In judo, improvement and understanding of the art is denoted by a system of rankings split into kyū and dan grades. These are indicated with various systems of coloured belts, with the black belt indicating a practitioner who has attained a certain level of competence.

The Kōdōkan Kyū-Dan ranking system +Kanō's original kyū-dan grading system Rank Senior Junior Japanese name Sixth kyū(beginner) LightBlue LightBlue Fifth kyūFourth kyū White White Third kyūSecond kyūFirst kyū Brown Purple First danSecond danThird danFourth danFifth dan Black Sixth danSeventh danEighth danNinth dan Red and WhiteorBlack Tenth dan RedorBlack Eleventh danTwelfth danand higher* White orRedorBlack are ranked according to their skill and knowledge, and, for high ranking dan grades, their contribution to the art. Their rank is indicated by the colour of belt that they wear. There are two broad categories of rank: those who have attained a level of competency at which they are considered worthy of a and who hold grades and those who are yet to attain that level and who hold grades. Those who hold dan grades are collectively termed (literally "person who has dan") and those with kyū grades are , literally "person without dan". High grade "Judoka" 5th dan to 10th dan are Kōdan-sha (高段者) literally "person of high rank" and the "esteemed" grades of 6th, 'IJF' 7th, and 'IJF' 8th dan have alternating red and white panel belts (紅白帯) Kōhaku-obi, and for the "venerable" Kōdan-sha (高段者) "high ranking" grades of 'IJF' 9th and 'IJF' 10th dan, their belts are solid and bright red.

This ranking system was introduced by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo, in 1883. However, the current system is not the original one, but based on Kanō's last system introduced between 1926 and 1931, with some modification shortly after Kanō's death in 1938. The first dan grades were awarded to his students Saigō Shirō and Tomita Tsunejirō. Since then it has been widely adopted by other modern martial arts.

In the current system as in use in Japan, there are six student grades ranked in descending numerical order. Beginners were given the rank of and wore a light blue belt. Once they had passed an elementary level of instruction, they were promoted to , when they would adopt the white belt. This they wore through . The remaining three grades ,, and were all indicated with brown belts (for seniors) or with purple belts (for juniors).

1st kyū is the last kyū rank before promotion to first degree black belt (shodan). There are (in practice) 10 dan ranks, which are ranked in ascending numerical order.

Highest ranking jūdōka

Kōdōkan-graded jūdan holders The ninth (kudan) and tenth degree black belt (jūdan) and, theoretically, those higher, have no formal requirements. Only 15 individuals have been promoted to the rank of Kōdōkan 10th dan. On January 6, 2006, three individuals were promoted to this rank simultaneously: Daigo Toshirō, Ichirō Abe, and Ōsawa Yoshimi. This is the most ever at the same time, and the first in 22 years. No one has ever been promoted to a rank higher than 10th dan, but in theory the judo rank system is not limited to 10 degrees of black belt. As an educator by profession, Kanō believed that there should be no end to an individual's learning, and therefore no limit to the number of dan ranks. The English language edition (1955) of Illustrated Kodokan Judo, edited by the Kōdōkan, says:

This statement was later clarified, however. Essentially, the dan-rank system was capped at 10 after the death of Kanō. In that respect, in the November 1963 issue of Jūdō, the Kōdōkan's official magazine, the Kōdōkan responding to the question "Do the 11th and 12th Dan really exist?" *clarifies that the hierarchy now stops at 10 and that the Kōdōkan does not envisage any nominations to these grades.

There have only been fifteen 10th dan promotions awarded by the Kōdōkan itself in the history of Judo.

+Kōdōkan graded Name Lived Date of promotion Yamashita Yoshitsugu 1865–1935 1935 posth., antedated Isogai Hajime 1871–1947 1937 Nagaoka Hideichi 1876–1952 1937 Mifune Kyūzō 1883–1965 1945 Iizuka Kunisaburō 1875–1958 1946 Samura Kaichirō 1880–1964 1948 Tabata Shotarō 1884–1950 1948 Okano Yoshitarō 1885–1967 1967 posth. Shōriki Matsutarō 1885–1969 1969 posth., antedated Nakano Shōzō 1888–1977 1977 posth., antedated Kurihara Tamio 1896–1979 1979 posth., antedated Kotani Sumiyuki 1903–1991 1984 Abe Ichirō 1922–2022 2006 Daigo Toshirō 1926–2021 2006 Ōsawa Yoshimi 1927–2022 2006

Variations in rank structure

Although dan ranks tend to be consistent between national organizations there is more variation in the kyū grades, with some countries having more kyū grades. Although initially kyū grade belt colours were uniformly white, today a variety of colours are used. The first black belts to denote a dan rank in the 1880s. Initially the wide obi was used; as practitioners trained in kimono, only white and black obi were used. It was not until the early 1900s, after the introduction of the judogi, that an expanded colored belt system of awarding rank was created.

Belt colors

Examination requirements vary depending on country, age group and of course the grade being attempted. The examination itself may include competition and kata. The kyū ranks are normally awarded by local instructors (sensei), but dan ranks are usually awarded only after an exam supervised by independent judges from a national judo association. For a rank to be recognized, it must be registered with the national judo organization or the Kōdōkan.

The appearance of the belts makes the judoka's level visible. Upon successful graduation, you are entitled to a new degree. The kyu degrees are counted down from 6 to 1. The dan degrees are counted up from 1.

Dan For dan ranks, the first five are colored black, 6th, 7th and 8th dan have alternating red and white panels (紅白帯) Kōhaku-obi, commonly known as the "Coral belt," named after the coral snake, and for 9th, 10th dan and above, the belts are solid red. In Europe, according to the ‘IJF’, there is a difference between each grade belts' marking by the difference in length of the alternating white-red coloured blocks of the coral belt, as in “the more blocks in your belt, the higher the grade,” (e.g. for 6th dan, 20cm white-red block, 7th dan: 15cm white-red block, and 8th dan: 10cm white-red block – (in Japan, this difference in block size doesn't seem to apply). In judo's promotion system as originally finalized by Kanō around 1926, there was no maximal dan rank, and judoka holding 10th dan (and above) would normally wear a red belt, but could also wear a white belt (the same color as the beginner or lowest kyū rank), or a black belt. However, since the highest dan rank reached in judo for a living person, or conferred posthumously remains 10th dan, any judo dan rank higher than 10th dan is now considered as a merely historical theoretical option. Some time after the death of Kanō, the promotion system essentially became capped at 10th dan. Furthermore, holders of a dan rank above godan (5th dan) will often wear a plain black belt during regular training practice, and outside any ceremonial duties. In a similar manner to both Brazilian and Gracie Jiu-Jitsu, dan ranks can be signified by either one, or both coral belts with red-black and red-white panels (for example, in the United States).

+Judo dan belt colorsDegreeColorBelt 1st–5th dan Black 4th and 5th dan (select dojos) Black or Red-Black Coral 6th–8th dan Black or Red-White Coral 9th, 10th, and possible 11th dan Black or Red

Kyu

The Kyu belt system can contain the colors white, red, yellow, orange, green, blue, purple, and brown for both senior and junior practitioners. In some countries junior practitioners have an extra system in place to show the progress in between two kyū grades. The sub rank can be symbolized by a small piece of fabric on the end of the belt. The piece added to the belt can never be of a lower or the same color as the belt worn by the judoka, so an orange belt cannot have a yellow piece, but it can have green, blue or brown.

IJF (International Judo Federation)

Under the IJF system, the belt program classifies kyu 6-3 as Fundamental Judo and kyu 2-1 as Competition Judo. With black belts being classified under Performance Judo. Each kyu grade has a set of general guidelines for expected for each color, while allowing instructors to have autonomy in how grades are awarded. +Judo kyu belt colors of the IJFFundamental JudoCompetition JudoDegreeKyu 6Kyu 5Kyu 4Kyu 3Kyu 2Kyu 1ColorWhiteYellowOrangeGreenBlueBrownBelt

Australia In Australia belt rankings for Seniors are, in ascending order: white, yellow, orange, green, blue, brown and finally black. Belt rankings for Juniors follow the same ranks and colours (up to and including brown), but have either 1, 2 or 3 white bars (depending upon age) at each end of the belt, as follows:

If the judoka is aged up to 10 (Mon), there are to be 3 white bars. Between 10 and 13 (Yonen), there are 2 bars. Finally, for 13 to 16 years of age (Shonen), there is a single bar.

+Judo kyu belt colors of Judo AustraliaDegreeKyu 6Kyu 5Kyu 4Kyu 3Kyu 2Kyu 1ColorWhiteYellowOrangeGreenBlueBrownBelt

Austria Judoka older than 15 can take the test for the even and odd Kyu degrees (two-color and one-color) as one test.

In Austria the following belt colors exist:

+Judo kyu belt colors of Judo AustriaDegreeKyu 11Kyu 10Kyu 9Kyu 8Kyu 7Kyu 6Kyu 5Kyu 4Kyu 3Kyu 2Kyu 1ColorWhiteWhite-YellowYellowYellow-OrangeOrangeOrange-GreenGreenGreen-BlueBlueBlue-BrownBrownBelt Minimum age - 7 years 7 years8 years9 years10 years11 years12 years13 years14 years15 years

Brazil

Brazilian belt rankings are normally white, grey, blue, yellow, orange, green, purple, brown. As in some European countries, young judoka in Brazil have an extra system in place to show the progress in between two kyū grades. The sub rank exists between white and orange belts and is symbolized by the ends of the current belt being the color of the next rank.

Judoka above 16 years old can skip some of the basic kyu, until the 5th (considered "basic" kyu by the Brazilian Judo Confederation). It is usual for adults to progress directly from white (12th kyu) to blue belt (8th kyu), not ever taking the grey belt. It is also usual for adults to skip the sub ranks, meaning that they will progress from blue to yellow belt (6th kyu) and then to orange belt (4th kyu).

+Judo kyu belt colors of the Brazilian Judo ConfederationDegreeKyu 12Kyu 11Kyu 10Kyu 9Kyu 8Kyu 7Kyu 6Kyu 5Kyu 4Kyu 3Kyu 2Kyu 1ColorWhiteWhite with grey tipGreyGrey with blue tipBlueBlue with yellow tipYellowYellow with orange tipOrangeGreenPurpleBrownBelt

Canada In Canada belt rankings for Seniors are, in ascending order: white, yellow, orange, green, blue and brown. Belt rankings for Juniors use, white, white-yellow, yellow, yellow-orange, orange, orange-green, green, green-blue, blue, blue-brown, and brown. +Judo kyu belt colors of Judo CanadaDegreeKyu 6Kyu 6+Kyu 5Kyu 5+Kyu 4Kyu 4+Kyu 3Kyu 3+Kyu 2Kyu 2+Kyu 1ColorWhiteWhite-YellowYellowYellow-OrangeOrangeOrange-GreenGreenGreen-BlueBlueBlue-BrownBrownBelt

Chile +Judo kyu belt colors of Federación de Judo de ChileDegreeKyu 6Kyu 5Kyu 4Kyu 3Kyu 2Kyu 1ColorWhiteYellowOrangeGreenBlueBrownBelt

Czech republic +Judo kyu belt colors of the Czech Judo FederationDegreeKyu 6/5Kyu 5Kyu 5/4Kyu 4Kyu 4/3Kyu 3Kyu 3/2Kyu 2Kyu 1ColorWhiteWhite-YellowYellowYellow-OrangeOrangeOrange-GreenGreenGreen-BlueBlueBrownBelt

Denmark There are 6 kyu degrees. Seniors wear full-colored belts while children and youth (ages 6–14) also wear half-colored belts. + Judo kyu belt colors of Judo DanmarkDegreeKyu 6Kyu 5Kyu 4Kyu 3Kyu 2Kyu 1ColorWhiteWhite-YellowYellowWhite-OrangeOrangeWhite-GreenGreenWhite-BlueBlueWhite-BrownBrownBelt

Egypt