In Japanese martial arts, it is common to see designations such as 4th dan, Renshi, Shihan, or a combination like 6th dan Renshi next to a practitioner's name. For a practitioner unfamiliar with traditional Japanese systems, these terms can easily be perceived as different ways of expressing the same thing: the level achieved.
However, they do not refer to the same reality.
The concepts of menjo (免状), menkyo (免許), and shōgō (称号) belong to distinct logical frameworks. One primarily recognizes progress or qualification, another confers a license or authorization, while the third constitutes a title acknowledging a person's martial stature.
There is, of course, a correlation between these elements. An advanced teaching license or a prestigious title would not normally be granted to a beginner. However, confusing them sometimes leads to a paradoxical situation: considering a person automatically qualified to teach simply because they hold a high rank, even if they may have never been trained in pedagogy.
To understand these distinctions, it is also necessary to look at an institution that profoundly influenced modern Budo: the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai (大日本武徳会), or DNBK.
The creation of the DNBK and its influence on modern Budo
Following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, Japan underwent extremely rapid modernization. The feudal system disappeared, the samurai class gradually lost its privileges, and the old martial schools had to adapt to a society no longer organized around the warrior function.
It was in this context that the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai was created in Kyoto in 1895. Its objective was notably to promote martial arts, organize national events, and recognize practitioners who had made remarkable contributions to Budo. The famous Butokuden of Kyoto, completed in 1899, became one of the great symbolic centers of this new national Budo organization.
The DNBK did not replace the ryūha, i.e., the different schools and traditions. Instead, it created a structure allowing experts from different traditions to be evaluated and recognized beyond their own school.
This distinction is essential.
In a traditional school, authority primarily stems from transmission:
Master → disciple → transmission of the ryū → license
With the DNBK, institutional recognition emerged in parallel, which could extend beyond the boundaries of a particular ryū.
It was notably the DNBK that played a decisive role in the development of the modern Shōgō system, with the titles of Kyōshi and Hanshi in the early 20th century, and then Renshi in 1934, replacing the former title Seirenshō.
Its influence on our modern way of understanding Japanese martial ranks and titles is therefore considerable.
Menjo 免状: The certificate and recognition of a level
The term menjo (免状) first deserves clarification. Literally, it refers more to a certificate or document attesting to a qualification than a "rank" in the strict sense. In the modern Budo context, it can notably materialize the recognition of a kyū, a dan, or another qualification.
Today, the majority of Japanese martial arts pedagogical systems use the Kyū/Dan system.
The Kyū generally represent the stages preceding the black belt. In several disciplines, they are materialized by different belt colors. These are primarily pedagogical markers allowing the practitioner and instructor to gauge technical progress.
Then come the Dan, which represent different levels of advancement after entering the so-called Yūdansha grades.
The modern Dan system is strongly associated with Jigoro Kano, founder of Judo, who began using it at the Kodokan in the 1880s. It was subsequently adopted and adapted in many disciplines.
A Dan therefore primarily recognizes the level achieved by a practitioner according to the technical and pedagogical criteria of their organization.
Possessing a 4th, 5th, or 6th Dan indicates significant progress in the knowledge of one's art. However, this does not automatically mean that this person holds a full teaching license or a particular honorary title.
This is where the second concept comes in.
Menkyo 免許: The license and authorization to transmit
The word Menkyo (免許) essentially means license or authorization.
The Menkyo system is historically older than the Dan system. In koryū and other classical Japanese traditions, transmission could be structured by different certificates or licenses attesting that the practitioner had received a specific part of the teaching and, depending on the school, was authorized to transmit it.
The famous Menkyo Kaiden thus represents, in some traditions, the complete transmission of the school's teachings.
In several modern organizations, this licensing logic is found under appellations such as:
Fuku-Shidōin or Jun-Shidōin: assistant instructor who may receive limited pedagogical responsibility;
Shidōin: instructor officially authorized to teach according to the organization's rules;
指 (shi) — to show, indicate, point, designate.
導 (dō) — to guide, lead, conduct.
員 (in) — member, person belonging to a group or exercising a function.
Shihan: high-level teacher or "master instructor," generally entrusted with significant responsibility in transmission;
師 (shi) — master, professor, expert, person who teaches and guides.
範 (han) — model, example, norm, reference.
Sō-Shihan: appellation used in some organizations to designate a chief master instructor or a person holding a superior position in the pedagogical structure.
However, caution is advised: these appellations and the powers associated with them are not universal. A Shidōin or a Shihan does not necessarily have the same prerogatives from one organization to another. The term Shihan, in particular, is not a Dan grade nor is it one of the three classic Shōgō: Renshi-Kyōshi-Hanshi.
It is a function or a license whose meaning depends on the authority that confers it.
This distinction allows for a fundamental question to be asked:
Does being highly proficient in an art automatically mean being proficient in teaching it?
Not necessarily.
A practitioner may possess excellent technical mastery without having developed the pedagogical skills necessary to observe, correct, structure progress, transmit the principles of the school, and fairly evaluate other practitioners.
The Menkyo specifically recognizes a responsibility of transmission.
Shōgō 称号: The recognition of martial stature
We finally arrive at Shōgō (称号).
Unlike the Dan, the Shōgō is a title. It does not simply represent an additional step on a technical scale.
This is where the historical influence of the DNBK becomes particularly important.
Starting in 1895, the Butokukai first awarded the Seirenshō to distinguished Budoka. In the early 20th century, the titles of Kyōshi (教士) and Hanshi (範士) appeared. In 1934, Seirenshō was replaced by Renshi (錬士), essentially establishing the three-title structure we know today.
Renshi – 錬士
The character Ren (錬) evokes the idea of polishing, forging, or disciplining through training, while Shi (士) designates a person possessing a certain quality or expertise.
Thus, Renshi can be understood as a person whose skills have been seriously forged through practice.
It represents recognition beyond mere technical execution: the practitioner begins to demonstrate martial maturity and an ability to correctly represent their art.
Tashi – 達士
The title Tashi (達士) is used in some martial organizations as a Shōgō designating a practitioner who has reached a level of advanced expertise.
The character Tatsu/Datsu (達) notably carries the idea of reaching, accomplishing, mastering, or excelling, while Shi (士) designates a person of quality, a man-at-arms, or, historically depending on the context, a member of the warrior class. It is this association that explains why Tashi is sometimes interpreted in martial circles as "martial expert", or even "samurai expert".
However, this last translation must be qualified: "samurai expert" is more of a martial interpretation than a literal translation of 達士. The term more precisely evokes an accomplished or highly competent person in their field.
Unlike Renshi, Kyōshi, and Hanshi, which constitute the Shōgō system historically institutionalized by the DNBK and adopted by several major Japanese organizations, Tashi does not belong to this classic universal hierarchy. Its use, hierarchical position, and the criteria for obtaining it therefore vary depending on the schools and organizations that use it.
In systems where it is recognized, Tashi essentially emphasizes the practitioner's expertise and martial accomplishment, rather than a mere technical level expressed by a Dan.
Kyōshi – 教士
The character Kyō (教) means to teach or instruct.
The title of Kyōshi thus further emphasizes the dimension of transmission, understanding, and maturity. It is no longer enough to correctly reproduce techniques: one must understand the underlying principles and be able to transmit them.
Hanshi – 範士
The character Han (範) carries the idea of model, example, or reference.
Hanshi thus represents a person whose practice, teaching, behavior, and journey can serve as a model for other practitioners.
This touches upon a very Japanese conception of Budo: at a certain level, one no longer only evaluates what the person can do, but also what they have become through their practice.
In brief:
Renshi (錬士) — accomplished practitioner/instructor forged by practice
Tashi (達士) — accomplished martial expert (depending on the organization)
Kyōshi (教士) — teacher with a deep understanding of the art
Hanshi (範士) — senior master serving as a model and reference
This is probably the fundamental difference between a rank and a Shōgō.
Dan and Shōgō: two parallel progressions
It is tempting to establish a simple equivalence:
4th or 5th Dan = Renshi
6th or 7th Dan = Kyōshi
8th Dan = Hanshi
But historically and institutionally, this equation is too simplistic.
Dan and Shōgō constitute two different recognitions, even when an organization imposes a minimum rank to access a title.
This distinction still exists today. For example, the All Japan Kendo Federation administers Dan examinations and the Renshi, Kyōshi, and Hanshi titles separately; its official documents explicitly refer to Shōgō/Dan certificates as distinct qualifications.
The precise criteria also vary according to organizations and eras. Therefore, one must be careful with tables universally stating that a Renshi must be a certain age and Dan, or that a Hanshi must necessarily be 60 years old. These rules may be accurate in a given organization or period without constituting a universal norm of Japanese Budo.
The fundamental idea remains the same, however: a Shōgō should not be automatically granted simply because a practitioner reaches a certain Dan or a certain number of years of practice.
It constitutes additional recognition.
Three different questions
Perhaps the simplest way to understand the difference between these concepts is to ask three questions.
Menjo primarily answers: "What level or qualification has this person achieved?"
Menkyo answers: "What are they authorized to teach, transmit, or evaluate?"
And Shōgō asks a much broader question: "What stature has this person acquired in Budo?"
Thus, a person can be technically very advanced without necessarily possessing an equivalent pedagogical license. Conversely, an experienced teacher can receive a particular license because they assume a responsibility for transmission. Finally, the Shōgō recognizes a maturity and contribution that go beyond mere knowledge of the curriculum.
Henry Plée's interpretation: from external to internal
In his "Chroniques martiales," Henry Plée offers a particularly simple and evocative way to understand the progression represented by the titles of Renshi, Kyōshi, and Hanshi. Rather than considering them solely as hierarchical distinctions, he associates them with different levels of practitioner mastery.
In this interpretation, Renshi corresponds to external mastery: the practitioner possesses solid, effective, and deeply integrated physical technique. One could thus speak of an "external master," meaning an expert whose mastery is primarily expressed through the body, technique, and concrete application of the art.
Kyōshi then represents internal mastery. Practice no longer relies solely on the visible execution of techniques: the practitioner better understands the principles, intention, timing, distance, state of mind, and less apparent mechanisms that give life to the technique. In a simplified formulation, one could speak here of an "internal master."
Finally, Plée describes Hanshi as the unification of internal and external mastery. At this level, technique, understanding, and the person should no longer be dissociated. In a more philosophical reading of Budō, this stage can be likened to the idea of a "spiritual master": not in the religious sense, but in the sense of a practitioner who has become a model through their mastery, behavior, judgment, and way of embodying the Way.
This interpretation has the advantage of reminding us that a Shōgō should not simply represent a number of years of practice or an additional Dan. Rather, it suggests a progressive transformation: first mastering the outer form, then deepening what animates it from within, and finally achieving an integration where technique, understanding, and human quality form a whole.
The legacy of the DNBK
This is probably one of the most important contributions of the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai to modern Budo.
The historical DNBK sought to recognize Budoka beyond the boundaries of their particular schools. It helped create a culture in which technical competence, teaching ability, and martial stature could be recognized separately.
The historical DNBK was eventually integrated much more directly into the Japanese government apparatus during the war, then dissolved in 1946 under Allied occupation. Modern organizations carrying its legacy should therefore not be considered as possessing the national governmental authority that the historical organization had acquired. Nowadays, different Japanese disciplines have their own federations and recognition structures.
However, the conceptual legacy remains immense.
The systems of Dan, teaching licenses, and Shōgō that we encounter today in many organizations are the result of a long evolution where the ancient traditions of ryūha transmission and the modern desire to structure and recognize Budo on an institutional scale meet.
More than a title behind a name
In summary, Menjo materializes an acquired qualification or level. Menkyo confers a license or responsibility for transmission. Shōgō recognizes a person’s martial stature, maturity, and contribution.
They can be summarized even more simply:
Menjo: what I have achieved.
Menkyo: what I am authorized to transmit.
Shōgō: what my martial journey represents.
This distinction explains why a 6th Dan, a Shihan, and a Renshi do not mean the same thing, even when all three titles are held by the same person.
The further we advance in Budo, the less recognition should merely measure our ability to execute techniques. It should progressively consider our understanding, our ability to transmit, our behavior, our contribution to our school, and, eventually, our contribution to Budo as a whole.
This is also why licenses and Shōgō should retain their value. They should not become mere automatic rewards granted with seniority or mechanically accompanying a new Dan.
A grade recognizes progress. A license entrusts responsibility. A title recognizes a journey.
And when one understands this distinction, mentions like “6th Dan, Shihan, Renshi” cease to appear as an accumulation of titles. Instead, they describe three different dimensions of the same martial journey.
Historical Verification Sources
Dai Nippon Butoku Kai, “History” (dnbk.org).
All Japan Kendo Federation, regulations and documents on Shōgō and Dan grades (kendo.or.jp).
Canadian Kendo Federation, Grading Examination Policy, Shōgō requirements (2025).
International Kyudo Federation, Kyudo Shinsa Regulations, chapter on Shōgō
Source Note — This presentation is inspired by Henry Plée’s Martial Chronicles, where Renshi is associated with “external mastery,” Kyōshi with “internal mastery,” and Hanshi with unified internal and external mastery. The phrase “spiritual master” here is a pedagogical interpretation of this last stage, not a literal translation of the title Hanshi.
About the Author
Larry Foisy has been teaching martial arts for over 30 years. He is a 6th dan Shihan/Renshi in Shorinjiryu Karatedo and is also recognized as Shihan by the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai of Kyoto, Japan. A physiotherapist by training and holding a master's degree in computer science, he combines scientific knowledge with traditional martial practice.
Founder and director of the Larry Foisy Martial Arts Center as well as the specialized store e-TAO.ca, he teaches Karatedo daily, Iaido (Muso Jikiden Eishin-ryu, 3rd dan) and Iaijutsu (2nd dan KNBK), Koshiki—of which he is a former world champion, international referee, and organizer of the Canadian Open Championship—, Kudo, Kyusho-jitsu (2nd dan), Goshin-jutsu (self-defense), and Bukki-ho (traditional Okinawan weapons).
His journey also includes judo (1st kyu), Muay Thai, and aikido. He also practices Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu and Tai Chi Chuan. Driven by a deep passion for Budo, he has chosen to dedicate his life to the study, practice, and transmission of traditional martial arts.
Through his chronicles, Larry Foisy aims to share not only technical, historical, and philosophical knowledge, but also the values of respect, rigor, perseverance, and personal development that constitute the true heritage of martial arts.