Shihan

Shihan (師範^?) is a term from the Japanese language, generally used in martial arts from Japan as an honorific title for refer to teachers of teachers in a specific style.

The different martial arts organizations have different requirements for the use of the term as an honorific title, generally involving certain rights such as using special symbols that identify the rank and granting degrees in the art in which it is held.

For example in the organization of the art of ninjutsu, the Bujinkan the right is generated when the other Shihan refer to the person with that title (he must have at least 10 dan i> since this organization is 15 maximum), in judo, and in aikidō the title of shihan is reached by reaching at least the degree of sixth dan .

In karate this title is reached in the fourth dan with the appointment of shihan-dai, later after the seventh dan he is named shihan only, in the ninth and tenth it is named soke.

The belts of these shihan vary depending on the organization to which they belong, with the use of a red stripe in the middle of the belt being very common, which grows at the same time as the shihan advances in grade until in the tenth dan or soke the strip covers the entire front face of the belt, but in the systems which reach up to seventh danthis is red with white.