Join · Shōtō Keishōkai 松濤継承会

Why join

Shōtō Keishōkai is not a rival to any other governing body. It is a grass-roots alternative for dojos that do not want to join other governing bodies, or are unable to, but still want to keep the tradition and rigor of Shotokan karate.

Shōtō Keishōkai exists for dojos that want a real standard behind their ranks without joining an organization, paying dues or taking sides. Joining gives a dojo:

A clear line of authority: Your students' ranks are recorded in a register kept by a body with a published standard and a named chain of lineage back to the founders' generation, so a rank means something to any dojo that sees it.
Published, specific standards: Every kyu and dan syllabus is public before a student tests, including a scoring rubric and sample scoring sheets for the Dan grades. Students and parents can see exactly what will be asked.
Examinations that test understanding: Dan grades are scored in sections with a floor in each, examined by a board, recorded on video and entered in the register. Performed bunkai and self-defense are examined as well as kata, kihon and kumite.
A way forward for senior grades: Where no examiner senior to a candidate is available, the peer-examination rule lets a board of independent Dan grades examine in the open, instead of the grade being waived or bought.
Joint-friendly examinations: Students with hip or knee replacements can take the same examinations at the same standard, with published adaptations that spare the joint, so older members are not pushed out of the art.
No fees, no politics: No joining fee, no annual dues, no fees for examinations, certificates or records, and no money sent anywhere. The body belongs to no other organization, so it takes no side in disputes between them.
Verification for your students: Each student's rank is recorded and given a registration number, so any dojo, school or parent can confirm it on request. Ranks your students already hold are recorded once verified, and nobody is re-tested to join.
You keep your dojo: The dojo keeps its own name, teaching and independence. A dojo may leave at any time and its students keep every rank awarded.

Who it is for

An independent Shotokan dojo whose ranks currently rest on one instructor's word and would like a recognized standard behind them.
A club whose parent organization has dissolved, split or lost its senior examiners.
An instructor who left an association for reasons of politics or cost and wants a standard without either.
A small or home dojo that cannot afford federation dues but wants its students' ranks verified.

Who may join

Membership is open to any dojo or club that meets the criteria below. Nobody is turned away for the size of their dojo, its location or its history.

Not already a member of a governing body. The dojo does not belong to another karate association, federation or governing body. This is the one condition that does not bend: the body exists so that a dojo's ranks have a single, clear line of authority and no competing allegiance.
Trains in the Shotokan tradition. The dojo teaches Shotokan karate and is willing to follow the published syllabus for grading.
Grades to a published standard. The dojo either uses the Shōtō Keishōkai standards and examinations, which are encouraged, or its own examination standards. Own standards must meet or exceed ours and be made available to students with their rubrics and scoring criteria (see below).
Agrees to audit. As a condition of membership, the dojo agrees that Shōtō Keishōkai has the right to audit its examination standards, rubrics, scoring criteria and grading records for compliance.
Safeguards its students. The dojo has a written safeguarding practice, and every instructor who teaches children or vulnerable adults has completed a background check.

Examination standards for member dojos

Member dojos are encouraged to use the Shōtō Keishōkai standards and examinations, including the joint-friendly versions, but are not required to.
A dojo that uses its own examination standards attests that they meet or exceed Shōtō Keishōkai's, and that the syllabus, rubrics and scoring criteria are made available to its students before they test.
Shōtō Keishōkai has the right to audit a member dojo's examination standards, rubrics and scoring criteria, and the grading records behind any rank it has recorded, to confirm that they comply. Every member dojo agrees to this as a condition of becoming a member.
An audit is a request for the dojo's standards and records, made in writing. The dojo provides them promptly. Where they fall short, the body explains the gap in writing and gives the dojo a reasonable time to correct it. A dojo that refuses an audit, or does not correct a shortfall, may have its membership ended and its rank recording suspended.

No fees, no charge for testing

Joining costs nothing, and so does staying. The body charges no fee for any examination, certificate or Record of Rank, and member dojos send no money to it or to anyone on its behalf. Joining does not require an examination.

How to join

Complete the online application. It takes about ten minutes and asks for the details listed below. If you would rather write, the same information may be sent to [email protected]. After you apply:

Apply. Submit the online application, or email [email protected] with the same details. Nothing is bought and nothing is paid.
Acknowledgement. The President acknowledges the application in writing within a few days and may ask for clarification.
Standards. The dojo says whether it will use the Shōtō Keishōkai examinations or its own standards. A dojo using its own standards attests that they meet or exceed ours and are available to its students with their rubrics and scoring criteria. By joining, every dojo agrees that the body may audit its standards for compliance.
Eligibility check. The President confirms the criteria above, including that the dojo is not a member of another governing body. The dojo is asked to state this in writing, and the President may ask for the name of the dojo's previous or current affiliation to confirm it has ended.
Conversation. A short video or phone conversation between the President and the dojo's chief instructor covers the dojo's lineage, syllabus and safeguarding, and answers the dojo's questions about the standards.
Decision. The President decides and writes to the dojo with the result and the reason. A dojo that is not accepted may reapply when the reason no longer applies.
Admission. An accepted dojo is entered in the register of member dojos, receives a letter of admission, and is listed on this site if it wishes.
Existing ranks. Ranks held by the dojo's students are recorded in the register once the instructor has verified them with the students' previous dojo or examiner. No student is re-tested to join.

What to include in the application

Name of the dojo or club, its city, state or province and country, and its website if it has one
Name, rank, lineage and contact details of the chief instructor, and of any other instructors
How long the dojo has operated, and its approximate size by belt grade
A statement that the dojo is not currently a member of any other karate governing body, and the name of any it belonged to before
A short description of the dojo's safeguarding practice
Whether the dojo will use the Shōtō Keishōkai examinations, or its own standards; if its own, an attestation that they meet or exceed ours, are available to students with their rubrics and scoring criteria, and will be provided to the body on request

Apply online ›

What membership involves

Grade students to a published standard: the Shōtō Keishōkai standards, or the dojo's own standards if they meet or exceed ours, with the syllabus, rubrics and scoring criteria made available to students before they test.
Submit to an audit of the dojo's examination standards, rubrics, scoring criteria and grading records when the body requests one, as agreed on joining.
Keep a record of every grade and report it to the register, which records it and issues a registration number so that the rank can be confirmed on request.
Hold examinations under the examiner rules, and use the peer-examination rule where no senior examiner is available.
Keep safeguarding practice current.
Tell the President if the dojo joins another governing body. Membership does not run alongside another affiliation.

Leaving

A dojo may leave at any time by writing to the President. Its students keep every rank recorded.

See the grading standards, the Dan examinations and how ranks are verified.

Join Shōtō Keishōkai