Contents
The kyu → dan ladder and its colours
From kyu (colour belt) to dan (black belt) 1 to 10. The kyu number is the shared language; the colour is an organisation's fact, and the kata attached to each grade also diverges from one organisation to the next.
| Organisation | Kyu ladder (colours) | What to keep in mind |
|---|---|---|
| JKA (reference) | Kyu counted by rank; the JKA notes "colours may vary slightly from school to school" | The JKA reference is rank plus kata-per-grade, not a colour map |
| FFKDA (France) | 9 counted kyu: white (9th), yellow (8th), orange (7th), green (6th), blue (5th and 4th), brown (3rd, 2nd, 1st), then Shodan; simple sequence white/yellow/orange/green/blue/brown, with bicolour intermediates for children | 1st kyu is brown; the kyu are awarded by the club instructor |
| DKV (Germany) | 9. white, 8. yellow, 7. orange, 6. green, 5. blue, 4. violet, 3.–1. brown, Dan black | The 4th-kyu colour (violet) belongs to the DKV scheme, confirm locally |
| SKIF (Kanazawa lineage) | 9 colour kyu to Shodan | Per-kyu assignment varies by branch; dan registered at SKIF-GHQ |
The French specificity: the state dan
In France the FFKDA is state-delegated (délégataire) for karate: it holds the licence and insurance and, above all, it issues the dan as a state diploma through the CSDGE (Commission Spécialisée des Dans et Grades Équivalents). The result: a Shotokan club dual-affiliates, FFK for the licence, insurance and state dan, a style organisation (JKA, SKIF, ...) for the technical curriculum.
| Affiliation | What it buys | What it does not buy |
|---|---|---|
| FFKDA (sport) | Licence, insurance, competition access, state dan (CSDGE), honorabilité regime | Authority over the style's technical curriculum |
| Style organisation (JKA, SKIF...) | Curriculum and kata standard, style grade, style-circuit access, instructor course | The state dan, the sport licence and insurance |
What a grading examines
A kyu grading examines the grade's kihon, kata and kumite. The JKA reference (guideline in force since 1 April 2017) gives kata and kumite grade by grade:
| Grade | Kata (form) | Kumite (sparring) |
|---|---|---|
| 8th kyu | Taikyoku Shodan | Gohon kumite (five-step) |
| 7th kyu | Heian Shodan | Gohon kumite |
| 6th kyu | Heian Nidan | Kihon-ippon kumite |
| 5th kyu | Heian Sandan | Kihon-ippon kumite |
| 4th kyu | Heian Yondan | Kihon-ippon kumite |
| 3rd kyu | Heian Godan | Kihon-ippon kumite |
| 2nd kyu | Tekki Shodan | Jiyu-ippon kumite |
| 1st kyu and Shodan | Bassai Dai, Kanku Dai, Empi or Jion (choice) | Jiyu-ippon kumite |
| 2nd and 3rd Dan | Free kata | Jiyu kumite (free) |
JKA note: from 2nd to 7th Dan, a candidate aged 60 or over may substitute jiyu-ippon for jiyu kumite.
In France the dan exam (from Shodan) mixes, depending on the grade: Kihon; Kata (the candidate announces and performs 2 kata from the list); Bunkai (at least 3 sequences); Kihon-ippon kumité; Jiyu-ippon kumité or Randori. Two pathways coexist: the traditional pathway and the competition pathway (the latter requires 5 participations in official competition).
Minimum intervals and age floors
Minimum delays and age floors are published per organisation. Age gates the dan above all, never the colour kyu.
| Organisation | Delays and ages |
|---|---|
| DKV | Between kyu exams: 3 months (5 months for under-14s). To 1st Dan: 1 year (a dan's wait = the dan number in years). Shodan: minimum 16. Nidan: minimum 20. Shodan prerequisite: a referee (Kampfrichter) certificate under 2 years old. |
| SKIF | Below 3rd kyu: about 3 months (twice-weekly training). 3rd → 2nd kyu: min 3, normal 6 months. 1st kyu → Shodan: min 6, normal 12 months. Shodan → Nidan: 2 years and minimum 16. Higher dan: the dan number in years. Dan registered at SKIF-GHQ. |
| FFKDA | Kyu awarded by the club instructor up to brown belt. Dan from Shodan: state diploma through the CSDGE (traditional or competition pathway). |
Frequently asked questions
Can a child earn a dan?
Is the WKF kata list the grading syllabus?
Do you need a grade to teach?
Sources
JKA, Kyu/Dan Grading Guideline (in force since 1 April 2017): kata and kumite per grade, the jiyu-ippon substitution at 60 and over. DKV, Prüfungsordnung Shotokan (from January 2023): tier structure, delays, age floors (Shodan 16, Nidan 20), referee prerequisite. SKIF, Grading System and Dan Registration: minimum intervals, GHQ registration. FFKDA, "Passer un grade" and CSDGE Partie Technique: kyu at the club, state dan, exam units, traditional and competition pathways. Paak Shotokan corpus, files 07 (coaching education), 08 (governance) and 09 (grading syllabus). Content verified September 2026.