Free Web Hosting | free host | Free Web Space | BlueHost Review

Christchurch Aotearoa Kendo Club

Kendo Grading System and Info

Kendo Grading System
Most people will be aware of Martial Art grades/levels being represented by different coloured belts. In Kendo, there is no outward sign of "level" or "rank" of a Kendoka, but the concept of levels and tests of levels is similar to other martial Arts systems. In Kendo, the "Black Belt" equivalent is the "Dan" level and as in other Martial arts, there are levels above "Black Belt" and levels below. Below Dan level is the "Kyu" grades and these grades "count backwards" from 10th to 1st Kyu, before achieving 1st Dan and then "counting up" the Dan levels. There are prescribed minimum time periods between Dan tests, and often the test will not be passed at the first attempt - especially with the higher level Dan tests. 10th Dan Kendoka are considered "living gods" and are extremely rare. If you ever meet a 10th Dan Kendo Sensei, I'm sure you will instantly understand why this is so!

Possible Kyu and Dan grades

Grade	Minimum Delay	Minimum Age
10th Kyu (jukyu)	?
9th Kyu (kukyu)	?
8th Kyu (hachikyu)	?
7th Kyu (nanakyu)	?
6th Kyu (rokyu)	?
5th Kyu (gokyu)	?
4th Kyu (yonkyu)	?
3rd Kyu (sankyu)	?
2nd Kyu (nikkyu)	?
1st Kyu (ikkyu)	about 50 hours	12 years
1st Dan (shodan)	3 Months or more after 1st Kyu	14 years
2nd Dan (nidan)	1 year or more after 1st Dan
3rd Dan (sandan)	2 years or more after 2nd Dan
4th Dan (yondan)	3 years or more after 3rd Dan
5th Dan (godan)	4 years or more after 4th Dan
6th Dan (rokudan)	5 years or more after 5th Dan
7th Dan (nanadan)	6 years or more after 6th Dan
8th Dan (hachidan)	10 years or more after 7th Dan	46 years
9th Dan (kudan)	?

At our club, under 13's will start grading from 7th Kyu, and over 13's will start from 5th Kyu. Each Kyu grading test incurs a $20 fee.
Dan tests require more high level Dan holders than we have so will typically be done at National events.

Grading Information
Below First Kyu, grading looks at the capabilities for performing the basic drills. At 1st Kyu, the first 3 Kata are also tested, at first Dan the first 5 Kata and so on. This site has a good description, and here it is in Korean. There is also a written test for the Dan grades.


Here are some links to other sites which have further information.

UK Grading links page includes a link to Dan Exam questions
judges grading notes
Another site about grading
more about the actual test


| About Kendo | Kendo Equipment | NZ, Korean & Japanese Kendo | Kihon (Basics) | Kendo kata | Kumdo kata | Grading system |
| Home | Links |

---