On the 20th of November the Swedish Shorinji Kempo Federation arranged a national dan examination in Stockholm. The Federation strives to have all the qualified examiners on site at our dan examinations in order for us to secure a high quality of the examinations, and that we should unify our judging. In order to maintain and enhance the quality of our instructors and practitioners, the federation decided that the examiners together will discuss and agree on consistent, fair, but also somewhat more rigorous judging when doing examination.

This time we had five people that did the test for nidan (2 dan). Originally there was also planned for one person to take the test for sandan (3 dan), but he injured his foot the day before and could no participate this time.

After a one hour written test and just over three hours of technical tests, we had two people who passed their grading to nidan, Charlene Lima and Kajsen Burell from Stockholms Studenter shibu. Congratulations to Charlene and Kajsen!

The Federation’s plan to organize two national dan examinations every year, once in the fall and once in the spring. If we examiners available, it may also be possible to take dan examinations at the yearly summer camp in Visby. The plan is also to alternate the location for the dan examinations so that there is once in the Stockholm area and once in the ”Western Sweden” area (which currently situation means Gothenburg/Karlstad/Skövde).

At the national dan examinations one can take tests for the grades 1-3 dan, higher ranks are always administered by Hombu and is only done at Hombu in Japan, or sometimes at various international kōshūkai (seminars) that WSKO Hombu organise.