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Rink 09-30-2005 05:21 AM

Kancho-San?
 
Hi everyone!

I just have a quick question, and thought this might be the place to ask it.
I hope I do not offend anyone by my obvious ignorance of the Japanese language and culture, but everyone has to start somewhere!
Anyway I was looking for a translation of the words
'Kancho' and the ending title '-san'. I have seen 'Kancho' used in articles when talking about sensei's, is this just a coincidence or is there a reason for this? And I have only heard of '-san' in a joking or humurous manner.
Thanks so much! :)
Eddie

Susan Marie 09-30-2005 06:02 AM

Re: Kancho-San?
 
Hi Eddie,

'Kancho' is the title used by the head instructor of the Yoshinkan Honbu Dojo. (Others might use it too, but I'm not sure.) I believe it means 'Director'. As far as putting 'san' at the end I haven't heard this done before in my own experience. Currently Inoue Kancho is head instructor at Yoshinkan Honbu, previously to him it was Shioda Kancho who started the Yoshinkan.

Hope that helps.

Sue.

diesel 09-30-2005 06:55 AM

Re: Kancho-San?
 
This is not to be confused with the ever popular kanchou-san..


:)

Eric

Mark Uttech 09-30-2005 09:59 AM

Re: Kancho-San?
 
yeah, perish forbid that it should mean: "dojo director my darling..."

Paula Lydon 09-30-2005 11:23 AM

Re: Kancho-San?
 
~~From my limited understanding, 'kancho' is an honorific for the head of an organization, head instructor. I don't believe adding -san to that sort of title would be appropriate~~

Michael Hopkins 09-30-2005 03:51 PM

Re: Kancho-San?
 
Kancho simply means director. Some might mean it simply to be the head of something. This is not to be confused with someone that sells something.

Rink 09-30-2005 04:48 PM

Re: Kancho-San?
 
Thank you everyone for your replies!
It is very much appreciated.

Quote:

Paula Lydon wrote:
~~From my limited understanding, 'kancho' is an honorific for the head of an organization, head instructor. I don't believe adding -san to that sort of title would be appropriate~~

I apologize for the confusion Paula, I was not meaning
it to look as if I was asking 'kanchosan' I meant as if
they were two different words all together;
'Kancho' and seperately '-San'

Thanks again everyone.
Eddie

saltlakeaiki 10-02-2005 12:29 PM

Re: Kancho-San?
 
Kancho (more accurately kanchou) is literally the head or chief ("chou") of the building ("kan"). It is very similar to "dojocho" (doujouchou) in meaning. It only makes sense to use a title like this in organizations whose name has "kan" at the end, such as Yoshinkan, Seidokan, etc. The "feeling" of such names (and the reality in many cases) is that the organization was just a single dojo (building) at one time, although it may have expanded.

As for whether to append "-san" (the usual polite title of address for general use), my feeling is that it sounds reasonable enough, but only for someone outside the organization speaking politely to, or of, the org head. When used as a title attached to the person's name ("Inoue Kanchou") or by someone within the org to address the head, just "kanchou" is the most correct.

HTH :)

Dave

guest89893 10-02-2005 02:53 PM

Re: Kancho-San?
 
To answer your other question regarding -san, it is an honorific or more correctly perhaps a polite title of addressing someone like Mr. or Mrs.

So excuse me for using my own last name. You might in meeting or talking about/to me address me as Martinelli-san, were as in English it would be Mr. Martinelli.
Hope that helps.

Rink 10-02-2005 03:01 PM

Re: Kancho-San?
 
Quote:

Gene Martinelli wrote:
To answer your other question regarding -san, it is an honorific or more correctly perhaps a polite title of addressing someone like Mr. or Mrs.

So excuse me for using my own last name. You might in meeting or talking about/to me address me as Martinelli-san, were as in English it would be Mr. Martinelli.
Hope that helps.

Thank you for clearing that second part up!

And thanks again everyone for your help.

Eddie

kokyu 10-22-2005 09:06 PM

Re: Kancho-San?
 
Quote:

David Iannucci wrote:
Kancho (more accurately kanchou) is literally the head or chief ("chou") of the building ("kan"). It is very similar to "dojocho" (doujouchou) in meaning. It only makes sense to use a title like this in organizations whose name has "kan" at the end, such as Yoshinkan, Seidokan, etc. The "feeling" of such names (and the reality in many cases) is that the organization was just a single dojo (building) at one time, although it may have expanded.

As for whether to append "-san" (the usual polite title of address for general use), my feeling is that it sounds reasonable enough, but only for someone outside the organization speaking politely to, or of, the org head. When used as a title attached to the person's name ("Inoue Kanchou") or by someone within the org to address the head, just "kanchou" is the most correct.

HTH :)

Dave

I completely agree with Dave on this... In offices, one often refers to the Section Head as "Kachou" and the Department Head as "Buchou".

But in places of learning (and in dojos), people often add the suffix "Sensei" (and not "san"), especially if you are a student of that place. So, people refer to "Kouchou" (Head of School) as "Kochou Sensei", "Kanchou" as "Kanchou Sensei" and "Doushu" as "Doushu Sensei"

Adam Huss 10-23-2005 12:26 AM

Re: Kancho-San?
 
Dojo Cho (head of a dojo)
Kancho (head of an organization)
Soke (founder of a style/organization)
San is an honorific, as mentioned above....similar to Mr. Ms. Mrs. Implying a certain level of repsect for that person.
Sama is used similarly but implies a higher level of respect for the person being addressed.
Chan used as a more affectionate term, for maybe a child or significant other

There is also a term for a regional director. Its a pretty modern term but right now I can't remember it. It may be something like SibuCho but I'm not sure.

Oh, and Doshu is the title for the descendant of Ueshiba Moreihei O'Sensei who is currently head of his Honbu Dojo.

Adam Huss 10-23-2005 12:37 PM

Re: Kancho-San?
 
Oh yes, and Kaicho is the chairman of an organization.


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