琉球 拳法 唐手 古武道 連合会
More About the Rengokai!
Board of Directors
| President: | Yehoshua Kadosh |
| Vice President: | Gerald Wicklund |
| Treasurer: | Yehoshua Kadosh |
| Secretary: | Vacant |
| Chief Technical Officer: | J.D. Natan |
| Senior Weapons Adviser: | Vacant |
| Business Adviser: | Sholom Meyer, MBA |
| Children's Program Adviser: | Yifrach Kadosh |
| Tournament Coordinator: | J.D. Natan |
| Director – Research and Development: | Yehoshua Kadosh / J.D. Natan |
| Director – Hebrew Language Programing: | Yisrael Malachi |
| Operations Director - North America: | David Altman |
| Operations Director - England, Scotland, N. Ireland: | Sholom Meyer |
| Operations Director - Bulgaria: | Boris Gramchev |
Teaching Certificate Requirements:
Ability to teach the required material is the main concern of the Teaching License. The differing levels reflect the depth of the knowledge the teacher can impart; not, just, "Time in Grade".
J.D. Natan issues all teaching certificates (licenses).
Shihan (Teacher's License):
Renshi (Trusted Teacher's License):
Kyoshi (Master Teacher's License):
Hanshi (Grandmaster Level Teacher's License):
Recipients must be at least a Yondan (4th Degree Black Belt); meet Association requirements; be recommended by their Shihan, and meet Shuseki Shihan J.D. Natan's approval.
Recipients must be at least a Rokudan (6th Degree Black Belt); meet Association requirements; be recommended by their Shihan, and meet Shuseki Shihan J.D. Natan's approval.
Recipients must be at least Nanadan (7th Degree Red Belt), meet Association requirements; be recommended by their Shihan, and meet Shuseki Shihan J.D. Natan's approval.
Must be at least Kudan (9th Degree Red Belt) or higher, and meet Shuseki Shihan J.D. Natan's approval.
NO Teacher's License can be AUTHENTIC unless:
It is issued by Shuseki Shihan J.D. Natan,
It contains his signature and Han,
It has the RKKKR Association Seal on it.
The procedure for processing of any Promotions, Licenses, and Memberships is as follows:
The appropriate form must be properly filled out, a copy retained for the records of the submitting dojo;
The finished forms and photos, along with the appropriate fees in certified funds are to be mailed to the RKKKR Administrative Headquarters.
Promotion certificates should be ordered well in advance for promotions to Kyu ranks. Promotions which require Natan, Sensei's review and approval should be done at Natan, Sensei's visits. Sufficient time for processing, and mailing from Administrative Headquarters in Kfar Adumim, Israel, has to be considered on all Yuudansha promotions. Promotions will be promptly processed; and returned by first class mail, unless otherwise requested. All dojo are encouraged to have each and every member become an Individual Member of the Association.
Promotional Authority
Only RKKKR Certified and Licensed Yuudansha are permitted to promote with RKKKR certificates. Gakusha (Shodan through Sandan) Licensed Instructors may promote Kyu grades within their respective dojo, only.
Shodan - Through Rokkyu
Nidan - Through Sankyu
Sandan - Through Ikkyu
Shihan Licensed Instructors are permitted to promote up to and including the rank of Shodan.
Renshi Licensed Instructors are permitted to promote up to and including the rank of Sandan.
Kyoshi Licensed Instructors are permitted to promote up to and including the rank of Godan. The ranks of Yondan and above require Shuseki Shihan J.D. Natan's review and approval.
All promotions of Rokudan, and above, issuance of Shihan, Renshi, or Kyoshi Licenses are to be made, only, by Grandmaster Natan.
Requirements for Promotion
The Rengokai does not set standards for the material taught by its various members. What constitutes the requirements for rank is left to the discretion of the individual Associations and Dojo in the Rengokai. Additionally, the Association only promotes those who are recommended for promotion by their respective organizations. In an effort to establish a little uniformity across the Association the following Membership and Time guidelines have been established.
Children and today's society represent a challenge for our profession. So, in order to increase our appeal (and help with student retention while undercutting the diploma mills), we have instituted a system designed to excite them. These "Ranks" are not Kyu or Dan Ranks. They are simply colored belts designating a child's progress at the Dojo (training hall). Once a child reaches the age of fifteen, they may start fulfilling the Rank Requirements for Kyu grades leading up to Shodan. The standards for these ranks are up to the individual Dojo and Organizations awarding them.
Yellow
Orange
Purple
Blue
Green
Brown
These "Ranks" are sugestions. The time limits in the "Black" Belts are arbitrary and only a suggestion. It is up to the individual Shihans to determine what is best for them.
The Association uses colored belts, in this order, for the Kyu grades:
Yellow (8th Kyu) Hachikyu
Orange (7th Kyu) Nanakyu
Purple (6th Kyu) Rokkyu
Blue (5th Kyu) Gokyu
Green (4th Kyu) Yonkyu
3rd Brown (3rd Kyu) Sankyu
2nd Brown (2nd Kyu) Nikyu
1nd Brown (1st Kyu) Ikkyu
And the Ryukyu system in the Dan ranking:
Experience Requirements:
| Dan | Color | Stripe | Min. Age | Yrs of Study | Yrs Dan | Instructing License |
| Shodan | Black | ¾ inch silver | 16 | - | n/a | Shihandai |
| Nidan | Black | 1 inch silver | 17 | - | 1 | Shihandai |
| Sandan¹ | Black | 1½ inch silver | 18 | 4 | 3 | Shihandai |
| Yondan | Black | ¾ inch gold | 21 | 6 (Shihan)² | 5 | Shihan |
| Godan | Black | 1 inch gold | 25 | 9 (Shihan)² | 8 | Shihan |
| Rokudan | Black | 1½ inch gold | 30 | 15 (Renshi)² | 10 | Shihan |
| Nanadan | Red | ¾ inch gold | 35 | 20 (Kyoshi)² | 15 | Daishihan |
| Hachidan | Red | ¾ inch gold | 40 | 24 (Kyoshi)² | 20 | Daishihan |
| Kudan | Red | 1½ inch gold | 55 | 39 (Hanshi)² | 35 | Daishihan |
| Judan | Red | 1½ inch gold | 62 | 45 (Hanshi)² | 40 | Shuseki Shihan |
¹After Sandan, only one, of the Minimums may be violated. ²Title Ranks.
It is the policy of the Association that RKKKR Certified Shihan, Renshi, and Kyoshi should operate their own unsupervised dojo. However, Gakusha Instructors (Shodan through Sandan), should, only teach under direct supervision of their Shihan, Renshi, or Kyoshi instructor.
Rank Accreditation:
Only Shuseki Shihan J.D. Natan has the right to issue RKKKR Certificates. No RKKKR Rank Diploma, Dojo Certificate, or Teacher's License can be AUTHENTIC unless:
It is issued by Shuseki Shihan J.D. Natan;
It contains his signature and Han;
It has the RKKKR Association Seal on it.
Individual RKKKR dojo, with a licensed teacher, may issue Association Kyu certificates to students holding Individual Memberships; however, these certificates are to be obtained, only, from the Ryukyu Kenpo Karate Kobudo Rengokai Administrative Headquarters.
Fees
| Organizational Affiliation | $250 |
| Black Belt Affiliation | $190 |
| Muudansha Membership | $35 |
| Yuudansha Membership | $100 |
| Yondan through Rokudan Membership | $150 |
| Individual Dojo | $150.00 (does not include Dojo seal) |
| Additional Branch Dojo* | $30.00 |
* Branch Dojo are those Dojo in different locations in which the same person teaches. For example: an instructor has a main Dojo where he centers his activities. He, also, teaches in a University club at the University that is separate from his main Dojo; due to University policy. The University club would be a Branch Dojo. Or, he may teach in a number of community centers, Boy's Clubs, etc. These are not required. Only if the instructor wishes to have additional certificates to hang in his various Branch Dojo should he ask for them.
Certificate and Promotion Fees
| Muudansha (Kyu)* | Fee |
| Signed and Stamped Certificate from the Association | $12.00 each |
| 50 or more Certificates | $7.00 each |
| Yuudansha (Dan) | Fee |
| 1st Shodan | $150 |
| 2nd Nidan | $100 |
| 3rd Sandan | $50 |
| 4th Yondan | $250 |
| 5th Godan | $150 |
| 6th Rokudan | $300 |
| Nanadan & up | $0 |
| **Jump Test | $TBD |
* Muudansha test fees are up to the individual Dojo to set.
**Jump Test. Applies only to Nidan, Sandan, and Godan First-time tests: i.e., a previously ranked Shodan by another organization who wishes to advance may Jump Test to Nidan. Cost - $180. From Shodan to Sandan $220. From Nidan to Sandan $170. From Nidan to Yondan $300. From Sandan to Yondan - $400. From Yondan to Rokudan - $550. Nanadan and higher promotions are presented for time in rank and service to Shuseki Shihan Natan and the Association. The Association bears the cost for these individuals' Fees.
| Teacher Certificates | Fee |
| Shihandai (Shodan) | $150 |
| Shihandai (Nidan) | $60 |
| Shihandai (Sandan) | $60 |
| Shihan (Yondan) | $275 |
| Shihan (Godan) | $150 |
| Shihan (Rokudan) | $100 |
| Daishihan (Nanadan & up) | $0 |
It must be noted: Without a Teaching Certificate, NO Association Member can award any Ryukyu Kenpo Karate Kobudo Rengokai rank or Certificates.
| Title Certificates | Fee |
| Renshi (6th Rokudan)* | $300 |
| Kyoshi (7th Nanadan)* | $0 |