Rank Grades & Titles

MENKYO LICENSE

For over 400 years, there were no belt ranks nor ranking systems in the traditional Japanese martial arts. Somehow, these arts survived and even prospered.

All that ended when Professor Jigoro Kano, the founder of Judo adopted the Dan ranking system into Judo and promoted Shiro Saigo and Tsunejiro Tomita to Shodan in 1883. This ranking system would rise to great popularity in the pre-war era, eventually becoming adopted by virtually all of the modern (and many of the not-so-modern) Japanese martial arts.

Until the modern introduction of the ranking system in 1883 (and almost 60 years later than that for Aikido) people got by with a “Menkyo” certificate system that showed a person's qualification in the particular Ryu/style. 

Morihei Ueshiba-the founder of Aikido was a participant in the Menkyo rank system under Sokaku Takeda in Daito-ryu. 

In addition to the Kyū and Dan grading system, only the most thoroughly vetted black belt equivalent practitioners of the Aikibudo Shiseikai Ryu system earned the right to be ranked in the Menkyo system.  Menkyo (免許) is a Japanese term meaning "license." It refers to the official license within a specific ryū, in order to maintain the correct transmission.

The Menkyo system dates back to the 8^th century and was the old way of receiving rank in the classical samurai traditions.  

Although one cannot physically see the difference in fighting ability between a really high ranking Dan level student and a Menkyo student, there are significant differences within the Kuden (oral transmission) as well as the addition of the Hiden (secret transmission) that is not presented to Dan level students.

The Menkyo levels of testing are as follows:

• Menkyo Shoden (免許初伝) translates out as: “Initial Transmission”.  After the completion of this area of training, the budoka will also receive the mokuroko (目録) / catalog scroll of all of the techniques and teachings within the Shoden level. 

• Menkyo Chuden (免許中伝) translates out as: “Middle Transmission”.  After the completion of this area of training, the budoka will also receive the mokuroko (目録) / catalog scroll of all of the techniques and teachings within the Chuden level.

• Menkyo Okuden (免許奥伝) translates out as: “Great Inner Transmission” or “Secret Transmission”.  After the completion of this area of training, the budoka will also receive the mokuroko (目録) / catalog scroll of all of the techniques and teachings within the Okudenlevel as well as various densho and makimono.

• Menkyo Kaiden:  (免許皆伝) translates out as: “License of Total Transmission." It is granted by the Soke / Grandmaster acknowledging that the student has learned everything there is to know within the specific ryū. 

In the Menkyo system of licenses, the Menkyo Kaiden is the highest level of license that exists in the Japanese fighting arts.  It is usually, but not always, giving to the next successor or grandmaster of the art. The budoka will receive a copy of all densho, makimono and mokuroku of the ryu as well.