The classification of ranks as we know it today, and belts ( “obi” in Japanese) did not exist in the “Budo” (and obviously not in the ancient Okinawan Karate). This system of “titles” is still used today in some traditional schools. The master was then giving his disciple a certificate in the form of a calligraphed roll, testifying the technical and mental transmission of the art (with 3 to 5 levels). In the sixteenth century, a principle of hierarchy was introduced in the Japanese martial arts under the name “Menkyo”.
