Stripes and blocks on belt

This past summer, I attended a workshop at a friends dojo where some instructors from Japan were teaching. They had this small patches on end of belt and the end of the lapel (below the belt at end of skirt) that were sewn on. They had blocks and stripes that indicated their rank (a block was 5 degrees, the stripes were one degree each. The main teach was 7th degree and had a block and 2 stripes). Only the Japanese instructors had these, so I presumed that they are common (or more common) in Japan.

Is there someplace I could purchase these? (A very helpful friend was recently promoted, and while his belt will not change, I'd like to get him a small token that reflects his new level)

Thanks for any help.

They are these, and are not that common in Japan.



USJA has their own equivalent: https://secure.usja-judo.org/home/RANK/tabid/119/ProductID/72/Default.aspx

Jonesy, would you happen to know if those are exclusively worn by kodokan dan holders? Thanks.

Had on my obi up to sandan. My sensei passed away, I moved, traditions at the new dojo were different.

If I recall correctly, they are for sale in the Kodokan shop. I'll check next week if this is really a big mystery.

Cheers.

I have seen people who hold Dan rank not from the Kodokan wear these. Not many mind you.

I have seen many gold bars on belts representing dan grades in the UK. Myself, and most of the guys I train with (and jonesy knows one or two of them) have never had any stripes on our obi.

my obi is plain old black. Well, kinda graying, like me, I guess. I don't wear the stripe down the middle, and I don't advertise my dan. Tradition of other dojo may make it necessary for some to wear a stripe down the middle, or dan rank designation, but really, when you're on the floor, you know who's who. And, I've never needed a white stripe down the middle to determine who's female, and who's not. But, that's a different issue.

You want it, and it's not a tradition of your dojo, ask your sensei. If s/he allows, and you feel you need it, go ahead. Personally, outside of your dojo tradition, I don't see the need.

I guess it's optional for some folks, I know a couple that were given as congratulatory presentations.

Mostly a way for the uniform companies to add a bit of profit and differentiate their offerings from others', I reckon.

Stacey wrote:my obi is plain old black. Well, kinda graying, like me, I guess. I don't wear the stripe down the middle, and I don't advertise my dan. Tradition of other dojo may make it necessary for some to wear a stripe down the middle, or dan rank designation, but really, when you're on the floor, you know who's who. And, I've never needed a white stripe down the middle to determine who's female, and who's not. But, that's a different issue.

You want it, and it's not a tradition of your dojo, ask your sensei. If s/he allows, and you feel you need it, go ahead. Personally, outside of your dojo tradition, I don't see the need.

The striped patches I think that are being discussed are tiny little things ... the size of the brand tag or the Kodokan emblem on the bottom of the judogi or the belt, usually sewn over the top of those.  Not the big, ostentatious stripes one sees on some combat sport or martial arts belts.

The ones I received were indeed as NBK noted, a gift from my sensei ... as in "here, you are sandan now." (Shortly before he passed ... take note when your sensei starts giving his stuff away.)

I think in unfamiliar environments it's a kind of courtesy to others, kind of like the name on the obi or uwagi that one can peek at when you don't remember the name of the thirty people you just met, half of whose names start with "Matsu-."  It's also handy to take a peek "oh ... hachidan ... yikes."

But you know what, Stacey, take away the colors and the big stripes and I actually kind of like the scroll-work belts you showed elsewhere.  Black on black and they might be interesting without breaking the bonds of good taste.

BillC wrote:

Stacey wrote:my obi is plain old black. Well, kinda graying, like me, I guess. I don't wear the stripe down the middle, and I don't advertise my dan. Tradition of other dojo may make it necessary for some to wear a stripe down the middle, or dan rank designation, but really, when you're on the floor, you know who's who. And, I've never needed a white stripe down the middle to determine who's female, and who's not. But, that's a different issue.

You want it, and it's not a tradition of your dojo, ask your sensei. If s/he allows, and you feel you need it, go ahead. Personally, outside of your dojo tradition, I don't see the need.

The striped patches I think that are being discussed are tiny little things ... the size of the brand tag or the Kodokan emblem on the bottom of the judogi or the belt, usually sewn over the top of those.  Not the big, ostentatious stripes one sees on some combat sport or martial arts belts.

The ones I received were indeed as NBK noted, a gift from my sensei ... as in "here, you are sandan now."  (Shortly before he passed ... take note when your sensei starts giving his stuff away.)

I think in unfamiliar environments it's a kind of courtesy to others, kind of like the name on the obi or uwagi that one can peek at when you don't remember the name of the thirty people you just met, half of whose names start with "Matsu-."  It's also handy to take a peek "oh ... hachidan ... yikes."

But you know what, Stacey, take away the colors and the big stripes and I actually kind of like the scroll-work belts you showed elsewhere.  Black on black and they might be interesting without breaking the bonds of good taste.

Name on belt or gi, I understand, having lot at least 4 blue and white belts at a tournament once. Won't be as apt to disappear with a name on them. Understand it with gi, too - anything that let's you say unequivocally, that's little Johnny's gi, and that's little Suzi's gi - makes things a lot more simple. And, it stays the same no matter what rank somebody is, so when little Johnny takes the next color belt, his name stays the same.

I believe the USJA sells these little belt end patches for rank, a la BJJ, if anybody in the states wants one. And yeah, much more subtle than 7 foot belt ends covered with glow in the dark 3 inch wide hi-viz yellowish-greenish-orangeish pronunciations of rank. But, like I said, if you need to get one for yourself, then why? If there's no problem distinguishing your gi and obi from somebody else's (your name is not enough), and it's not a custom of your dojo, then why?

Fwiw, I thought that bit of embroidery on those bjj belts was actually pretty interesting. More subtle, and it'd be really attractive. But, we're talking bjj, so....

For others, this is what we're talking about:

like this?

Stacey wrote:

BillC wrote:

Stacey wrote:my obi is plain old black. Well, kinda graying, like me, I guess. I don't wear the stripe down the middle, and I don't advertise my dan. Tradition of other dojo may make it necessary for some to wear a stripe down the middle, or dan rank designation, but really, when you're on the floor, you know who's who. And, I've never needed a white stripe down the middle to determine who's female, and who's not. But, that's a different issue.

You want it, and it's not a tradition of your dojo, ask your sensei. If s/he allows, and you feel you need it, go ahead. Personally, outside of your dojo tradition, I don't see the need.

The striped patches I think that are being discussed are tiny little things ... the size of the brand tag or the Kodokan emblem on the bottom of the judogi or the belt, usually sewn over the top of those.  Not the big, ostentatious stripes one sees on some combat sport or martial arts belts.

The ones I received were indeed as NBK noted, a gift from my sensei ... as in "here, you are sandan now."  (Shortly before he passed ... take note when your sensei starts giving his stuff away.)

I think in unfamiliar environments it's a kind of courtesy to others, kind of like the name on the obi or uwagi that one can peek at when you don't remember the name of the thirty people you just met, half of whose names start with "Matsu-."  It's also handy to take a peek "oh ... hachidan ... yikes."

But you know what, Stacey, take away the colors and the big stripes and I actually kind of like the scroll-work belts you showed elsewhere.  Black on black and they might be interesting without breaking the bonds of good taste.

Name on belt or gi, I understand, having lot at least 4 blue and white belts at a tournament once. Won't be as apt to disappear with a name on them. Understand it with gi, too - anything that let's you say unequivocally, that's little Johnny's gi, and that's little Suzi's gi - makes things a lot more simple. And, it stays the same no matter what rank somebody is, so when little Johnny takes the next color belt, his name stays the same.

I believe the USJA sells these little belt end patches for rank, a la BJJ, if anybody in the states wants one. And yeah, much more subtle than 7 foot belt ends covered with glow in the dark 3 inch wide hi-viz yellowish-greenish-orangeish pronunciations of rank. But, like I said, if you need to get one for yourself, then why? If there's no problem distinguishing your gi and obi from somebody else's (your name is not enough), and it's not a custom of your dojo, then why?

Fwiw, I thought that bit of embroidery on those bjj belts was actually pretty interesting. More subtle, and it'd be really attractive. But, we're talking bjj, so....

For others, this is what we're talking about:

oh my gosh.... looks like some paisley ties I had in high school.....

NBK wrote:
oh my gosh.... looks like some paisley ties I had in high school.....

Think if they did something subtle - shades of gray on a bb, not so showy colors on the blue or purple belt. Subtle - could be pretty cool

I always believed that a Large Block and two stripes indicated a Vice Admiral