Louisville Shotokan Karate

We are “just” a group of people with the same interest – we all have love for KARATE..

Have you ever wondered how come different schools have different colors of their belts but they all end up with black belt?’, ‘It all started in a judo dojo…

In 1883, Sensei Jigoro Kano created a DAN-KYU system and honored two of his students (Saito and Tomitu) with Shodan Dan titles. Sensei Kano wanted DAN students to represent the advancement and perfection of Judo techniques and motivate KYU students to better practice. Kano also wanted his students to understand that their training always continues.

In 1886 Sensei Kano gave his student first black sashes (thick belts) to wear with their Japanese kimonos. Later (1907), when kimonos were replaced by Judo Gis, sashes were replaced by belts as we know them today.

But it was Sensei Gichin Funakoshi who as the first used the DAN-KYU system in karate. And he was also the first Sensei to test his students for each degree. And on April 12th 1924 he gave the first seven Shodan belts to his best students: TOKUDA, AKIBA, HIROSE, KASUYA, OTSUKA, SHIMITSU and GIMA.

And as Gichin Funakoshi thought that DAN-KYU sysem was a good idea, other senseis soon followed his example and adjusted Jigoro Kano’’s DAN-KYU system to their needs. That is why the DAN-KYU varies in different schools.

Most of karate schools, however, base their ranking on 10 or 5 DAN systems.

It is very important to know that to receive a Dan and be considered an advanced student brings a bigger responsibility. All students should live honorable lives, treat others with respect and be humble and responsible.

Because Dan students are those who our children and new students look up to.

That is why all instructors should be very careful about giving out black belts. Instructors have to take in notice not only students’ skill level but also their behavior and morals.

Karate is not the belt. Karate is a life style, skill, sweat and hard work we put into it, respect to others, humbleness, morals, knowledge, love, passion and peace of mind.