Higashi Syllabus – All grades

Some clubs may choose to award the first few grades in increments, until the full ability
can be reached. This can be done with a badge system or tags on the belt. This is very
suitable for younger students.


8th KYU – White Belt

  1. JUNZUKI turn JODAN UKE
  2. GYAKUZUKI turn GEDAN BARAI
  3. MAEGERI
  4. SURIKOMI MAEGERI
  5. MAEGERI TOBIKOMIZUKI GYAKUZUKI
  6. SOTO UKE GYAKUZUKI
  7. UCHI UKE GYAKUZUKI
  8. GEDAN BARAI GYAKUZUKI
  9. JODAN UKE NIHONZUKI

  10. 7th KYU – Yellow Belt
  11. JUNZUKI (CHUDAN & JODAN)
  12. GYAKUZUKI (CHUDAN & JODAN)
  13. MAEGERI TOBIKOMIZUKI GYAKUZUKI
  14. MAWASHIGERI GYAKUZUKI
  15. MAEGERI MAWASHIGERI GYAKUZUKI
  16. SURIKOMI MAWASHIGERI GYAKUZUKI
  17. SOTO UKE/GEDAN BARAI GYAKUZUKI
  18. UCHI UKE/JODAN UKE GYAKUZUKI
  19. PINAN NIDAN

  20. 6th KYU – Orange Belt
  21. JUNZUKI & KETTE JUNZUKI
  22. GYAKUZUKI & KETTE GYAKUZUKI
  23. SHUTO UKE in KOKUTSUDACHI
  24. TOBIKOMIZUKI from SHIZENTAI
  25. MAWASHIGERI GYAKUZUKI
  26. YOKOGERI GYAKUZUKI
  27. MAEGERI YOKOGERI GYAKUZUKI
  28. SURIKOMI YOKOGERI GYAKUZUKI
  29. DEFENCES AGAINST: MAEGERI, MAWASHIGERI, JODANZUKI, CHUDANZUKI
  30. JIYU KUMITE
  31. PINAN NIDAN & PINDAN SHODAN

  32. 5th KYU – Green Belt
  33. KETTE JUNZUKI (JODAN & CHUDAN)
  34. KETTE GYAKUZUKI (JODAN & CHUDAN)
  35. SHUTO UKE GYAKUZUKI CHUDAN
  36. JUNZUKI-NO-TSUKOMI
  37. GYAKUZUKI-NO-TSUKOMI
  38. MAEGERI GYAKUZUKI
  39. MAWASHIGERI GYAKUZUKI
  40. YOKOGERI GYAKUZUKI
  41. MAWASHIUCHI GYAKUZUKI
  42. MAWASHIGERI SURIKOMI MAWASHIUCHI GYAKUZUKI
  43. MAEGWERI MAWASHIGERI YOKOGERI URAKEN GYAKUZUKI
  44. DEFENCES AGAINST: MAEGERI, MAWASHIGERI, JODANZUKI, CHUDANZUKI
  45. JIYU KUMITE
  46. PINAN SHODAN & PINAN SANDAN

  47. 4th KYU – Purple Belt
  48. KETTE JUNZUKI (JODAN & CHUDAN)
  49. KETTE GYAKUZUKI (JODAN & CHUDAN)
  50. KETTE JUNZUKI-NO-TSUKOMI
  51. KETTE GYAKUZUKI-NO-TSUKOMI
  52. MAEGERI GYAKUZUKI & SURIKOMI
  53. MAWASHIGERI GYAKUZUKI & SURIKOMI
  54. YOKEGERI GYAKUZUKI & SURIKOMI
  55. MAWASHIUCHI GYAKUZUKI & SURIKOMI
  56. USHIROGERI GYAKUZUKI
  57. MAWASHIGERI USHIROGERI GYAKUZUKI
  58. DEFENCES OF EXAMINERS CHOICE
  59. JIYU KUMITE
  60. PINAN SANDAN & PINAN YONDAN

  61. 3RD KYU – Brown Belt
  62. NAGASHIZUKI from SHIZENTAI
  63. A COMPREHENSIVE DISPLAY OF ALL BASICS (KIHON) AND COMBINATIONS (RENRAKU) AT THE CHOICE
    OF THE EXAMINER
  64. EXAMINERS CHOICE OF JIYU IPPON TECHNIQUES (SPECIFIED ATTACK BUT OPTIONAL DEFENCE)
  65. JIYU KUMITE
  66. PINAN YONDAN & PINAN GODAN PLUS RUDIMENTARY KNOWLEDGE OF KYUSHANKU

  67. 2nd KYU – Brown Belt
  68. ALL AS 3RD KYU FOR KIHON, RENRAKU AND KUMITE
  69. KUSHANKU PLUS RUDIMENTARY KNOWLEDGE OF CHINTO AND ANY TWO PINAN KATA (EXAMINERS
    CHOICE)

  70. 1ST KYU – Brown Belt (white stripe)
  71. ALL AS 3RD KYU FOR KIHON, RENRAKU & KUMITE
  72. KUSHANKU, CHINTO AND ANY THREE PINAN KATA (EXAMINERS CHOICE)

  73. 1st Dan above – Shodan and above
    PROMOTIONS TO DAN GRADE LEVEL WILL BE DETERMINED BY THE ABILITY OF THE EXAMINEE TO
    DEMONSTRATE TECHNIQUES TO THE SATISFACTION OF THE EXAMINING PANEL.
    ALL ASPECTS OF KIHON, RENRAKU, KATA AND KUMITE MAY BE COVERED. THE FOLLOWING ADVANCED KATAS
    WILL BE COMPULSORY ACCORDING TO THE GRADE TAKEN:
    SHODAN: KUSHANKU, CHINTO AND HIGASHI SHO. ALSO PINAN SHODAN AND PINAN YONDAN WITH
    BASIC APPLICATION (EXTRA PUNCHES)
    NIDAN: CHINTO, PASSAI, HIGASHI NI AND ONE OPTIONAL ADVANCED KATA. ALSO KUSHANKU AND
    PASSAI WITH BASIC APPLICATION (EXTRA PUNCHES)
    SANDAN: PASSAI, NE SEI SHI OR WANSHU, HIGASHI SAN AND ONE OPTIONAL ADANCED KATA
    YONDAN: FOUR ADVANCED KATA UP TO AND INCLUDING WANSHU
    PINAN KATA WILL BE A THE DISCRETION OF THE PANEL FOR ALL DAN GRADINGS
    Criteria for Examinees: –
  74. Full and affiliated members of Higashi Karate Kai shall be entitled to take a Kyu grading
    examination at the direction of the Club Instructor.
  75. Full and affiliated members of Higashi Karate Kai shall be entitled to take Dan gradings at the
    direction of the Chief Instructor
  76. Before taking a grading all members must have the permission of their Club Instructor. If the
    member in question is a Club Instructor permission must be obtained from the Chief Instructor.
  77. The minimum age for a Shodan 1st Dan examinee is 12 years.
  78. The minimum age for a Nidan 2nd Dan examinee is 16 years. The grade will be deemed Junior. When the
    student reaches the age of 18 the grade will be ratified/assessed to confirm the Nidan status as
    Senior .
  79. The minimum age for a Sandan 3rd Dan examinee is 23 years.
  80. The minimum age for a Yondan 4th Dan examinee is 28 years.
  81. The minimum age for a Godan 5th Dan examinee is 35 years.
    Recommended minimum waiting periods for 8th to 3rd Kyu grades.
    These time scales assume a minimum training programme of 2 sessions per week.
    Novice to 8th Kyu 3 Months
    8th Kyu to 7th Kyu 3 Months
    7th Kyu to 6th Kyu 3 Months
    6th Kyu to 5th Kyu 3 Months
    5th Kyu to 4th Kyu 3 Months
    4th Kyu to 3rd Kyu 3 Months
    The Mandatory waiting periods for subsequent grades are:
    First Class Pass
    3rd Kyu to 2nd Kyu 6 Months
    2nd Kyu to 1st Kyu 6 Months
    1st Kyu to Shodan 6 Months
    Second Class Pass
    3rd Kyu to 2nd Kyu 9 Months
    2nd Kyu to 1st Kyu 9 Months
    1st Kyu to Shodan 9 Months
    Third Class Pass
    3rd Kyu to 2nd Kyu 12 Months
    2nd Kyu to 1st Kyu 12 Months
    1st Kyu to Shodan 12 Months
    Minimum Periods between Dan Gradings.
    Shodan to Nidan 2 Years
    Nidan to Sandan 3 Years
    Sandan to Yondan 4 Years
    Yondan to Godan 5 Years
    Shodan to Yondan 10 Years
    Criteria for Examiners.
  82. Karate-ka of Shodan grade may conduct gradings for students up to and including 3rd kyu providing
    they have held the grade of Shodan for at least 1 year.
  83. Karate-ka of Nidan grade may conduct gradings for students up to and including 2nd kyu providing
    they have held the grade of Nidan for at least 1 year.
  84. Karate-ka of Sandan grade may conduct gradings for students up to and including 1st kyu providing
    they have held the grade of Sandan for at least 1 year.
  85. All Dan grades must be 18 years or over before they can conduct gradings.
  86. Dan gradings will be conducted by the Chief Instructor together with a panel of available senior
    grades co-opted by him.
  87. Notification of all successful gradings for 3rd Kyu to 1st Kyu must be sent to the Registrar. This should
    be done using the Web form or the appropriate form available from the Registrar. Notification must
    include the class of pass awarded.
  88. Dan grades who return to membership / training after a period of more than one year will be subject
    to a re-assessment of their grade. Dan grades in this category may not undertake gradings until they
    have been re-assessed and their grade verified.
  89. Kyu grades who return to training/membership after a period of one year or more of no training will
    be subject to the requirements of their resident Club Instructor.
  90. Dan grades from other Federations or bodies, accepted into membership by Higashi Karate Kai, will
    be liable to a grade assessment by the Chief Instructor and senior members of Higashi Karate Kai.
    ALL EXAMINERS AND EXAMINEES MUST HOLD A CURRENT HKK/EKF LICENCE FOR ANY GRADING
    TO BE RECOGNISED.