Judo ranking

The International Judo Federation serves as the technical administrator of the sport around the world. It sets the standards and rules employed in the sport, while the member national federations recognize and award ranks to qualified students, called Judokas.

Efficiency awards are given out in the manner of two ranking systems: the Kyu and Dan systems. Advancing from all the six Kyu degrees is a pre-requisite for eligibility to partake in the black-belt division or the Dan ranks, which has ten degrees of its own.

The Kyu ranks, often termed as Madansha, start at the 6th Kyu all the way down to the 1st Kyu. This ranking system features colored belts for each degree or Kyu. The format is as follows:

• 6th Kyu (Rokkyu) – White Belt
• 5th Kyu (Gokyu) – Yellow Belt
• 4th Kyu (Shikyu or Yonkyu) – Orange Belt
• 3rd Kyu (Sankyu) – Green Belt (Violet Belt in junior divisions)
• 2nd Kyu (Nikyu) – Blue Belt
• 1st Kyu (Ikkyu) – Brown Belt

On the other hand, the Dan system starts with the 1st Dan all the way up to the 10th Dan. The format is as follows:

• 1st Dan (Shodan) – Black Belt
• 2nd Dan (Nidan) – Black Belt
• 3rd Dan (Sandan) – Black Belt
• 4th Dan (Yodan) – Black Belt
• 5th Dan (Godan) – Black Belt
• 6th Dan (Rokudan) – Black Belt or Red Belt with white sections
• 7th Dan (Shichidan) – Black Belt or Red Belt with white sections
• 8th Dan (Hachidan) – Black Belt or Red Belt with white sections
• 9th Dan (Kudan) – Black or Red Belt
• 10th Dan (Judan) – Black or Red Belt

Active competitors usually attain a degree as high as the Shichidan, but the above levels are given only to Judokas who have also promoted the sport after their playing years.