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Kodokan Rank Requirements

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Instructions For Obtaining Kodokan Rank

The US Kodokan Committee was established in 1982 by USJI (USA Judo) president Frank Fullerton and Kodokan president Yukimitsu Kano to avoid the travel and other expenses for US Judoka to take Promotion test at the Kodokan in Japan.

US citizens who live in Japan and practice judo in Japan would be eligible for taking the test for the Kodokan rank at the Kodokan.

U. S. Citizens who live in the USA and have a USA Judo, USJF, or USJA rank may seek Kodokan Rank. Usually, the Kodokan does not skip rank. However, starting in 2009, if candidates have a high rank with another country or USA rank, and they meet Kodokan requirements for higher than Sho Dan rank, it is possible that U. S. Kodokan Committee will recommend to Ni Dan or higher.

The US Kodokan Committee recommends some cases even though they are borderline candidates to meet Kodokan rank requirements. Therefore after this recommendation is made, it is still possible for the Kodokan Institute in Japan to reject or table the application for the necessary time in grade.

You must complete an application and send it to the US Kodokan Committee, 107 South Avenue West, Cranford NJ 07016. This form may be downloaded from this page. A $20.00 processing fee must accompany the application. Make check or money order payable to the US KDK.

If the US KDK approves your recommendation application to the Kodokan, we will send you a final statement including promotion fee, enrollment fee, postage, and bank fees.
These fees do not change by Kodokan however due to exchange rate between US dollar and Japanese yen change will make deferent time to time.

You must include copies of your present US or other country's valid Rank Certificate and present valid Kodokan Rank certificates if higher than Sho Dan.

Important! For non-competitors, in the section marked "Shiai Record", you must fill in this space with old records if necessary. Due to the enormous amount of applications the Kodokan receives, attachments will not be read, only the completed application.

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