Shodan certificate and yudansha booklet

[Please visit our sponsor:]

[Tinyboy344]

Just outta curiosity. How long does it usually take the paper work to process and the items above to go from Japan to an individual dojo?

[Aikiscott]

It took mine just over a year. But that was going via the UK through our parent organisation.

[jimbaker]

Most Aikido organizations wait until they have a batch of certificate requests to send to Hombu. This can also add to the turn around time.

[ChrisHein]

It was over a year for mine as well.

[Tinyboy344]

So the average waiting time based on the replies above is a little over one year... Wow!... Interesting...

[Peter Goldsbury]

So the average waiting time based on the replies above is a little over one year... Wow!... Interesting...

With me it is nowhere near as long as a year. It usually about 6 weeks to two months.

I sent a batch of kyu and dan forms to the Aikikai Hombu last week (from my own dojo: our kyu ranks are given by the Aikikai also) and I will probably receive them in late August / early September.

Similarly with the dan examinations in the Netherlands. I will bring the forms back with me and send or take them to the Aikikai. The diplomas will arrive around October. I will present the diplomas on my visit next Spring.

Best wishes,

[Walter Martindale]

With me it is nowhere near as long as a year. It usually about 6 weeks to two months.

I sent a batch of kyu and dan forms to the Aikikai Hombu last week (from my own dojo: our kyu ranks are given by the Aikikai also) and I will probably receive them in late August / early September.

Similarly with the dan examinations in the Netherlands. I will bring the forms back with me and send or take them to the Aikikai. The diplomas will arrive around October. I will present the diplomas on my visit next Spring.

Best wishes,

If I recall correctly... I tested in late January in Canada, 2007. Moved to NZ to take a new job in February 2007. Certificate and book arrived in NZ (via Calgary) in April, 2007.
Walter

[Alex Megann]

Here in the BAF it is usually four to six weeks. Our yudansha gradings take place at Summer School at the start of August, the guest shihan takes the list of names back with him to Hombu, and Kanetsuka Sensei normally presents the certificates either at the London course in September or in Oxford in October.

There are cases where an individual does not manage get to the courses for a while after their grading, but that is not the fault of the organisation. A year's delay does suggest that something is not quite right!

Alex

[Tinyboy344]

Here usually four to six weeks...A year's delay does suggest that something is not quite right!

Alex

So after, let's say 14 months and the stuff is nowhere to be seen or even mentioned, should an individual say "Yo sensei, what is going on? Where my stuff brah?" :-p or patient really is a virtue

[Tinyboy344]

Woah woah, there has to be more than 5 or 6 yudansha in here. Come on, how long did u have to wait for your certificate?

[rulemaker]

Got my Yudansha and Certificate from Hombu Dojo after one month.

[jason jordan]

So after, let's say 14 months and the stuff is nowhere to be seen or even mentioned, should an individual say "Yo sensei, what is going on? Where my stuff brah?" :-p or patient really is a virtue

:D Funny! Well my Shodan came I think in about 2 or 3 months.
But I know for a fact that my sensei sends a huge batch at a time, as he has a federation to handle. So he has people in all over the country and including Mexico.

I don't remember how long it took for the others. I really didn't care after I got my shodan.

The only other rank I care about is the 8th dan. And that's only because it marks tenure.

[ChristianBoddum]

Hi !

My Aikido shodan was 1 year,
but I'm still waiting for my Aiki Toho iai do certificate,
that's 2 + years, it will be 3 years after come spring 2010.

The reason is a new organization is being setup for
Aiki Toho Iai do, as it it is not recognized as an Iaido style
by The Japanese Iaido association (Iaido renmei... something!)
Aiki Toho Iai was a creation by Nishio sensei,
and it is not traditional Iaido.

So I will have to be patient :)

[mrjam2jab]

I tested in March...certificate was brought back from Japan in July.

Curious, was is this yudansha booklet you speak of?

[CitoMaramba]

Hi !

My Aikido shodan was 1 year,
but I'm still waiting for my Aiki Toho iai do certificate,
that's 2 + years, it will be 3 years after come spring 2010.

The reason is a new organization is being setup for
Aiki Toho Iai do, as it it is not recognized as an Iaido style
by The Japanese Iaido association (Iaido renmei... something!)
Aiki Toho Iai was a creation by Nishio sensei,
and it is not traditional Iaido.

So I will have to be patient :)

Hi Christian,
The Yufukan, headed by Koji Yoshida Sensei, now uses the name "Nishio Ryu Toho Iai" as can be seen on their website.http://www.yufukan.com/
They have a certificate for it as well (please see below)
Have you heard anything about no longer using the name "Aiki Toho Iai"?

http://www.yufukan.com/certificate/certification_tohoiai_dan.jpg

(translation: "CERTIFICATION This is to certify that Taro Nippon has qualified for 3 DAN in Nishio-ryu TOHO IAI 1, April, 2008 YUFUKAN JAPAN Shihan Koji YOSHIDA"

[Tinyboy344]

I tested in March...certificate was brought back from Japan in July.

Curious, was is this yudansha booklet you speak of?

Doesn't every Yudansha get a booklet? Isn't it kinda like a "blackbelt passport for seminars stamps and stuff? I'm not sure cuz I'm not up there yet :D

[Lan Powers]

Booklet and Sho-sho (cert.) arrived in a 2-3 months via mail.
a year seems a LONG wait.....(impatient American that I am)
Best
Lan

[dave9nine]

my shodan took 6 months to go from my dojo to our organization secretary at another dojo, to hombu, back to secretary, back to our dojo.....then another 2 months sitting on the shomen until an event came along during which sensei could present the certificate!
booklet included

[Lan Powers]

Heh!
Way out in the sticks as we are here, it is an EVENT worthy of note to have a Dan certificate to present. Other items are scheduled around that......
Lan

[mrjam2jab]

Doesn't every Yudansha get a booklet? Isn't it kinda like a "blackbelt passport for seminars stamps and stuff? I'm not sure cuz I'm not up there yet :D

ahh... the passport. Every student in our style got one...not Dan ranks only. Keeps track of all rank tests and camps attended. I dont think i've heard the "Yudansha" word before...thats what threw me off.

[Maarten De Queecker]

What do you need "seminar stamps" for?

[Basia Halliop]

ahh... the passport. Every student in our style got one...not Dan ranks only. Keeps track of all rank tests and camps attended. I dont think i've heard the "Yudansha" word before...thats what threw me off.

The ones for white belts are called yukyusha books.

[Lan Powers]

Mudansha=kyu ranks....all student ranks below black belt
Yudansha=Dan ranks....all black belt rankings

Seminar stamps in the booklet show attendance at a training session by a shihon-level instructor. (or just a regional training event by a lesser-ranked instructor.

Varies wildly from one organization to another.
Train hard
Lan

[Maarten De Queecker]

Mudansha=kyu ranks....all student ranks below black belt
Yudansha=Dan ranks....all black belt rankings

Seminar stamps in the booklet show attendance at a training session by a shihon-level instructor. (or just a regional training event by a lesser-ranked instructor.

Varies wildly from one organization to another.
Train hard
Lan

So you need to have visited a number of seminars before you are allowed to test for shodan?

[Basia Halliop]

Doesn't 'mudansha' include mukyusha, i.e., those who have never tested and have no rank, kyu or dan? I didn't get my book until after my 5th kyu test - actually it took like a year before I actually got it :rolleyes: In any case I've always heard the white-belt booklets called yukyusha books (and the people yukyushas), but maybe it varies from place to place. That's what it seems to be called in the USAF, though, at least everywhere I've been so far.

E.g.: http://www.nyaikikai.com/tests.asp

[Lan Powers]

Most of the organizations I have been exposed to will have requirements for attending training with the "higher-ups" in the org.
They get to see *your* aikido and judge your progress accordingly.

Also exposes you to diverse variations from other attendees....very good thing. :)
Lan

[Lan Powers]

Doesn't 'mudansha' include mukyusha, i.e., those who have never tested and have no rank, kyu or dan? I didn't get my book until after my 5th kyu test - actually it took like a year before I actually got it :rolleyes: In any case I've always heard the white-belt booklets called yukyusha books (and the people yukyushas), but maybe it varies from place to place. That's what it seems to be called in the USAF, though, at least everywhere I've been so far.

Could be.....always a safe bet to figure on there being differences in terms, and names etc.
Every organization seems to have a favorite terminology.
We call the untested..no-kyu's.
:p
Lan

[Basia Halliop]

So you need to have visited a number of seminars before you are allowed to test for shodan?

No but you do for nidan/sandan/etc, at least that's how it works in the USAF...

[zivk]

I've tested for shodan July 13th. During the time until I received my certificate and yudansha card I've checked the statistics in these thread. I promised myself to throw in my numbers after the shodan rank will be officially awarded to me .
Yesterday we had a ceremony and a party at my dojo and the certificate and card were awarded to me.
So here are my numbers:
* July 13th - tested by a visiting Aikikai shihan from Japan
* August 19th - The certificate and card reached Israel (to the organizers of the seminar in which I tested)
* September 6th - I was awarded the certificate and the card by my teacher
Overall, approximately a month for the certificates to reach Israel and another month for the ceremony to be held. It's the Jewish new years tomorrow evening, so we connected the certificates ceremony with the new years party.
Shana tova (a happy new year in Hebrew) to you all