[Keith]

Hello all!

Obviously, I'm new here. I'm living and working in Japan teaching English at the moment, and have taken up judo. I have 4 years of experience and a shodan in karate, but switched to judo when I got here. What better place to start, right? I've been training with the team at my high school for the past 4 months, 5 times a week at 2-2.5h a class.

Here is my situation and my question:

The coach knows I have my shodan in karate, and ever since the day he met me has been saying he intends to get me my shodan in judo before I leave (in August). I have repeatedly assured him I'm much more interested in learning than grading (which is true), as it would seem from reading these forums that rank hungry students are frowned upon the same way in judo as they are in karate. However, he insists that he wants me to get black before I leave. I would laugh this off, except that he is a go-dan and on the grading comitee for this region of Japan. He has also comunicated his ambitions for me to the headmaster at a private club I sometimes attend. This man is in fact the coach's sensei, a nana-dan and the director of Judo for this region.

I have been informed by the judo coach that there is a grading being held in the area in February which he would like me to attend, at which I will be testing for shodan.

It would seem to me that testing for black after 6 months is ridiculous. I know it would be in karate. It took me 3 years, and I progressed to black faster than anyone in my karate club's history (not bragging, just saying even 3 years to shodan seems really fast to me). Does anyone know of something like this happening to those training in Japan? I've sometimes heard (on these forums, I believe) that shodan in Japan is considered more the mark of a serious student than that of an acomplished one, as it seems to be in the west. Any truth to this?

Thanks in advance.

P.S. I have to say that, compared with similar karate forums, posters on these forums are incredibly civil, knowledgable, and helpful to rookies such as myself. Kudos!

[yonah]

Keith,

There is a newly minted Shodan on this forum named Aquablue, who recently got her Shodan in Japan. I think that the approach in Japan vs. the US with regards to grading is significantly different. You may want to search some of the posts she made about her grading. I am also sure that she'd probably respond to this thread when she sees it.

[Shizentai]

I'm sure others are more qualified to reply, but I'd say trust your coach and don't worry so much. I have friends in the UK who have reached shodan after 3 years of training 2 or 3 times a week, 1.5 hours a time. If you add up how many hours you will have trained by the grading it will probably be more than they did. Also the training in Japan is likely to be of a very high standard. Finally, it does seem more normal for people to reach black belt in Japan relatively quickly – it’s seen as a beginning rather than an end.
Hopefully the link below will lead to a related topic (Upgrading to a new belt, out with the white, in with black!, in Questions section), started by Aquablue who got her shodan in Japan:

http://judoforum.com...c=3057&st=0&hl=

One relevant quote is:
“I definitely realise that shodan in Japan is different to shodan elsewhere, but you have to bear in mind that shodans here are usually 14/15 year olds. Some have been doing judo from age 7, but one girl had just begun this March. (but the school clubs train 6/7 days a week all year round except maybe 3 days over new year, 2-3 hours minimum a day).”

[L-kun]

And remember that shodan does not mean mastery of judo. Shodan means *now* you have learned the basics, you are ready to start studying judo.

[Starkjudo]

I've heard of Shodan in Japan coming after one year of practice - usually 5 days a week. What you're describing does not seem incredibly out of the ordinary to me.

[yonah]

L-kun, on Dec 8 2004, 11:52 AM, said:

And remember that shodan does not mean mastery of judo.  Shodan means *now* you have learned the basics, you are ready to start studying judo.

I.e. Shodan is your high school diploma, and now you are ready for college.

I guess this is why the red and white belt came into play. To differentiate those who deserve a 'masters' degree in Judo.

This post has been edited by yonah: 08 December 2004 - 08:33 PM

[Jim]

If your instructor is on the local grading panel and obeys all the formal regulations applicable for Shodan grading.......... "When in Rome do as the Roman's do!"

[Learner]

Worrying about being graded too fast is almost as bad a sin as worrying about being graded too slow.

Trust your sensei on this, its not your job to decide when its time to grade =)

Thats my opinion anyways. But I sympathize, i'd be concerned too especially if I wasn't sure if I *deserved* the rank but when my sensei tells me its time to grade, the most graceful and appropriate thing to do is accept it and do the grading to the best of my ability.

[judogido]

1) You obviously show potential. You have a good basis for starting judo with a karate shodan so you are hardly a newbie to MA.
2) You a training hard (5 times a week at 2-2.5h a class) which equates to about 1 month of most peoples training.
3) You are training in Japan - under a go-dan so your training quality is also excellent
4) Your instructor sits on the grading committee so he can judge very well what your capabilities are and whether you should be able to do it.

You lucky #%*/:. Seize the opportunity - train hard, learn hard and enjoy the experience.

If the skills and knowledge as well as the respect for Judo is there, there should be absolutely no reason why a shorter interval than most should make any difference.

May I suggest entering a few competitions also?

[makoto]

jugogido, on Dec 8 2004, 11:22 PM, said:

May I suggest entering a few competitions also?

I would only suggest that Keith enter competition if he is interested in doing so. As Aquablue pointed out in her shodan thread, she was able to take and pass the shodan grading without entering any competitions. So it would appear that a provision for taking the shodan grading in Japan without entering competition only exists. If Keith is interested in entering competition, it could be a very rewarding experience. If your heart or desire isn't in it, then it isn't necessary to take the shodan grading.

Judo is big enough to accomodate people with varied interests under her umbrella. To me, that is one of the things that makes it such an appealing martial art. :)

[Keith]

Thanks everyone!

Judogido: I'm very aware of how lucky I am! This is an opportunity I would have killed for when I started karate years ago. I have the chance to learn at least the basics from a highly qualified teacher and to train with some highly skilled partners from the get go, in Japan. Can't top that. (Although of course I'm well aware that there is now high quality judo instruction all over the world :) )

Glad to hear no one thinks it would be a mistake to take the grading, and that my perception of the attitude towards shodan in Japan vs in the west is on the mark. I think most of my anxiety sprung from carrying my western view of a shodan over into my Japanese training. I guess I'll go for it in Feb and let you know how it turns out!