Rules and Regulations

kaisoku

会則

regulations of the
association

Like most organizations, there is a document spelling out the regulations of the organization. In Japanese, this document is called the kaisoku. While Sōke Kaichō Kinjō has distributed the kaisoku for the international organization, he expects Kōbukai in other countries to publish and adhere to regulations and fee structures suitable for the culture and economy of the country in which the organization exists.

The Rules and Regulations of the International Kōburyū Kōbukai

The kaisoku for the Kōbukai in Okinawa and Japan is written in Japanese. It has not been altered since 1996. Click on the button below to see the document in Japanese and also translated to English for comparison purposes.

Okinawa Kaisoku
1996 PDF

The Rules and Regulations of the US Chapter of the Kōburyū Kobukai

The kaisoku of the US chapter of the Okinawa Kōburyū Karatedō Kobudō Kōbukai is conveniently written in English. It is loosely based on the kaisoku of the international organization. While the rules and regulations remain fairly static, the fee structure should be subject to occasional updating. Therefore, the fee structure is found in an appendix to the US Kaisoku.

US Kaisoku
2023 PDF

Effective date August, 2022

Chapter 1 Okinawa Kōburyū Karatedō Kobudō Kōbukai

Section 1.1 Name

This organization, known as the U.S. chapter of the Okinawa Kōburyū Karatedō Kobudō Kōbukai, will be referred to in this document as the US Kōburyū Kōbukai. The international head of Okinawa Kōburyū Karatedō Kobudō Kōbukai is Kinjō Takashi, to be referred to in this document as Sōke Kaichō Kinjō, or Kinjō Kaichō. Sōke Kaichō indicates that he is both the founder of Kōburyū and the current head of the Okinawa Kōburyū Karatedō Kobudō Kōbukai.

Section 1.2 Location

The main office of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai is located at the residence of the designated financial officer.

Section 1.3 Mission

The US Kōburyū Kōbukai is dedicated to:

Training Kōburyū students both mentally and physically
Maintaining the quality and understanding of the kata of Kōburyū
Improving the techniques of Kōburyū
Promoting the growth of Kōburyū

Section 1.4 Goals

To accomplish the mission of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai, we shall:

Improve good will and coordination within the organization
Work toward good will and coordination with other karate associates and organizations
Publish kyū and dan promotion criteria
Approve awarding of titles
Sponsor activities necessary to promote the goals of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai
- Hold regular seminars and joint activities
- Participate in demonstrations for the public
- Provide an Internet presence

Section 1.5 Membership

Subsection 1.5.1 Kyū Level Membership

Kyū-level members consists of students under a main or branch dōjō of this organization holding rank less than shodan.

To be a kyū-level member in good standing in the US Kōburyū Kōbukai:

The kyū-level student shall belong to a member dōjō of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai.

The kyū-level member shall:

Wear the officially approved karate uniform for the US Kōburyū Kōbukai.
Wear the obi appropriate to their kyū-level.

No promotions will be recognized by the US Kōburyū Kōbukai unless both the applicant for promotion and the applicant’s dōjō and are members in good standing.

From the US Kōburyū Kōbukai the kyū-level member will receive a certificate of membership upon becoming a kyū-level member. The sensei of the joining kyū-level member must notify the Administrative Officer.

Subsection 1.5.2 Dan Level Membership

Dan-level members consists of students under a main or branch dōjō of this organization holding the rank of shodan or above.

To be a dan-level member in good standing in the US Kōburyū Kōbukai:

The dan -level student shall belong to a member dojo of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai.

The dan-level member shall:

Wear the officially approved karate uniform for the US Kōburyū Kōbukai.
Wear the obi appropriate to their dan and any honorary titles.

No promotions will be recognized by the US Kōburyū Kōbukai unless both the applicant for promotion and the applicant’s dōjō and are members in good standing.

From the US Kōburyū Kōbukai the kyū-level member will receive:

A certificate from the US Kōburyū Kōbukai for dan ranks from shodan to yondan.
For the rank of godan and above, the dan certificate will be issued from the Okinawa Kōburyū Karatedō Kobudō Kōbukai in Okinawa.

Subsection 1.5.3 Dōjō Membership

A dōjō is eligible for full dōjō membership if the dōjō is headed by a sensei of shihan or above.

Each dōjō eligible for full dōjō membership shall pay a yearly membership fee of $300 to remain in good standing with the US Kōburyū Kōbukai.
No promotions will be recognized by the US Kōburyū Kōbukai unless the dōjō is in good standing.
A dōjō that does not promote the training and standards of Kōburyū will not be considered in good standing and will not be allowed to promote students.

A dōjō is eligible for branch dōjō membership if the head of the dōjō has been granted a shidoin and is supervised by a shihan or above. Once the head of the branch dōjō is granted shihan, the dōjō is automatically promoted to full dōjō membership.

Each branch dōjō shall pay a yearly membership fee of $100.
No promotions will be recognized by the US Kōburyū Kōbukai unless the dōjō is in good standing.
A dōjō that does not promote the training and standards of Kōburyū will not be considered in good standing and will not be allowed to promote students.

Chapter 2 The Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai

Section 2.1 Name

The governing body representing members of Okinawa Kōburyū Karatedō Kobudō Kōbukai in the US will be referred to as the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai, or simply the Executive Board for the purposes of this document.

Section 2.2 Membership

In 2019, Sōke Kaichō Kinjō abolished the position of U.S. Kaichō (Beikoku Kaichō) and created the position of State Kaichō. At the same time the position of aide (hosakan) to Kinjō Kaichō was created. Steve Jillson was designated aide because of his Japanese skills. He has since been promoted to Nebraska State Kaichō. The Executive Board is made up of the four State Kaichō:

Minnesota – Frank Crow

Minnesota – Sue Crow

Michigan – Wayne Kroll

Nebraska – Steve Jillson

Section 2.3 Mission

The mission of the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai is to manage the business affairs of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai, including:

Provide membership and financial information to Sōke Kaichō Kinjō.
Improve communication between Kinjō Kaichō and the U.S. member dōjōs.
Standardize performance expectations among the U.S. member dōjōs.
Provide fair and equitable handling of financial responsibilities.
Improve good will and coordination within the organization.
Improve good will and relationships with other karate associates and organizations.
Promote the growth of Kōburyū.

Section 2.4 Goals

To accomplish the mission of the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai, the board will:

Provide a membership database and membership certificates.
Provide a consistent fee structure and transparent financial reporting.
Sponsor regular seminars.
Promote participation in demonstrations and competitions.
Provide a strong Internet presence.
Approve dan promotion criteria.
Approve titles.
Sponsor other activities necessary to promote the goals of this organization.

Section 2.5 Membership

The Executive Board of this organization in the U.S. is made up of the State Kaichō, as appointed by Sōke Kaichō Kinjō. In addition, the Hosakan serves on the Executive Board.

Section 2.6 Responsibilities

To achieve the goals of the Executive Board the following positions are selected from members of the Executive Board according to their skill set and interests:

Subsection 2.6.1 Program Chairman

The Program Chairman:

Plans and oversees business meetings of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai including meetings of the Executive Board and the Advisory Board.
Agenda suggestions for Executive Board and the Advisory Board meetings shall be forwarded to the Program Chairman.
The agenda will be provided to all board members before the meeting.
Any US Kōburyū Kōbukai member complaints shall be submitted to the Program Chairman, who will present the complaint for discussion by the appropriate forum.
Plans and oversees activities designed to increase membership or promote enthusiasm within the US Kōburyū Kōbukai.

Subsection 2.6.2 Financial Officer

The Financial Officer handles all finances including:

The collection of fees.
Maintaining a bank account for said fees.
Providing a quarterly financial report to Sōke Kaichō Kinjō and the heads of each member dōjō.
Planning for the equitable sharing of costs for seminars and other joint events.

Subsection 2.6.3 Administrative Officer

The Administrative Officer will:

Maintain documents and membership information.
Create a membership and rank database based on information supplied by the heads of each member dōjō.
Provide promotion certificates for all kyū ranks (by request of dōjō kanchō).
Provide promotion certificates for all dan ranks up to godan.
Publish core dan promotion criteria, as approved by the Executive Board.
Provide Executive Board meeting minutes for all Board members and dōjō heads.
Facilitate obi ordering for dan levels and new titles.
Maintain and provide the official US Kōburyū Kōbukai Regulations document.
Provide documentation to meet educational and promotional needs.

Subsection 2.6.4 Other

The above officers may appoint an aide or a committee for specific tasks on a temporary or permanent basis as needed. The Executive Board may redefine or create other positions as the need arises.

Section 2.7 The Executive Board Meeting

The Executive Board will meet at least annually, but may meet more often based on need. The meeting may be held at a mutually-agreed upon location or via teleconference.

All issues brought before the Executive Board will be decided by consensus or simple majority vote after a period of discussion.

Chapter 3 The Communications Officer

A Communications Officer will be appointed to facilitate communications between Sōke Kaichō Kinjō and the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai. Skills in Japanese and English are required.

The Communications officer shall convey information from Sōke Kaichō Kinjō to the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai.
The Communications Officer shall convey information to Sōke Kaichō Kinjō from the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai, including but not limited to the proceedings of meetings of the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai.
The Communications Officer will act as translator during seminars given by Sōke Kaichō Kinjō, including in person seminars and seminars given via teleconference.

Chapter 4 The Advisory Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai

Section 4.1 Advisory Board Members

Members of the Advisory Board include:

The Executive Board.
Holders of shidoin or shihan title.
The head of a dōjō with full membership may choose to appoint one additional member to the Advisory Board chosen from the dan rank holders of the dōjō.

Section 4.2 Meetings of the Advisory Board

The Presiding Officer of the Executive Board will call for a meeting of the Advisory Board at least once a year or whenever an issue arises. Meetings will be chaired by the Presiding Officer or an Advisory Board member approved by the Presiding Officer. Meetings may be held at a mutually-agreed upon location or via teleconference.

The annual meeting of the Advisory Board will include:

A report from the Program Chairman.
Presentation of and approval of the financial report.
A report from the Administration Officer.
Approval of any items proposed by the Advisory Board.
Approval of special projects.
Formation of committees to support special projects.

Section 4.3 Committees of the Advisory Board

The Advisory Board may create committees to support the goals of the organization. The committee should be presided over by a member of the Advisory Board.

Section 4.4 Loss of Board Membership Status

Members of the Advisory Board or committee members shall lose membership status through:

Non-payment of fees
Resignation
Death
The executive board may determine that a US Kōburyū Kōbukai member is unfit as a member, board or committee member. The member cannot vote on a decision involving himself.
Kinjō Kaichō may remove an Advisory Board member that is deemed unfit as a member, board or committee member.

Section 4.5 Rewards and Acknowledgements

The executive board may reward an individual who has contributed significantly to the Kōbukai.
Sōke Kaichō Kinjō may reward an executive board member or Advisory Board member who has contributed significantly to the Kōbukai.
Rewards may include rank advancement, bestowing of honorary titles or certificates of merit.

Chapter 5 Financial Responsibilities

The financial officer will provide quarterly financial reports and a year-end summary to Kinjō Kaichō and the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai.

The financial officer may be requested at any time by Kinjō Kaichō or the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai to provide a financial accounting.

All fees due Kinjō Kaichō will be paid to the financial officer of the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai on a quarterly basis. The financial officer will retain these fees in the bank account created for this purpose until such time as Kinjō Kaichō requests payment.

Quarterly fees are due on the following days of the month:

1^st quarter on March 31
2^nd quarter on June 30
3^rd quarter on September 30
4^th quarter on December 31

Section 5.2 Promotion Fees

40% of fees collected for promotions shall be retained by the sensei sponsoring the promotion. 30% shall be paid to Sōke Kaichō Kinjō. The remaining 30% will be paid to the financial officer of the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai for deposit into the Operating Fund. The main purpose of the Operating Fund is to help defray the cost of sponsoring seminars or other events. It may also be used for minor operating expenses incurred by the Executive Board. The Operating Fund shall be distributed by vote of the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai.

Please refer to the Fee Appendix for a handy summary of the fee schedule.

Section 5.3 Seminar fees

Travel expenses for the seminar instructor for seminars sponsored by the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai will be paid out of fees collected for the seminar. The remaining fees collected for the seminar shall be remitted in full to the seminar instructor. If there is more than one seminar instructor the fees will be shared equally.

If Sōke Kaichō Kinjō is present he/she will be considered the sole seminar instructor.

Housing costs and other seminar expenses may be reimbursed from the Operating Fund of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai. The host dōjō will submit seminar expenses to the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai for approval of reimbursement. No portion of the seminar fees shall be set aside to cover seminar expenses.

Section 5.4 Honorariums

100% of honorariums or donations collected for other purposes will be paid to the recipient designated by the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai.

Section 5.5 Other Fees

Other fees may be defined by the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai. Such fees will be distributed as defined at the time the fee is created by said Executive Board. The purpose and collection schedule of the fee shall be clearly defined.

Chapter 6 Promotions

The sensei of a branch dōjō may promote:

All kyū levels.
Dan levels up to one rank below the rank of the sensei.

The sensei of a dōjō with full dōjō membership may promote:

All kyū levels.
Dan levels up to godan.

Section 6.1 Kyū

Kyū test requirements and promotions are the responsibility of each dōjō in good standing with the Kōbukai. It is recommended that the sensei of a branch dōjō discuss test requirements and advancement criteria with the supervising shihan.

If either the dōjō or the member is not is good standing, kyū promotions shall not be recognized by the US Kōburyū Kōbukai.

The sensei of a branch dōjō shall:

Notify the supervising shihan that a test will be taking place and provide the date, names and current rank of members who will be testing.
Notify the supervising shihan of the results of the test.

The supervising shihan shall:

Notify the Executive Board of all successful test results, including the dōjō name, the sensei’s name, the student’s name, the date of the test and the student’s new rank.

The Financial Officer of the Executive Board shall:

Include the dōjō name, the sensei’s name, the student’s name and the student’s rank in the financial report to Sōke Kaichō Kinjō for each successful test.
Collect and deposit fees for the US Kōburyū Kōbukai operational fund.
Collect and remit fees for Sōke Kaichō Kinjō.

The Administrative Officer may:

If the sensei of the dōjō so desires, provide a certificate of promotion for each student testing successfully. Please notify the Administrative Officer for details.

The kyū and belt designation recognized by the US Kōburyū Kōbukai:

Rank			Belt	Kid’s Achievement Stripes
			White belt	Up to 4
10^th Kyū	十級	Jukkyū	Yellow belt	Up to 4
9^th Kyū	九級	Kyūkyū	Orange belt	Up to 4
8^th Kyū	八級	Hachikyū	Blue belt	Up to 4
7^th Kyū	七級	Nanakyū	Blue belt/Black Stripe
6^th Kyū	六級	Rokkyū	Green belt
5^th Kyū	五級	Gokyū	Green belt/Black Stripe
4^th Kyū	四級	Yonkyū	Purple belt
3^rd Kyū	三級	Sankyū	Purple belt/Black Stripe
2^nd Kyū	二級	Nikyū	Brown belt
1^st Kyū	一級	Ikkyū	Brown belt/Black Stripe

Section 6.2 Dan

The core dan test requirements shall be defined by the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai. Individual dōjō may require additional dan requirements, if so desired. If the core requirements are not met or either the dōjō or the member is not in good standing with the Kōbukai, dan promotions will not be recognized by the US Kōbukai.

Eligibility for dan level promotion are as follows:

Dan promotions from shodan through yondan are the responsibility of the student’s sensei (see Section 6.1 for branch dōjō).
Sōke Kaichō Kinjō shall promote Kōburyū students to godan and above, rewarding both mental and physical excellence. Dan promotions to godan and above may be sponsored by the student’s shihan or the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai. Kinjō Kaichō shall have final approval of sponsored promotions.
Dan promotion progress stepwise from shodan to 8^th dan.
- Promotion of youth (up to age 15) consists of 10^th kyū to shodan
- Promotion of adults (16 years and older) consists of 10^th kyū to 8^th dan
An individual that has trained at the dōjō of another style for over three years and has belonged to the Kōbukai for over 6 months and has the approval of his responsible Kōburyū shihan may be considered eligible for dan rank in Kōburyū. Said student must be able to meet the core requirements for the rank under consideration.

Dan certificates from shodan to yondan are issued by the Adminitrative Officer of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai, as recommended by the head of the dōjō.

Dan certificates of godan and above are issued by Kinjō Kaichō.

Under special circumstances dan rank may be endorsed regardless of the above requirements and guidelines.

Kinjō Kaichō or the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai may retract or nullify a dan rank if an individual dishonors himself, the Okinawa Kōburyū Karatedō Kobudō Kōbukai or karatedō in general.

Rank		Belt	Honorary Title	Eligibility Guideline
Shodan	初段	Black with gold embroidery
Nidan	弐級	Black with gold embroidery		1 year since shodan
Sandan	参級	Black with gold embroidery		2 years since nidan
Yondan	四級	Black with gold embroidery		2 years since sandan
Godan	五級	Black with red embroidery		3 years since yondan
Rokudan	六級	Black with red embroidery; one red stripe	Renshi	4 years since godan
Nanadan	七級	Black with red embroidery; two red stripes	Kyōshi	5 years since rokudan
Hachidan	八級	Black with red embroidery; two red stripes	Kyōshi	7 years since nanadan
Kyūdan	九級	Red with black embroidery	Hanshi
Jūdan	十級	Red with black embroidery	Hanshi

Chapter 7 Titles and Permissions

Under special circumstances titles and permissions may be granted by Kinjō Kaichō regardless of the requirements and guidelines.

Section 7.1 Sensei (先生)

Sensei means teacher. Sensei is used with the name of a teacher as an honorific (eg Jones Sensei or Sensei Jeff). A member may teach on an occasional basis, in which case the person may be called sensei for the duration of the lesson. If the member is the primary teacher for a particular class or classes within the dōjō, that person shall be called sensei by the karate community both within the dōjō and without. The head of the dōjō shall designate sensei within his dōjō.

Section 7.2 Shidoin (指導員)

A shidoin is a teaching qualification granted by the supervising shihan. The certificate of shidoin grants the ability to promote, with restrictions (see Chapter 6). The supervising shihan ensures that the holder of the shidoin certificate is teaching in a manner consistent with defined promotion requirements.

A shidoin may be granted for the teaching of karate or kobudō.
The Executive Board shall be notified of the granting of the shidoin.

Section 7.3 Shihan (師範)

The Executive Board may choose to sponsor the granting of shihan to a US Kōburyū Kōbukai member. The sponsored candidate for shihan must have attained the rank of at least godan and demonstrated a firm grasp of Kōburyū principles. The candidate may be sponsored for either karate or kobudō or both.

The candidate may be eligible for shihan in one of the following ways:

1a. The candidate has been operating a branch dōjō while remaining under supervision of a designated shihan or kaichō for at least two years. Promotion to shihan will upgrade the dōjō designation from branch dōjō to independent dōjō within the US Kōburyū Kōbukai, The shihan of an independent dōjō within the US Kōburyū Kōbukai may

Define kyū promotion requirements for his dōjō and promote to all kyū levels according to those requirements.
Promote to dan levels from shodan through yondon according to the core requirements as defined by the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai.
Grant shidoin as needed.

1b. The candidate has been operating a branch dōjō while remaining under supervision of a designated shihan or kaichō for at least two years. Though promoted to shihan, the shihan may choose for his dōjō to remain a branch dōjō. This option is appropriate for a very small dōjō for which the dōjō membership fee would be a burden or impediment to success . The shihan of a branch dōjō within the US Kōburyū Kōbukai may:

Promote according to the requirements of the parent dōjō.
Promote to dan levels from shodan through yondon according to the core requirements as defined by the Executive Board of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai.

2. The candidate provides teaching assistance within the sponsoring dōjō or regularly displays exceptional leadership in support of the sponsoring dōjō or of the US Kōburyū Kōbukai. There are no promotion privileges granted.

Section 7.4 Honorifics

Subsection 7.4.1 Renshi (練士)

Rokudan or higher
- 30 years of age or older
- Over 10 years of karate experience and excellence in mental and physical activities and is expected to contribute the cause of this organization in the future
- Renshi is signified by a black belt with red embroidery and one red stripe

Subsection 7.4.2 Kyōshi (教師)

Nanadan or higher
Age 40 years or older
Karate experience over 20 years
Kyōshi is signified by a black belt with red embroidery and two red stripes
Has contributed significantly to the development of this organization, excels in humanity and is expected to continue to contribute to the cause of this organization.

Subsection 7.4.3 Hanshi (範士)

Kyūdan or higher
Age 50 years or higher
Karate experience 30 years.
Has contributed considerably to the establishment and development of this organization, excels in humanity and is expected to continue to contribute to the cause of this organization.

Chapter 8 Amendments to the Kaisoku

Amendments to regulations set forth in this document, the Okinawa Kōburyū Karatedō Kobudō Kōbukai Kaisoku, U.S. Chapter, may be made by the Executive Board of the U.S. Kōbukai by majority vote after a period of discussion at the annual meeting of said Executive Board or at a specially called meeting of the said Executive Board. Meetings may be held at a mutually-agreed upon location or via teleconference.