After an essay that mentioned the difference between 5, 6 and 7dan, (At 5dan we ask “do you have it”. At 6dan we ask “do you own it”. At 7dan we say “can you use it”.) I was asked what “it” was and then what 8dan is.
Good questions both. The it I was referring to wasn’t anything particularly spiritual or anything like that. Just a technical facility in the art. At 5dan you are supposed to be able to do the techniques perfectly, whatever that means. At 6dan you are supposed to have internalized the techniques so that they appear smooth, natural, and adapted to your own body. At 7dan you ought to be able to use the techniques when the kata has been “broken”.
You are doing a demonstration and your partner is suddenly doing another kata. Have you switched with him or do you stand there with your mouth open wondering what he’s doing? If you’re with him with no hesitation that’s “using it”.
Now 8dan is different from 7 by the requirement that 8dan “understands the riai”. Riai being the underlying principles of the specific art you’re talking about. This means you understand, oh, moving from the hips (which a 6dan would) but perhaps you also know why you move from the hips. You know that already? Great you’re an 8dan.
Since 8dan is all that Japan will give out any more, and since the rest of the world is allowed to, but likely never would make a 9dan or a 10dan (I’d like to see what happens if some country actually does make a 9dan) we will have to assume that 8dan (OK 8dan hanshi) is the top top level. That means 8dan is the rank that “owns” the art. Since the art we’re talking about is kendo federation iai or jo, we’re talking about the folks who define what the art actually is.
Makes sense, seems clear until you are forced to admit that means those 8dans can decide that moving from your hips isn’t a thing any more. Now what do you think of an 8dan? And what if one 8dan contradicts another?
I’ve watched 8dans contradict one another in the same seminar and on being questioned by some of our brat-faced local kids about the contradiction, watched them squirm and deflect in order not to directly contradict each other.
I’ve also listened to a hanshi tell a room full of people that “some hanshi don’t get it, they’re out of touch with how we do it these days”.
So sure, understand the principle, probably don’t disagree with the principle, but maybe out of touch with the current fashions from Paris? It’s the tyranny of equals.
In the kendo federations we’re talking about, theirs being the definitions of rank, it turns out that even at 8dan the “it” is understanding the riai of the ar, but also it’s being one who defines the art, for a certain degree of consensus about what that definition is.
So 5dan is one who is technically perfect, 6dan is one who embodies that perfection, 7dan is one who can use that perfection and 8dan is one who defines what we mean by perfection.
All within the same frame of reference of course.
Seito Bugei Juku 