi kihon or Suburi, Uchi komi, Kiri kaeshi, Jigeiko, must be 3 months minumum since 4 kyu grading. Gi and hakkama not needed.

2 kyu: Dai ichi kihon or Suburi, Uchi komi, Kiri kaeshi, Jigeiko, Kata (tachi 1-3), possibly written test, must be 3 months minumum since 3 kyu grading.

1 kyu: Jigeiko, Kata (tachi 1-3), possibly written test, must be 3 months minimum since 2 kyu grading and must be at least 12 years old.

1 dan: Jigeiko, Kata (tachi 1-5), written test, must be 3 months minumum since 1 kyu grading and must be 14 years old.

2 dan: Jigeiko, Kata (tachi 1-7), written test, must be minumum 1 year since 1 dan grading

3 dan-5 dan: Jigeiko, Kata (tachi 1-7, kodachi 1-3), written test, for 3 dan it must have been at least 2 years since last grading, for 4 dan 3 years and for 5 dan 4 years. For 3 dan the kendoka must be minimum 18 years old.

6 dan: Jigeiko, Kata (tachi 1-7, kodachi 1-3), written test, ability to judge, minimum 5 years since 5 dan grading.

7 dan: Jigeiko, Kata (tachi 1-7, kodachi 1-3), written test, ability to judge, minimum 6 years since 6 dan grading.

8 dan: Jigeiko, Kata (tachi 1-7, kodachi 1-3), must do a larger writing about kendo. Must be at least 45 years old.

Taken from Swedish budo federations webpage.