Relax…

The shodan test: shodan is 1st dan, or some translations can mean ‘the first step.’ For the n00bs, this is the first of level of black belt, progression can flow up to 10th dan but usually after you die. Most people probably will never see anything above shodan outside of japan.

Anyways, I had my shodan test on July 3rd 2005. The test took place around 10:25am in HagashiHiroshima at the HigashiHiroshima Undo Koen / Sports Park.

This was the first shodan test then 県 (ken/prefecture) has had in almost a year. With this in mind, we had over 6 ’shihans’ on the testing board. Although as the truth boils, I think the opinion of the prefecture’s main aikido shihan (Kitahira <北平＞ Shihan) is all that matters. I could be wrong though.

Anyways, people from all over came. There were probably 100 to 120 people with about maybe 20 or so people testing. The bulk of the people testing were from my Seino club. My uke was Robb, one of the JETs here that is a shodan and has been training for about 2 years.

The scheduled testing time was from 9 to 12. We started taiso a little after 9 and did some waza till 10. After a proper bow into our shihan, the test started.

After testing at 3rivers, you gain an appreciation for how mentally and physically demanding a test could be. I feel japan, like many other things, is the polar opposite of this.

The test on average lasted about 8~10 minutes. A bit more or a bit less depending on how you looked during the techniques. I think mine lasted about 8 minutes.

The test layout was something along the following:

Suwari Waza (座り技)
-Ikkyo through yonkyo (omote and ura)

Hanmi Handachi (半身半立ち)
- tsuki kotegaeshi ( x3 variations)
- yokomen shihonage ( x3 variations)
- shomen irimi nage ( x3 variations)

Tachi Waza (立ち技)
- ushiro waza ( x5 variations)
- kaiten nage ( x3 variations)
- juji nage/garame ( free waza)

And that was it. As I later found out, instead of juji waza, it was supposed to be jiyu waza (free waza.) But the sensei repeating what the Kitahira sensei called out heard him wrong. So everyone did juji waza instead of jiyu waza. Kind of a shame as that is where I was hoping to have the most fun.

Anyways, that was the shodan test. After the shodan test, two people tested for Nidan and Sandan. Their tests were best described by me as slow and well thought out, again as most things in japan. I hope I get to test for nidan before I leave!

Anyways, as for the results of the test, I won’t know for maybe a month. That is when everything comes back from Hombu dojo. Why they don’t tell the people immediately after, I do not know. I think it has to do with ceremony and tradition. But every indication that I got was I passed. So I mark July 3rd as the day I earned my shodan.

There will be some pictures to follow..