Welcome to the Kobukai Jujitsu Dojo

Since 1993, the Kobukai Dojo has offered Self Defense training to Connecticut. The mission of the Kobukai Dojo is to ensure that all of its students, whether adult or child, will develop heightened awareness, learn how to avoid violet confrontations, know how and when to escape, and learn to effeciently and effectively defend themselves if escape is impossible.

This page includes the DOJO RULES, and instructions on HOW TO ACT IN CLASS, MUDANSHA RANKING, and YUDANSHA RANKING/LICENSES.

If there are ever any questions about anything that happens in our Dojo, please ask an Instructor. All of our instructors are trained to be able to answer any of your questions, or to find someone who can.

Many questions about the school can be answered on our website: www.kobukaijujitsu.com. Please take the opportunity to read through the information we have on our website.

We are often asked, “can I bring a friend?” The answer is YES! Please feel free to bring a friend to our dojo. Inform him/her of the courtesies ahead of time, and introduce him/her to the instructor before class – allow time for this.

If you need to contact the dojo please call Sensei or Sempai.

HOW TO ACT IN CLASS

  • Bow to the Kamiza (kah-mee-zah) before you step onto the mat.
  • Line up appropriately and silently when Blackbelt Instructor claps his hands at beginning of class
  • Sensei will turn to class and Sempai will say “Sensei Ni Rei” (Sen-say Nee Ray), and all will bow to the Sensei
  • Sempai will nod his head and the senior non-blackbelt student will say “Sempai Ni Rei” (Sem-pie Nee Ray), and all (except Sensei) will bow to the Sempai.
  • This process is reversed at the closing of class
  • Students will take a bow to their partner before and after working with them as a sign of trust and respect
  • Students will begin to workout only when the instructor has commanded “Hajime” (Ha-jimay)
  • Students will stop workout out when the instructor has commanded “Yame” (Ya-May)
  • There will be no foul language in the Dojo
  • We respect all nationalities, faiths, creeds, colors, cultures, and genders in our dojo. No discriminatory remarks or actions will be tolerated.
  • Although we do not discriminate in any way, all dojo courtesies and etiquettes are required to be observed by all students. If observing them is an issue, please the Instructor

DOJO RULES

  • Bow when entering the Dojo and say “Good Evening Sir! Good Evening Ma’am!”
  • Bow when leaving the Dojo and say “Arrigato Gozaimashita” (ah-ree-gah-toe go-zie-ee-mah-shta)
  • All students will wear appropriate uniform – Black Gi (Adults) or White Gi (Kids) as supplied by the Dojo; Kobukai Jujitsu Patch; Appropriate Rank belt tied correctly, Athletic Cup for Male students; T-Shirts under Gi top for Female students; Long Hair tied in a ponytail
  • Do not wash your belt
  • No gum or candy in class.
  • No Jewelry in class
  • Nails cut short
  • Uniform clean and washed
  • No other patches on Gi
  • No ripped uniforms. No mixed uniforms
  • No cough drops in class
  • No food or beverage on Mats
  • No shoes beyond Welcome Area
  • If you will miss more than one class in a row, please call the dojo to let us know
  • Do not arrive to class late. Arrive 10 minutes before class starts
  • No visibly ill students will be allowed on the Mat
  • Nobody suspected of intoxication will be allowed in the Dojo
  • All guests who will train on mat must sign waiver and information card
  • Blackbelt Master referred to as Shihan by Students
  • Blackbelt Master referred to as Master by Non-Students
  • Blackbelt Full Instructors referred to as Sensei by Students
  • Blackbelt Full Instructors referred to as Sir or Ma’am by Non-Students
  • Blackbelt Assistant Instructors referred to as Sempai
  • Blackbelt Assistant Instructors referred to as Sir or Ma’am by Non-Students
  • All Non-Blackbelt Adult Students and Guests referred to as Mr. or Ms.
  • Fighting is not allowed inside or outside the Dojo
  • All training is to be conducted inside dojo under Blackbelt instructor
  • No training allowed outside of class
  • No training is allowed at other Dojos while a student at Kobukai Jujitsu Dojo
  • No leaving the Mat without informing your instructor
  • All injuries are to be reported to a Blackbelt instructor immediately

MUDANSHA RANKING

WHITE BELT: Novice Ju-Jitsu practitioner. Learning basic techniques. Must be able to demonstrate the core Beginner techniques in order to move to Yellow Belt. Expect to be a white belt for 6-9 months.

YELLOW BELT: Beginner. Has a good base knowledge of beginner techniques. Exhibits a basic toughness and necessary aggressiveness, tempered with safety. Starts to show understanding of strategy. Must be able to demonstrate most beginner techniques as well as show a proficiency in practical self-defense application to move to Blue Belt. Expect to be a yellow belt for 6-9 months.

BLUE BELT: Intermediate. Knows all novice and beginner techniques. Uses these techniques in self-defense and ne-waza. Developing strategies. Setting up strings of techniques. Makes smooth transitions and understands principles. Knows some Jujitsu history. Must be able to demonstrate the novice and beginner techniques and execute most of this level’s techniques in practical self-defense application, and passes a formal examination to move to Brown Belt. Expect to be a blue belt for 12-18 months.

BROWN BELT: Advanced. Knows all novice, beginner, and intermediate techniques. Has developed own strategies. Excellent at unrehearsed self-defense. Knows Jujitsu history. an assist in teaching class. Understands safety issues. Demonstrates all lower rank techniques with precision and executes techniques in practical self-defense application with experience and clean technique. Has developed personal maturity which is demonstrated in the dojo. Expect to be a brown belt for 12-18 months.

BLACK BELT: Sempai. Potential Assistant Instructor. Teaches by example in attitude, strategy, and technique. Has passed formal Blackbelt examination in front of Joseki. Represents the school. Understands that the real learning is about to begin. Excellent at all aspects of unrehearsed self-defense, ne waza, and weapon defenses. This first level of Blackbelt is referred to as Okuiri and is equivalent to the Shodan rank in the modern dan-ni ranking system.

YUDANSHA RANKING / LICENSES

OKUIRI:
Title of Sempai (Senior). Potential Assistant Instructor. This first level of Blackbelt is referred to as Okuiri (meaning “entrance to secrets”) and is equivalent to the Shodan rank in the modern dan-ni ranking system. You will stay at this level for approximately 2 years, where you will continue to master the mudansha level techniques, especially the Advanced Waza. Your attendance, attitude, fortitude, technical ability and teaching ability will be watched closely. If you excel in all of these areas you will be promoted to…

MOKUROKU:
Title of Sempai (Senior). Assistant Instructor. This second level of Blackbelt is referred to as Mokuroku (meaning “catalog” which refers to your knowledge of the catalog of techniques) and is equivalent to the Nidan rank in the modern dan-ni ranking system. You will stay at this level for approximately 3 years, where you will continue to master the mudansha level techniques, especially teh Advanced Waza. You will also work on Blackbelt level techniques. Your attendance, attitude, fortitude, technical ability and teaching ability will be watched closely. If you excel in all of these areas you will be promoted to…

MENKYO:
Title of Sensei (Teacher). This third level of Blackbelt is referred to as Menkyo (meaning “license” which means the license to teach and promote your own blackbelts) and is equivalent to the Sandan or Yondan ranks in the modern dan-ni ranking system. You will stay at this level for the majority of your martial arts career. From here you will embark on a journey of self perfection, both in body and mind, in technique and in spirit, and will walk the path of the peaceful warrior where allowed, and the fierce warrior where required. Your attendance, attitude, fortitude, technical ability and teaching ability will be an asset to the school and others will seek to learn from you.

KAIDEN:
Title of Shihan (Master). This level of Blackbelt is referred to as Shihan (roughly meaning “master”) and is equivalent to the Godan or Shichidan ranks in the modern dan-ni ranking system. This is considered the highest ranking blackbelt in traditional systems. It is likely you will have spent 20-30 years in Jujitsu and attained an age of 45-50 years of age. You remain an active leader in your home dojo or run your own dojo. You have promoted several students to blackbelt. You have attained an extremely high level of knowledge, both technical and in the concepts, histories, and strategies of Japanese martial arts as a whole. Others, including blackbelts seek to learn from you.

Note on Belts. The traditional Jujitsu blackbelt is worn by all blackbelt yudansha. It is the belt you workout in. For special ceremonial occasions, a ceremonial blackbelt may be worn. For Menkyo, this would be the black belt with a red stripe in the middle. For Kaiden, this would be the red and white paneled belt. This is only for demonstrations, ceremonies, testing, or promotions. At all other times it is appropriate to wear your black belt.