WHITE
|
10 KYU
|
YELLOW
|
9 KYU
|
ORANGE
|
8 KYU
|
BLUE
|
7 KYU
|
GREEN
|
6 KYU
|
GREEN 1 RED
|
5 KYU
|
RED
|
4 KYU
|
BROWN
|
3 KYU
|
BROWN 1 BLACK stripe
|
2 KYU
|
BROWN 2 BLACK stripe
|
1 KYU
|
BLACK BELT 5th Dan (godan) 4th Dan (yodan) 3rd Dan (sandan) 2nd Dan (nidan) 1st Dan (shodan)
|
|
|
|
Gradings to determine rank are held in a panel of black belts who evaluate your level based on your
technical ability, your age, your length of practice, special circumstances, the number of Special
Trainings you have attended, and your training mentality. Whether and how much your rank
increases at a grading is not as important as using the feedback from your seniors to improve your
level in the future.
All bkja students begin with a White Belt (unranked) and may advance through different levels from
White through Brown, and Black. The ultimate rank achievable is Godan (5th degree Black Belt), the
highest rank ever awarded by Master Funakoshi. bkja students should not confuse or compare this
ranking system, maintained by bkja out of respect for Master Funakoshi, who maintained only white,
brown, and black unlike various other groups that award different color belts or higher black belt
degrees.