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Examination Program 1st DAN
Prerequisites:st A minimum of 1 year practice 4 times per week since the last exam (1 KYU)
 Knowledge of the techniques and theory required for all KYU exams
 Consent of the dojo’s technical director
The literal translation of some Japanese terms is placed between quotation marks “…“.
Technical program
AttackTechniques“practice on the knees”

SUWARIWAZA
Shomenuchi kiawase
12

Ikkyo, nikyo, sankyo, yonkyo
omote/uraJiyuwazaomote: mae ashi irimi
ura: ushiro ashi irimi“standing practice”

TACHIWAZA3Iriminage and tenchinage

4Kotegaeshi

5Aikigoshi

6Sumiotoshi

7Udegarami

Shomenuchi

8Jiyuwaza

Katatetori aihanmi

9IkkyoKatatetori gyakuhanmi

10 Ikkyo

Katatetori aihanmi
Katatetori gyakuhanmi
Katatetori aihanmi
Katatetori gyakuhanmi

1112
13
14

Shomenuchi kiawase

Explanatory comments,theoretical elements

Iriminage and kotegaeshi
Iriminage and kotegaeshi
Jiyuwaza
Jiyuwaza

All with falling
1. basic
2. variation(s)1. atemi
2. hikitsuke

1. nage
2. osae (nikyo ura)
1.ushiro ashi irimi
1.ura (control elbow!)tenkan tenshin
2.omote (theory nikyo)
initial contact
chudan yang ura
2.tenkan tenshin
1.omote (remote control)
initial contact
2.ura (atemi)
jodan yang omotetenkan tenshin sabaki, jodan sabaki
1. basic
2. variation

Ryotetori

15 Kokyunage

According to the logic of the 8 forms of tenchinage:
1. torifune kokyunage (jodan sabaki - direct)
2. torifune kokyunage (chudan sabaki - direct)
3. nentenmakiotoshi kokyunage (jodan sabaki)
4. makiotoshi kokyunage (chudan sabaki)
5. flamenco kokyunage(jodan sabaki – vertical cut)
6. flamenco kokyunage(chudan sabaki – horizontal cut)
7. a) chin shin kiri otoshi (jodan sabaki)b) torifune kokyunage (jodan sabaki)
8. a) chin shin kiri otoshi (chudan sabaki)b) torifune kokyunage (chudan sabaki)

Ryo eritori

16 Kokyunage

taninzutori

17 Shihonage

tanren,tenkan tenshin sabaki:
1. jyujimusubi
2. tekubigaeshi
karamiosae, tenkan tenshin sabaki:
3. kamihanen sabaki
4. shimohanen sabaki

Katate ryotetori

18 Jiyuwaza
These examination programs are built up following the teaching system ofth
Aikido conceived by Shihan Masatomi Ikeda, 7 dan, former technicaldirector of the Swiss Aikikai.
stExamination Program 1 DAN© Eric Graf, 13/03/2016
Translated by Joe Mc HughPAGE 2

19 Chinshin Kokyunage
20 Koshinage
Ushiro ryotetori
21 Kotegaeshi

mae ashi tenshin,
1. mae ashi irimi
2. ushiro ashi irimi
3. via hantachi, seiza and divemae ashi tenshin,
1. hand crosses over the head
2. mae ashi irimi, via ikkyo kuzushimae ashi tenshin, mae ashi irimi:
1. tate ichimonji, basic, on the 2nd hand
2. yoko ichimonji gedan, variation, on the 1st handon the 1st hand, mae ashi tenshin:
3. hitoemi, ushiro ashi irimi tenkan, basic
4. ushiro ashi tenkan, basic behind back

22 Jiyuwaza
23 Ikkyo

Katatori menuchi

24
25
26
27
28
29

Chudantsuki

Jiyuwaza
Uchikaitensankyo
ShihonageJiyuwaza
Teguruma
Shihonage

30 Kotegaeshi

Yokomenuchi

Shomenuchi

31a

Ikkyo, nikyo, sankyo,yonkyo, gokyo

31b

Ikkyo, nikyo, sankyo,yonkyo, gokyo

1. maeashi irimi: omote
2. ushiroashi irimi tenkan: ura
3. tenkan tenshin uchinote: omote
4. tenkan tenshin katanote: omotetenkan tenshin sabaki
soto sabaki
uchi sabaki
ushiro ashi irimi tenkan han tachi
tori: mae ashi tenkan, mikiri sabaki,
then ushiro ashi irimi tenkan
uke: attacks
1. yokomen uchi – yokomen uchi
2. yokomen uchi – gyaku-yokomen uchi
1. ushiro ashi irimi tenkan, tatakiotoshi ura:techniques omote
2. mae ashi irimi irimi, tatakiotoshi omote:techniques ura
1. maeashi irimi: omote
2. ushiroashi irimi tenkan: ura,for gokyo, take the grip jodanchudan tsuki

Tanto

32 Tantotoria) uchi sabaki:- gokyo- shihonage
omote- hiji kime osaeomote- othersb) soto sabaki:- kotegaeshi- ushiro kubi jime
- hiji kime osae ura- uchi kaiten sankyo- ude hishigi- ude garami yonkyo/sankyo nage

yokomen uchic) uchi sabaki:- tatakiotoshi ura
shihonage-tenchinage

Buki waza“weapons
practice”katasd) soto sabaki:- ainuke b)

Explanatory comments, Theoretical
Elements

1

Kumi tachi
1 Ichi no tachi “father” & “son”
2 Ni no tachi “father” & “son”
3 San no tachi “father” & “son”
4 Yon no tachi “father” & “son”
5 Go no tachi “father” & “son”
6 Ki musubi no tachi “father” & “son”
1“work with bokken”
1st bokken kata
2nd bokken kata
3rd bokken kata
4th bokken kata
5th bokken kata
6th bokken kata

The exact detailed descriptions of the katas required in the exam are described in the book “Aikido Sanshinkai: Buki Waza, thepractice of weapons in Aikido". This book can be obtained directly from Dojo de Neuchâtel - Espace Culturel or ordered overthe internet.
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Examination Program 1 DANPAGE 3“work with the jo”

Kumi jost

7 1 kata of Ikeda Senseind
8 2 kata of Ikeda Senseird
9 3 kata of Ikeda Senseith
10 4 kata of Ikeda Sensei
11 Kata 38
Hojo

omote kataura kata
hiki otoshi katamae otoshi kataalone and with partner
From Kashima Shinden Jikishinkage-ryū

1213
1415

Genki waza“techniquesfor health”
Kokyu hoharu no tachi “father” & “son”“spring sword”

natsu no tachi “father” & “son”“summer sword”

Aki no tachi “father” & “son”“autumn sword”

Fuyu no tachi “father” & “son”“winter sword”

2formsExplanatory comments, Theoretical
Elements

3Breathing
1 Mizu no kokyu
2 Tsu no kokyu
3 Kaze no kokyu
4 Hi no kokyu
Kokyu soren
i. jiritsu shinkei wo kappatsu ni suru kokyu
ii. zenshin no shinkei wo kappatsu ni suru kokyu

5iii. ibuki
iv. hai no hataraki wo yoku suru kokyu 1
v. hai no hataraki wo yoku suru kokyu 2
vi. rokkotsukin wo kyoka suru kokyu
vii. mune wo hirogeru
viii. ketsuekijunkan wo kappatsu suru kokyu
ix. kyomex.

kiai

Ground exercises
Yodo ho7
動 法
Mo kan undo
8
毛管 運動
Gassho gasseki undo
9
合掌 合蹠 運動
Kingyo undo
10
金魚 運動

Genkikaï

2“forms of breathing”“breathing of water”“breathing of earth”“breathing of wind”“breathing of fire”
i. stimulation of the autonomic nervous system
ii. stimulation of the nervous system in the wholebodyiii. vital force
iv. stimulation of the respiratory system 1
v. stimulation of the respiratory system 2
vi. reinforcement of the intercostal respiratory
musclesvii. opening of the chest
viii. breathing for the stimulation of the circulatory
systemix. purification of the lungs (to evacuate disease)x. scream, stimulation of the vital force“health system”“Method to nurture, develop andrefine movement"“Exercise for the capillary"“Exercise of the joined palms of the hands and solesof feet"“Fish exercise (goldfish)"This kata is the subject of an article in the SSKL N°7 in which it is detailed step by step. This article can be downloaded free ofcharge on the site www.dojo-ne.ch in section San Shin Kai Letter.
3
All the health exercises are described in details in the book “Regenerative Gymnastics Genkikai”. This book can be obtained
directly from Dojo de Neuchâtel - Espace Culturel or ordered over the internet.

st

Examination Program 1 DANPAGE 4

Theoretical knowledge
Connections Aikido – Hojo – Genkikai: Sanshinkai AikidoAssociatednaturalelements

Basic Aikido
4techniques

ikkyo /
sumi otoshi

water

Associateddirection andfundamental
movement

Hojo no kataSeasons

Soundsharu no tachi

spring“mmhh”“uuu”

up-down(or down-up)

GenkikaiGround exercises

kingyo undo

nikyo /
kotegaeshi

earth

lateral(left-right orright-left)

natsu no tachi

summer“ooo”

yodo hosankyo /iriminage

air

backwardsforwards orforwardsbackwards

aki no tachi

autumn“aaa”

mo kan undo
spiral or circle
yonkyo /shihonage

firefuyu no tachi

winter“eee”“iii”gassho gasseki undo

4To understand the connection with the classification of the 32 basic techniques please refer to «Sheet A». which is available as a download from www.dojo-ne.chst

Examination Program 1 DANPAGE 5stThe black belt – 1 Dan – shodan
For the general public the words “black belt” evoke respect and a certain admiration. The passing ofthe black belt exam indeed shows ones tenacity and perseverance in Aikido training. That means atst
least five years of regular practice. shodan (1 dan) literally signifies “rank of the beginner”.
Sho means «what starts», thus the first Dan must be regarded as THE beginning of an aikidoka’s life.
After having spent years learning the technical forms one starts to grasp the idea of Aikido: the body
posture, position and movement in space, concentration, harmony, physical and mental coordination,energy work and the pacifist philosophy that it promotes.
The practitioner may consider various levels of Aikido practice according to his/her wishes:
1. Physical practice, sport aspect: from the point of view of self-defence one knows thedifference between training between friends and the aggression on the street, the black belt
does not guarantee our invincibility, but rather the better management of oneself and theprecursory events of a conflict. The ultimate effectiveness in self-defence is not to fight.
2. Personal development: the shodan means also being aware of the basic concepts of the nonviolent philosophy of Aikido. It is also a question of having developed sensitivity, making it
possible to recognise the different most evident states of being (merry, happy, annoyed,frightened, sad, etc.) of the people who surround us and their characteristic signs. Workbringing body and mind together is started (meditation, energetic exercises, visualizations).
3. Spiritual development: the practitioner conceiving Aikido as his Way has acquired good
methods to devote himself to it more personally and closely. He can little by little conceive his
program of personal training according to his capacities and needs. Aikido induces, provokes
and requires above all to work on oneself.
ststThe 1 dan aikidoka must be able to reproduce the techniques described in the kyu and 1 danprograms with a higher precision than was required at the time of taking the kyu examinations,because he starts to master the essential knowledge for really “executing Aikido”. He has
accomplished the first round of the basic concepts of Aikido.
The dan system which exists in many other martial arts, evaluates the technical level of thepractitioner, but also behaviour and his/her internal development in relation to the art practiced. InthAikido, the technical examinations take place up to and including the 4 dan. After this, technicalknowledge is not tested anymore, it’s the investment in the promotion and development of Aikido as
well as the human qualities which lead to access higher grades.
A holder of a Dan grade is called a yudansha (有段者). One must be at least sixteen years old at thetime of taking the black belt examination. He/She is diligent in taking part in the training courses forndyudansha referred to as yudansha and shidoshakai (from 2 dan) in order to maintain level and tocontinue progress.
It is good that the achievement of a rank motivates the student to progress. But it should never givebirth to a feeling of superiority towards those who have a lower rank or not yet any rank (mukyu). A
belt “moreover” increases the responsibility of the student. Indeed, it becomes his responsibility tocorrectly transmit his knowledge to the least advanced. This fact becomes all the more important at
the time of receiving the first black belt, because the view of the others towards us changes. Onebecomes, even in spite of oneself, an example that others follow. One must therefore be conscious ofone’s behaviour at all times. Being black belt, one must continue to be involved assiduously in the tworoles tori and uke.
One can be trusted to carry the rank, which one has acquired through hard endeavour, but one mustremain humble. As a beginner aikidoka – shodan –, although holder of a black belt, it is always
necessary to be aware of the ego which witnesses the newly obtained rank. Avoid judgement of othermore or less advanced practitioners, or other Aikido styles. Even if sometimes one feels this emotion
arising in oneself, it should be remembered that one makes Aikido for his/her self, to polish his/herbody, spirit and soul.

stExamination Program 1 DAN