Dojo-cho v Chief Instructor

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[roblaw]

Are they necessarily the same person in a dojo? I thought that was the case, but on some dojo websites, the dojo-cho and the chief instructors are two different people.

Could someone clarify this for me? Thanks.


- Robert Lawrence

[batemanb]

They can be the same person, or two different people depending on your dojo, club or association. Dojo cho is literally translated as dojo chief, i.e. the man who runs the dojo/ owns the dojo etc.. Chief instructor/ senior instructor is literally translated as chief instructor/ senior instructor :D, i.e. the senior instructor :D.

At our club the dojo cho is a 2nd Dan who has been practicing for 20 odd years. About 5 years back, a gentleman came to practice with us as he had just moved into the area, after a while it turns out he is a 5th Dan from another association. He has since stayed with us. Now he is by far the senior grade, but obviously has no claim on the club (nor would he ever dream of). He has since taken the role of senior instructor at our dojo cho bequest, i.e. he provides our technical direction when needed. Under his direction, I have since opened another club, of which I am the dojo cho, but again, he is my dojo senior instructor.

Having said all that, we have only used the term "dojo cho" occasionally when talking at instructor meetings, most of our students probably wouldn`t know what it means :).

I hope that explains it a little.

rgds

Bryan

[Peter Goldsbury]

Are they necessarily the same person in a dojo? I thought that was the case, but on some dojo websites, the dojo-cho and the chief instructors are two different people.

Could someone clarify this for me? Thanks.


- Robert Lawrence

Hello Robert,

Do you mean that the term 'Dojo-cho' is used on websites outside Japan? If so I am impressed, though I suppose it is less harmful than using 'sempai' and 'kohai' outside their cultural contexts.

Here Dojo-cho means exactly what Bryan stated: the head of a dojo, which usually also means the chief instructor. However, Dojo-cho is also sometimes loosely used for the head of the entire organization. In this sense it is interchangeable with "Shibu-cho', the head of a branch organization, in contrast to a 'hombu'. In English, this, too, would translate as 'chief instructor'.

Best regards,

[BC]

Here Dojo-cho means exactly what Bryan stated: the head of a dojo, which usually also means the chief instructor. However, Dojo-cho is also sometimes loosely used for the head of the entire organization. In this sense it is interchangeable with "Shibu-cho', the head of a branch organization, in contrast to a 'hombu'. In English, this, too, would translate as 'chief instructor'.
Best regards,

Peter:

I had been told by other people that "Riji-cho" meant head of the organization. Is this incorrect?

Regards,

[Peter Goldsbury]

Peter:

I had been told by other people that "Riji-cho" meant head of the organization. Is this incorrect?

Regards,

Hello Robert,

In Japanese companies matters are much more complicated, depending on whether or not people are members of the board.

In our aikido organization here, we have a kai-cho (who has nothing to do with aikido, apart from exercising a benevolent interest) and a riji-cho (who also does not play a deciding role in the organization, but practises aikido. The dojo-cho is actually a fuku-kaicho. In the IAF Doshu is the Kai-cho, but makes no decisions. This is done by the riji, and especially by the Riji-cho.

Best regards,

[BC]

Thanks for the clarification Peter.