BULLSHIT KODOKAN RANK CLAIMS

The sad and unfortunate truth in martial arts is that there are some instructors who will look their students and potential students in the eyes and blatantly tell one lie after the next. I recently had someone reach out to me inquiring about a judo rank that he received at another school.  Firstly by judo standards he got his rank from his instructor really fast...that's a red flag to any legit Judoka and the sign of a rank mill or mcdojo. 

Apparently, his instructor is charging money for judo rank and telling his students their ranks are registered with the Kodokan in Japan. To be direct his instructor isn't a judo instructor dint train in judo nor does he teach Kodokan Judo. I told him it is highly unlikely and if he personally wanted to verify whether he is or not simply email and check with the Kodokan themselves. He is being blatantly lied to by his instructor. In other words he is being defrauded. 

Make no mistake these guys aren't "judo enthusiasts" they are frauds lying to their students so they can steal as much money as they can from as many as they can. This instructor is known in the state of Florida as a fraud and is a laughing stock of the judo and BJJ community. Whether considered legally as fraud or not, it is in no uncertain terms unethical.  

Most judoka literally bust their asses for years in judo for every rank they earn. If you got a bogus judo rank don't expect anything from a real judoka other than an ass whoopin'. Judo frauds stink to high heaven, like skunks. If you are around a skunk its stench stays with you long after it leaves. This instructor has claimed that because of his previous training in other styles such Karate or jiujitsu rank that he was given rank in judo. Black belt ranks in other styles transter to a rank in judo nor does it translate some kind short cut to a black belt in judo. Personally, I have less than zero tolerance for judo frauds....my advice to them is to avoid me like I am the plague.   

This central Florida area instructor and his instructor from somewhere up north obtained black belt ranks literally overnight in "Traditional Kodokan Judo" bought from a shit judo rank mill organization. Judo frauds cannot grant anyone legit judo rank! If your training under a fraud you're getting zilch you are being let down, you're being robbed. If you think your getting something your letting yourself down. What good is a judo rank from a instructor with an unverifiable back ground? That rank that you have paid fees of hundreds or maybe even thousands for, even if its a kyu rank, means absolutely nothing.  

My honest hope is that those who this instructor is defrauding find the following information helpful. All I can say about this guy's instructor is; Don't be surprised when an actual judoka shows up demanding that the instructor get on the mat and randori... No real judoka shies away from actual real randori. 

What is Randori?

Randori not “randoriing” is the primary method of learning Judo. Randori is sparring it is done all out with full speed and full power. The opponent fights you back with full speed and power and gives full resistance. It's a fight! Its not a "dance" or a waltz. It isnt choreographed in any way.  Both practitoners utilize full speed and power and counter with full resistance to develops skills needed to throw in actual combat and competition. It isnt called "randori" if either you or your opponent are going 50/50. If you only practice kata and drills with a compliant or semi resistant partner that is not randori….that is not what Kano intended.... that is not Judo! Practicing kata and or doing drills on a compliant partner is not doing judo. Bruce Lee once noted that Kano’s randori is the best training method ever developed. It allows full contact and 100% commitment to the technique for both proponents. The end result is a level of toughness and knowledge / confidence that judo works and what to expect when facing real resistance.

Fake Judoka are easy to spot!

Because of judo's regulation fake judoka are few, they are easy to spot. The fakes don't realize how easy they are to pick up on. Legit judoka spot these types right off the bat. I have beginner white belts who do judo better than this guy and his instructor. That isn't an exaggeration. To call what he does judo is a stretch of the imagination. Typically fake judo instructors are literally non judoka, they don't even have a grasp of the rudimentary skills; the basics of gripping, stance, footwork, movement or throwing techniques. 

Judo is structured and regulated

There is a clear record in judo, it is structured with Kodokan recognized National and International governing bodies/organization, so because of this it is easier to refute false claims in judo than other martial arts. 

What if I have questions about my instructor’s claims of legitimacy, lineage or affiliations with Judo or the Kodokan?

First and foremost, no instructor should have a problem showing you his credentials. He should not become defensive simply because you want to verify his credentials as well as the kind of service you’re getting. If he claims to be affiliated with an NGB simply contact the NGB directly they will inform you of his rank and current standing within the NGB.

If he makes claims that he is endorsed by or instructor with the Kodokan then simply email the Kodokan in japan. They will tell you if he is only a member or if he is indeed a recognized black belt. Again, no instructor should have a problem with you INDEPENDANTLY verifying their background or certifications…if they become defensive or evasive, they are hiding something.

How do you know if your rank is registered with the Kodokan?

Do not take certificates at face value! Frauds will fabricate counterfeit credentials for themselves and they will sell counterfiet credentials! So independently verify them on your own! If your instructor is telling you that he has your rank registered with the Kodokan or one of their recognized NGBs then contact them directly. 

What is the Kodokan member card?

First off, the membership card itself isnt not hard to get at all. Pretty much anyone who visits the Kodokan can purchase a Kodokan membership card. The cost of a KDK member card is only 55 dollars/8,000 yen. It is nothing more than a gym card like a YMCA card. It is NOT a club charter, organization charter or “license” or an endorsement of ANY kind. 

No rank is listed on card

If there is no rank it generally means the card was just merely purchased. The Kodokan membership cards are available to anyone who visits the Kodokan whether you are there to train or simply visiting on a tour. You can even purchase one by phone or email all you have to do is contact the Kodokan and inquire. The Kodokan card presented on its own doesn't and shouldn't mean anything. There should be an accompanying documentation if rank is recognized by kodokan.

Is the card even proof of active membership with the Kodokan?

Personally, an active membership implies that one trains at the Kodokan on some sort of regular basis. The Kodokan membership card is a lifetime membership card that shows Kodokan accepted or granted rank. All memberships are lifetime, and updated only upon Kodokan promotion or recognition of rank. If a visitor or tourist purchases a member card it will not show a rank. If someone shows up with judo rank from a foreign national Governing body for judo and simply pays for KDK membership without applying for rank recognition, the card will not show rank.

If you are going to Japan and want to get your Judo rank registered with the Kodokan in japan, it is a challenging process.

Judo National Governing Bodies

Most countries have a National Governing body for Judo that are recognized by the Kodokan. The United States has only three.  This is how your rank in judo will be vetted by the Kodokan. First, bring all of your documentation from the United States regarding your rank from the recognized national governing bodies for judo which are the United States Judo Association, USA Judo and the United States Judo Federation. When you arrive at the Kodokan, you will register and show your documentation and will pay for a Kodokan membership. The Kodokan will provide you with a Kodokan English Membership card. This is not be a black belt ID card. You will use your card to check in each time that you train.

 

The Kodokan and the All Japan Judo Federation

It is going to be challenging to get a Black Belt diploma in Japan. The process will need to go through the All Japan Judo Federation and one of the first questions asked is are you a tourist? In Japan there is a lot of paperwork and bureaucracy even for Japanese nationals to get their ranks registered. If you’re able to go through the vetting process in Japan through the All Japan Judo Federation, you will be issued your diploma. The Kodokan will next issue an updated membership card in Japanese with the verified Dan rank.

In most countries there are official Kodokan recognized governing bodies that define and administer Dan-grade requirements and tests. These requirements are the same as the Kodokan in Japan. If you are training in Judo in the US to be recognized by the Kodokan your rank must be recognized by one of the three National Governing Bodies for judo, the USJA, USJF and USA judo. This is the only way to get rank from Japan or registered with the Kodokan. The USJA, USJF and USA Judo will be the ONLY organizations in the US that the Kodokan will vet and verify you through.

“The Judo NGBs are all about sport!”

This is basically what you will hear from bogus judo instructors and yes even bogus judo organizations. There are only 3 Organizations recognized by the Kodokan these are the three recognized national governing bodies, the USJA, USJF and USA Judo. Most who take judo are NOT competing in the sport of judo. Most judo clubs are primarily made up of hobbyist or recreational practitioners. A small percentage actually competes in tournaments.

If the NGBs (National Governing Bodies) were all about sport or sport only we would not be able to sustain one National Governing body much less three.  Most of the finances made from membership fees come from recreational judo practitioners. Simply put the number of competitive judokas wouldn’t keep the dojo doors open much less keep three Judo organizations running.

How many legitimate Judo organizations are there? 

There are 4 legitimate Judo organizations, all of whose standards rank requirements and time in grade are similar. The United States Judo Association, The United States Judo Federation, USA Judo and Freestyle Judo/AAU judo. These are the best organizations to get involved with. The most impressive of the four is the latter mentioned Freestyle Judo/AAU Judo.  

How long does it take to get a black belt in Judo?

Most of those who compete depending on how much they compete and on what level can reach black belt level in anywhere from 3 to 6 years. The majority of judo practitioners dont compete in judo. The ones who don’t compete may reach black belt level in 7 to 10 years. This is the universal standard among all Kodokan recognized organizations across the world. 

“We teach Judo the way Kano intended!”

This is another line you might hear from a judo fraud; this is usually followed with we teach Judo for the streets, self defense etc etc. This narrow mindedness is NOT what Kano intended! Kano intended KATA RANDORI AND SHIAI (Competition), to function together. ALL WERE EQUALLY IMPORTANT. If there is no competition record from sanctioned National Governing Body judo competitions it is highly unlikely that the Kodokan will grant a black Belt promotion to a foreigner. The Kodokan’s and the three NGB’s requirements are similar otherwise the Kodokan wouldn’t recognize them as the National Governing Bodies for Judo in the US.

A National Governing Body Ban

Yes, being banned from a recognized from one of the NGBs typically means that the person banned has done or committed something extremely shady and or heinous.

There is an area school instructor whose claims are indeed shady and that is putting it mildly. He has zero experience in Judo, his instructor has no ties to the Kodokan or the NGBs for that matter and even the person they claim a tie to on their website was banned from all three Judo NGBs for submitting unverifiable, in other words fake documents, for rank promotion and recognition. The life time ban he received meant that everyone he promoted was affected as well. This meant that their ranks were rendered null and void as well.  This also means anyone who submits a rank and lists the banned person as their instructor will be denied or in some cases, they direct you to an authorized rank examiner for the NGB to be evaluated and tested.

Conclusion

As stated earlier in this article, because judo keeps a clear record and is structured with Kodokan recognized National and International governing bodies, it is easier to refute false judo claims. Simply put if your dojo/instructor isn’t affiliated with an NGB you aren’t going to be affiliated with the Kodokan in any way. The Kodokan only recognizes three; USJA, USJF and USA Judo. They are also not going to able to register your rank with the NGBs or the Kodokan itself. 

Kodokan standards are set in stone there are no back doors into the Kodokan. These standards are followed by all three of the NGBs in the United states. This why they are the only ones in the US that are recognized by the Kodokan. There is even a Kodokan committee set up for all three NGBs so Judoka can get their ranks recognized by the Kodokan if they wish. 

If your instructor is claiming some sort of affiliation with the Kodokan or even tells you that he has registered your rank with the Kodokan simply contact the Kodokan with the information you have at http://kodokanjudoinstitute.org/en/contact/ 

If they say there is no record then it means you were flat out lied to by your instructor and they are obviously not teaching you judo at all and certianly not “teaching Kodokan judo as Kano intended!”