In Japan are two grading systems: the modern and the ancient systems. The modern systems use the kyu/dan grading terms while the ancient systems use the menkyo or “license” grading. A well trained martial artist should be aware of both types of grading. Both systems are utilized in Juko-Ryu and are printed on Juko-Kai Diplomas. One should be aware of the slight differences between these systems as they are frequently used interchangeably.

 When one receives a menkyo or “license” it is usually accompanied with a title such as “Renshi” or “Shihan” and generally a dan grading is assigned to the recipient at the same time. The differences, however, lie in that a person can move up in a dan ranking but may not necessarily advance in their title or licensure and vice versa. An example of this would be the difference between a first and second dan. Even though there is often a vast difference between the knowledge and capabilities between the two, they both have a menkyo grading of renshi. Secondly, even though a menkyo grading of shihan generally correlates with a fifth dan, it is not necessarily true that a person with a fifth dan is a shihan. It is not infrequent that someone earns a rank of even sixth dan but not a Shihan grading.

 Below is a listing of the two ranking systems along with the obi or sash color, so one can learn the approximate correlation of rank from one system to the other.

 MUDANSHA              Students Rankings

Traditional/Modern      Obi(Sash) Color        AncienSystem

Kyu/Dan Rank             Juko-Kai System        Menkyo(License)Rank

Rokyu (6^th kyu)          Solid White                   Beginning Student

Gokyu (5^th kyu)          Solid Blue                     Younger Student

Yonkyu (4^th kyu)         Solid Green                   Older Student

Sankyu (3^rd kyu)         Brown 1 Red Tab        Senior Student 

Nikyu (2nd kyu)           Brown 2 Red Tabs       Senior Student

Ikkyu (1st kyu)             Brown 3 Red Tabs       Senior Student

YUDANSHA         Insrructor Rankings

Shodan (1^st dan)         Solid Black                    Menkyo Renshi

Nidan (2nd dan)           Black 2 Red Tabs        Menkyo Renshi 

Sandan (3rd dan)         Black/Red (blk up)       Menkyu Kyoshi

Yodan (4th dan)             Black/Red (red up)     Menkyo Kyoshi

                                        Red/White                    Menkyo Shihan Dai

Godan (5th dan)            Red/White                    Menkyo Shihan

Rokyudan (6th dan)      Red/White                     Menkyo O Shihan

Shichidan (7^th dan)      Red/Black                     Menkyo Dai Shihan

Hachidan (8^th dan)       Red/Black                     Menkyo Mokoruku Shihan

Kudan (9^th dan)            Solid Red                     Menkyo Kaiden Shihan

Judan (10^th dan)          Solid Red                      Menkyo Kaiden Shihan