In the Japanese Karate Association (JKA or 日本空手協会 in Japanese), beginners start off at 10 kyū, with a white belt. Every few months they take a test, advancing down to 1 kyū. There are various belt colors at this point. After 1 kyū is 1st degree black belt (shodan). After 1st degree black belt is 2nd degree black belt (nidan), continuing up to 10th degree.
For kyū tests and low level dan tests, there are three parts: kihon (fundamentals), kumite (sparring), and kata (forms). Here's a description of the JKA test requirements as of 2010, closely following http://www.jka.or.jp/english/karate/kyu.html.
| Level | Requirements |
|---|---|
| 10-9 kyū | Kihon: chūdan junzuki →, jōdan ageuke →, chūdan sotouke →, maegeri →. |
| Kumite: none. | |
| Kata: none. | |
| 8 kyū | Kihon: chūdan junzuki →, jōdan ageuke →, chūdan sotouke →, chūdan gidanbarai →, shutōuke →, maegeri →. |
| Kumite: Gohon Kumite - jōdan/chūdan. | |
| Kata: Heian Shodan. | |
| 7 kyū | Kihon: chūdan junzuki →, jōdan ageuke ←, chūdan sotouke →, chūdan uchiuke ←, shutōuke →, maegeri →, yoko keage (kibadachi) left/right. |
| Kumite: Gohon Kumite - jōdan/chūdan. | |
| Kata: Heian Nidan. | |
| 6 kyū | Kihon: chūdan junzuki →, jōdan ageuke+gyakutsuki ←, chūdan sotouke+gyakutsuki →, chūdan uchiuke ←, shutōuke →, maegeri →, yoko keage (kibadachi) left/right, yoko kekomi (kibadachi) left/right. |
| Kumite: Kihon Ippon Kumite - jōdan/chūdan. Left/right. | |
| Kata: Heian Sandan. | |
| 5 kyū | Kihon: chūdan junzuki →, jōdan ageuke+gyakutsuki chūdan ←, sotouke+gyakutsuki →, chūdan-uchiuke+gyakutsuki ←, shutōuke →, maegeri →, mawashigeri →, yoko keage (kibadachi) left/right, yoko kekomi (kibadachi) left/right. |
| Kumite: Kihon Ippon Kumite - jōdan/chūdan/maegeri. Left/right. | |
| Kata: Heian Yondan. | |
| 4 kyū | Kihon: chūdan junzuki →, jōdan ageuke+gyakutsuki ←, chūdan sotouke+gyakutsuki →, chūdan-uchiuke+gyakutsuki ←, shutōuke+nukite (kokutsu-dachi to zenkutsu-dachi) →, maegeri →, mawashigeri →, yoko keage (kibadachi) left/right, yoko kekomi (kibadachi) left/right. |
| Kumite: Kihon Ippon Kumite - jōdan/chūdan/maegeri. Left/right. | |
| Kata: Heian Godan. | |
| 3 kyū | Kihon: chūdan junzuki →, sanbon renzuki →, jōdan ageuke+gyakutsuki ←, chūdan sotouke+yoko enpi (zenkutsu-dachi to kibadachi) →, chūdan uchiuke+gyakutsuki ←, shutōuke+nukite (kokutsu-dachi to zenkutsu-dachi) →, maegeri →, mawashigeri →, yoko keage (kibadachi) left/right, yoko kekomi (kibadachi) left/right. |
| Kumite: Kihon Ippon Kumite - jōdan/chūdan/maegeri/yoko kekomi. Left/right. | |
| Kata: Tekki Shodan. | |
| 2 kyū | Kihon: chūdan junzuki →, sanbon renzuki →, jōdan ageuke+gyakutsuki ←, chūdan sotouke+yoko enpi (zenkutsu-dachi to kibadachi) →, chūdan uchiuke+gyakutsuki ←, shutōuke+nukite (kokutsu-dachi to zenkutsu-dachi) →, maegeri →, mawashigeri →, yoko keage (kibadachi) left/right, yoko kekomi (kibadachi) left/right. |
| Kumite: Jiyu Ippon Kumite - jōdan/chūdan/maegeri/yoko kekomi. Left/right. | |
| Kata: Student's choice of Bassai-dai, Kanku-dai, Jion, or Empi. | |
| 1 kyū | Kihon: chūdan junzuki →, sanbon renzuki →, jōdan ageuke+gyakutsuki ←, chūdan sotouke+yoko enpi+yoko uraken (zenkutsu-dachi to kibadachi) →, chūdan uchiuke+gyakutsuki ←, shutōuke+nukite (kokutsu-dachi to zenkutsu-dachi) →, maegeri →, rengeri (chūdan/jōdan) →, mawashigeri →, yoko keage (kibadachi) left/right, yoko kekomi (zenkutsu-dachi) left/right. |
| Kumite: Jiyu Ippon Kumite - jōdan/chūdan/maegeri/yoko kekomi/mawashigeri. One side. | |
| Kata: Student's choice of Bassai-dai, Kanku-dai, Jion, or Empi. | |
| 1 dan | Kihon: sambon renzuki →, jōdan ageuke+gyakutsuki ←, chudan sotouke+yoko empi+yoko uraken (zenkutsudachi to kibadachi) →, chudan-uchiuke+kizamizuki+gyakutsuki ←, shutouke+nukite (kokutsudachi to zenkutsudachi) →, maegeri →, rengeri (chūdan/jōdan) →, yoko keage/yoko kekomi (kibadachi, alternate feet), yoko kekomi (zenkutsudachi) →, mawashigeri →. |
| Kumite: Jiyu Kumite. | |
| Kata: Student's choice of Bassai-dai, Kanku-dai, Jion, or Empi. | |
| 2 dan | Kihon: kizamizuki+sanbon renzuki →, maegeri+junzuki →, yoko keage/yoko kekomi (kibadachi, alternate feet), ageuke+mawashigeri+yoko uraken+chudan junzuki, yoko kekomi+gyakutsuki (zenkutsudachi) →, mawashigeri+gyakutsuki (zenkutsudachi) →, maegeri/yoko kekomi/ushirogeri (zenkutsu-dachi, same foot left/right). |
| Kumite: Jiyu Kumite. | |
| Kata: Student's choice of kata. |
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