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Old 09-10-2003, 07:13 PM   #9
PeterR
 
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Dojo: Shodokan Honbu (Osaka)
Location: Himeji, Japan
Join Date: Mar 2001
Posts: 3,319
Japan
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Truth be told it mattered much more when I first got the BB. I still subtly let it be known that I have yudansha rank (last visit was dropping the BB to the floor as I put on the white belt) but what I wear has no meaning.

Mudansha in Aikikai dojos don't generally wear hakama and I hate hakamas. Under these circumstances I would stand out too much if all I wore was the black belt. Of course if requested I will wear the hakama - last visit I did not bring the latter.

Most senior instructors know pretty quick who and what you are - and a piece of cloth has very little to do with it. The subtle hints mentioned above are for the 5th kyu shihans. My last visit I had one, albeit yudansha, trying to teach me how to do a proper backwards breakfall - from the Shodokan perspective in a seriously flawed way. I of course adapted for the evening.

If you have yudansha rank in a recognized Aikido style you will be asked to wear your colors when training with my group, however as for Judo/Jujutsu people in an Aikido dojo my concern would be for my own students. They might assume the visitor knows more than they do in an Aikido context.

Peter Rehse Shodokan Aikido
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