A question of rank?

The greatest judoka of modern times, and arguably the greatest ever, Isao Okano-sensei, World, Olympic and 2x All Japan Champion (as a Middleweight) - a man who through the brilliance of his own technique and understanding, continues to take judo to new levels is, for an apparent slight, committed over 40 years ago still "only" a 6 dan.

Taken across the world, in the Kodokan, in all the IJF associated NGBs and other independents, there must be in total several thousand judoka who hold higher rank than Okano-sensei. How many 9 dan holders are there in the US alone?

What do we think of this? How do those who have accepted higher rank feel about accepting it? When you line up to bow, how would you feel about having Okano-sensei lower down the line than yourselves?

Jonesy wrote:The greatest judoka of modern times, and arguably the greatest ever, Isao Okano-sensei, World, Olympic and 2x All Japan Champion (as a Middleweight) - a man who through the brilliance of his own technique and understanding, continues to take judo to new levels is, for an apparent slight, committed over 40 years ago still "only" a 6 dan.

Taken across the world, in the Kodokan,  in all the IJF associated NGBs and other independents, there must be in total several thousand judoka who hold higher rank than Okano-sensei.  How many 9 dan holders are there in the US alone?  

What do we think of this? How do those who have accepted higher rank feel about accepting it? When you line up to bow, how would you feel about having Okano-sensei lower down the line than yourselves?

If I was a 7 dan today and was in a situation where I had to be lined up with Okano-sensei I would ensure I was lined up lower than him while wearing a kuro obi.  I feel there are rare occurrences in life that should not be bound by the traditions of recognized rank structure.  For instance, in the United States Military, Medal of Honor recipients have been and are saluted by higher ranking officers and even former Presidents even though there is no official protocol for the practice.

Isao Okano is an 8th dan.

Iirc, Okano was the one who was photographed wearing a blue gi, right? And the Kodokan pretty much froze his rank right there at 6* for eternity. Any idea when he was promoted to 8*, Emanuel?

Heisenberg wrote:Any idea when he was promoted to 8*, Emanuel?

I've always known he is an 8th dan.
https://www.google.it/search?safe=off&site=&source=hp&q=isao+okano+8th+dan&oq=isao+okano+8th+dan&gs_l=hp.3...1597.5785.0.6144.18.17.0.1.1.0.154.1516.6j11.17.0....0...1c.1.25.hp..6.12.889.1pei2zePgvg

Wikipeia is never an authoritative source and anyway, the Japanese language pages of Wikipedia correctly have Okano as a 6 dan, which he has now been for over 40 years!

Jonesy wrote:The greatest judoka of modern times, and arguably the greatest ever, Isao Okano-sensei, World, Olympic and 2x All Japan Champion (as a Middleweight) - a man who through the brilliance of his own technique and understanding, continues to take judo to new levels is, for an apparent slight, committed over 40 years ago still "only" a 6 dan.

Taken across the world, in the Kodokan,  in all the IJF associated NGBs and other independents, there must be in total several thousand judoka who hold higher rank than Okano-sensei.  How many 9 dan holders are there in the US alone?  

What do we think of this? How do those who have accepted higher rank feel about accepting it? When you line up to bow, how would you feel about having Okano-sensei lower down the line than yourselves?

I wonder how Okano Sensei feels about the situation? And if he doesn't care, which I suspect he really doesn't, why should we?

Ben Reinhardt wrote:
I wonder how Okano Sensei feels about the situation? And if he doesn't care, which I suspect he really doesn't, why should we?

In other words what you are suggesting is ...

BillC wrote:

Ben Reinhardt wrote:
I wonder how Okano Sensei feels about the situation? And if he doesn't care, which I suspect he really doesn't, why should we?

In other words what you are suggesting is ...

There is so much in that video at so many levels of meaning...

I pick "all of the above".