Karate Black Belts (Dan Ranks)

Bushido Martial Arts Karate uses a similar Dan level ranking system to that used in many styles of Karate.

It uses 10 formal levels of Black Belt and incorporates into these levels a number of Probationary levels, or 'Ho' levels. Only Shodan Ho or Probationary 1st Dan Black Belt actually has a designated belt for a probationary level. All other probationary levels use the belt of the student's full rank.

For example, a student that has a rank of Yondan Ho, will wear the Sandan belt, until such time as they have successfully passed the Yondan examination.

Belt	Rank and Details
	Probationary 1st Dan (Shodan Ho) A brown belt with a 20mm black stripe running through the center of the belt.
	1st Dan (Shodan) A solid black belt. Junior students wear a Black Belt with a White Stripe running through the center of the belt.
	2nd Dan (Nidan) A black belt with red inscriptions With the belt tied, the left is the wearer's name in English and the right is Bushido in Kanji.
	3rd Dan (Sandan) A black belt with red inscriptions Same as Nidan Belt.
	4th Dan (Yondan) A black belt with white and red stripes. The stripes run through the length of the belt and end in the knot. The white stripe is on top of the red. Red inscriptions as previous.
	5th Dan (Godan) A black belt with red and white stripes. This belt is the reverse of the Yondan belt. Red inscriptions as previous.
	6th Dan (Rokudan) A black belt with a 10mm red stripe. The red stripe runs through the middle of the belt ending in the knot. Red inscriptions as previous.
	7th Dan (Shichidan) A black belt with a 20mm red stripe. The red stripe runs through the middle of the belt ending in the knot. Red inscriptions as previous.
	8th Dan (Hachidan) A black belt with a 25mm red stripe. The red stripe runs through the middle of the belt ending in the knot. Red inscriptions as previous.
	9th Dan (Kudan) A red belt with a 15mm black stripe. The black stripe runs through the middle of the belt ending in the knot. Black inscriptions as previous.
	10th Dan (Judan) A solid red belt. Black inscriptions as previous.
	Note: For all Junior Dan ranks, the belt has a white stripe through the center and one or more red tags corresponding with the nominated rank after Shodan. For example: 2nd Dan junior students have two (2) red tags.