Specialization Areas of the

Dai Ni Gojuryu System

     Ranking requirements in the Dan grades beginning with second dan requires mastery at various levels of several other related martial art skills.   These skills can be found in Sensei's interpretation of the bunkai of the Dai Ni Gojuryu Kata.  This requirement may be met by either submitting a rank certificate at the appropriate level from an organization acceptible to the Associaton for that particular martial art discipline or by obtaining a certificate of specialization from the Association.

     Originally, Tukerii Sensei did not seperately rank his students in these related martial disciplines, yet with the passing of time, and the further separation of identities of the various martial disciplines, he began to rank his students in 4 disciplines:  Jujitsu techniques, Aikijitsu techniques, Kobudo, and Batto Jutsu.

  Sensei continued to teach these techniques as part of a more integrated system than it came to be practiced after his death.  Sensei's original students were simply taught a total system which included striking, kicking, throwing, grappling, weapons, sword, and kyusho jutsu.  After his death, these techniques became more systematized to facilitate teaching.

  After Sensei's death, Charles Bouton Sensei formed the Okinawa Dai Ni Gojuryu Bujutsu Kyokai to oversee the systematization of these techniques and to grant ranking in them.    Lacking a name other than the obvious misnomer of Dai Ni Gojuryu already in use in the system, the name Bouton Sensei attached to his Dojo "Kokyukan" became attached to the various styles, thus forming ryuha representing the techniques taught and practiced within the Dai Ni Gojuryu system.  Thus, Kokyukan Jujitsu, Kokyukan Aikijitsu, Kokyukan Batto Jutsu.  The Kobodo component is simply refered to as "Kobudo".

   The Jujitsu while sharing some joint locks with the Aiki techniques, is basically a nage waza, ate waza, shimi waza, and ground grappling type of family of techniques.  The Aiki component does not contain ground fighting techniques, and is unquestionably an Aikijitsu rather than an Aikido approach as it is very aggressive.  The Kobudo consists of the sai, tsun qua (tonfa), eku, naginata, nunchuka & bo.  The Batto Jutsu system incorporates many technique unique to Tukerii Sensei

 Candidates for various higher dan grades are required to submit mastery at the Sankyu (3rd kyu) or higher level in one or more of these specializations, depending upon the particular dan grade.

 The following ranking grades are used in ranking each of the above areas, the mudansha levels are fairly common to most modern martial arts ranking practices. The yudansha or black belt grades have been traditionally a strange mix of the older "license" or "letter of transmisson" system used in earlier martial disciplines, and the modern dan grading system. This is how Sensei awarded these rankings. The Associaton Yudansha in January of 2000 voted to change  these to a more modern standard 10 dan grading system.

The original ranking system used by Sensei was:
 

  • Gokyu - White Belt

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  • Sankyu - Green Belt

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  • Yonkyu - 3rd class Brown Belt

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  • Nikyu - 2nd class Brown Belt

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  • Ikkyu - 1st class Brown Belt

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  • Shodan - 1st degree Black Belt

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  • Shoden or Shodai - A license granted to 1st Dans, after a period of time, to permit them to teach.

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  • Nidan - 2nd degree Black Belt

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  • Sandan - 3rd degree Black Belt

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  • Chudan/ Chuden - Middle level Black Belt, this is a further license of letter of transmittal indicating that a greater portion of the total teaching of the system has been passed to the student and mastered by them.  It would largely equate to the 4th and 5th Dan levels.

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  • Okuden/Mokuroku- A higher level of transmittal of the total teaching of the system and level of mastery achieved. This is the most difficult to equate to the dan grade system, it falls somewhere in the range of an experienced 5th Dan through a 7th Dan in a 10 Dan grade system.

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  • Jodan/ Menkyo -High level Black Belt- the highest levels of practitoner and student. This level would correspond to the levels of experienced 7th Dans through 8th Dans in a 10 Dan grade system.  Few rankings were giving by Tukerii Sensei in these two final grades. Michael Gafford was awarded this grade in Jujitsu. Richard Wicker was awarded this grade in Aikijutsu. Paul Kenneman was awarded this grade in Kobudo. Charles Bouton was awarded this grade in Batto jutsu.

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  • Jodan/Menkyo Kaiden- This would designate a student whom Sensei had transmitted all of the knowledge of the particular system, as well as having attained mastery of that level to Sensei's satisfaction. It meant that Sensei felt they could independently teach all of this portion of the Dai Ni Gojuryu system speciality. Probably equivalent to someone who is a very senior 8th Dan, through 9th and 10th Dans in a 10 Dan grade system. Tukerii Sensei awarded very few rankings in the specialities at this level. Paul Kenneman was awarded this grade in Jujitsu, Aikijitsu, and Batto jutsu. Charles Bouton was awarded this grade in Jujitsu, Aikijitsu, and Kobudo. After Sensei's death, Paul Kenneman awarded this grade in Batto Jutsu to Charles Bouton.

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     In addition three other forms of licensing were used to designate more advanced and experienced instructors in the higher dan grades. All licenses are awarded by the Okinawa Di Ni Gojuryu Bujutsu Kyokai.

     Renshi - Chudan level instructors with sufficient advanced experience are awarded this level of license. They may promote to Nidan, and may teach students to the 3rd dan level.

     Kyoshi - Okuden/Mokuroku level instructors with sufficient advanced experience are awarded this level of license. They may promote to Chudan grade and teach students to the Chudan level.

     Shihan - Jodan/Menkyo and Jodan/Menkyo Kaiden level instructors with sufficient advanced experience are awarded this level of license. They have full rank granting authority through Jodan grade and may teach all levels.

    As of January 2000, the ranking system has been changed to:
     

  • Gokyu - White Belt

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  • Sankyu - Green Belt

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  • Yonkyu - 3rd class Brown Belt

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  • Nikyu - 2nd class Brown Belt

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  • Ikkyu - 1st class Brown Belt


    • Shodan - 1st degree Black Belt

    Nidan-2nd degree Black Belt

    Sandan-3rd degree Black Belt

    Yondan-4th degree Black Belt

    Godan-5th Degree Black Belt

    Rokudan-6th Degree Black Belt

    Shichidan-7th Degree Black Belt

    Hachidan-8th Degree Black Belt

    Kudan-9th Degree Black Belt

    Judan-10th Degree Black Belt

    All licenses such as "Shihan, Kyoshi, and Renshi" are now only used within the Karate system ranks.  All Letter of transmission ranks were discontinued and current practitioners reclassified according to the new system.
     
     

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