Aikido - Uniforms and ranking

The vast majority of aikido styles use the system of earning coloured belts (段位, dan'i?) common to modern Japanese martial arts. Students generally progress by promotion through a series of "grades" (kyū), followed by a series of "degrees" (dan), pursuant to formal testing procedures. The majority of aikido organisations use only white and black belts to distinguish between skill levels, but some use a progression of coloured belts for kyū levels. It is important to note that the actual requirements for each rank, the number of levels of rank, and the exact testing procedures vary widely between styles. As such, a particular rank in one organization is not necessarily comparable or interchangeable with the rank of another.

Kohai - Junior student
Sempai - Senior student
Sensei - Instructor
Shihan - A senior teacher, properly used within the school only, when outside, use sensei
Kyu - Student grade, from 10 up to 1, the highest: jukyu, kukyu, hachikyu, nanakyu, rokyu , gokyu , yonkyu , sankyu , nikkyu , ikkyu
Dan - More advanced grades, from 1 to 10: shodan , nidan , sandan , yondan , godan , rokudan , nanadan , hachidan , kudan , judan
Yudansha - Members with dan grades
Mudansha - Members with kyu grades
Hanshi - Highest title from ZNKR, must be 55 or older and 8 dan.
Kyoshi - Middle title from ZNKR, must be 7th dan.
Renshi - Title bestowed from ZNKR in addition to Dan ranks.
Soke - Head of style (actually head of family, unifier of gods and lineage)
Doshu - Head of the way (currently Moriteru Ueshiba, grandson of O Sensei)
Kaicho - "Owner" of school (organization) eg. Sei Do Kai
Kancho - "Owner" of school (building, hall) eg. Yugen Kan
Dojo-cho - "Leader" of a dojo
O Sensei - Great Teacher (Ueshiba, Morihei)


The uniform worn for practicing aikido (aikidōgi) is similar to the training uniform (keikogi) used in most other modern martial arts; simple trousers and a wraparound jacket, usually white. Both thick ("judo-style"), and thin ("karate-style") cotton tops are used. Most aikido systems also add a pair of wide pleated trousers called a hakama, which is a traditional Japanese garment. In aikido, the hakama is usually black or indigo, and the rules governing who is allowed to wear one vary widely. In many styles it is reserved for practitioners with black belt ranks, while others allow all practitioners or female practitioners to wear a hakama regardless of rank.