2025 Shufu North Fall Promotional, USJF Sanction Pending

September 26, 2025
When:
November 15, 2025 all-day
2025-11-15T00:00:00-05:00
2025-11-16T00:00:00-05:00
Where:
Memento Mori BJJ/Judo
152 South Westfield Street
Feeding Hills
MA 01030

Shufu Judo Yudanshakai

in cooperation with

Memento Mori BJJ/Judo

presents the

Fall 2025 Shufu Judo Yudanshakai North

Junior and Senior

Promotional Examination

Saturday, November 15, 2025

at

Memento Mori BJJ/Judo

 

Located at 152 South Westfield Street, Feeding Hills, MA 01030

 

United States Judo Federation Sanction: Pending

 

This event is Preregistration Only. There is no onsite registration.

 

Key Deadlines

These are HARD deadlines – no exceptions:

Monday, September 15, 2025 – Earliest date to accept applications

Thursday, October 16, 2025 – First deadline for Dan paperwork (Initial submission of Editable Form 20)

Saturday, November 1, 2025

FINAL DEADLINE for all judoka (Juniors, Seniors, Kyu, Dan) to be registered, with FULLY COMPLETED paperwork due, including an Editable Form 20 for Dan ranks, submitted to Miki Takemori at Mtakemori@aol.com, to Shufu Board of Examiners Chair Kevin Tamai at ShufuBOEChairman.Kevin@gmail.com, and (for Dan ranks only) to Shufu Rank Registration Chair Karen Whilden atShufurankreg@gmail.com

Saturday, November 15 – Promotion day

 

    

Eligibility to register for promotion

      1. All judoka must be a current member of the USJF or USJA.

        (USJF members are eligible to be promoted at this event. USJA members may request to be examined and have their results forwarded to the appropriate organization.)

      2. For Shodan – current year plus one year prior membership in USJF

      3. For Nidan and above – current year plus three years prior membership in USJF

 

Recommending Students for Promotion

Examinees MUST be recommended for promotion by their instructor.  Examinees should be listed on the JUDOKA RECOMMENDED FOR PROMOTION form that is submitted by the head instructor from each club by November 1, 2025 to facilitate the smooth running of the event.  Submit to Kevin Tamai, Chair of the Board of Examiners at shufuboechairman.kevin@gmail.com AND to Miki Takemori at Mtakemori@aol.com.

      • All Black Belt Rank candidates must have an additional, written recommendation from their instructor submitted by November 1, 2025 by email to Kevin Tamai, Chair of the Board of Examiners at shufuboechairman.kevin@gmail.com AND to Miki Takemori at Mtakemori@aol.com.

 

Current Promotion Requirements

The Shufu Board of Examiners has implemented the changeover to the USJF promotional requirements.  The 2025 Shufu North Spring Promotional will follow the “2021 USJF Senior Rank Promotion Recommendations”, with link also available on the Shufu website under Promotions. USJF Junior Rank Recommendations are listed in Matrix form.  All ranks within Shufu’s promotion authority are required to do the physical testing, i.e. all ranks through and including Godan.  Rokudan and above are not required to do physical testing; Kata requirements still apply as required for rank sought.

 

Event Schedule

10:00 – 12:00 AM

Check in for Juniors and Seniors, written test and physical demonstration testing

Following:

Announcement of Results

 

Please Note: There will be NO COMPETITION at this promotional event.

 

Registration and Fees

Registration Deadlines – See above

Registration Fees:

        • Junior Ranks: $25

        • Senior Kyu Ranks: $35

        • Dan Ranks: $65

      Additional Fees for Black Belt Ranks:

      • Note: After the promotion:  USJF Promotional Fees: $125 for Shodan, $180 for Nidan, $230 for Sandan, $250 for Yodan, $280 for Godan, $300 for Rokudan, $350 for Shichidan, and $400 for Hachidan; Life Members: $0.  (Instructions for how to pay USJF Promotional Fees will be provided after the promotional)

 

    • Waiver (forthcoming online) must be electronically signed or scanned and sent to Miki Takemori at Mtakemori@aol.com

      Waivers will also be available onsite

    • All judoka need to have a properly signed waiver before they can participate in this event.  For minor judoka unaccompanied by a parent or legal guardian, please have the parent or legal guardian download, print, and sign the Waiver to bring to this event.

 

All Registration is ONLINE.

To register and pay online, click HERE

 

Accommodations

If you require an accommodation for visual or hearing impairment or other reason, please let us know on the registration form.

 

Documentation

    • See Black Belt Documentation Requirements (electronic submission only)

      This link contains essential, detailed information including deadlines, requirements, and materials you will need to submit in applying for your Black Belt rank.

      • If a Form 20 has not been submitted by Thursday, March 13, 2025, the Shufu Board of Examiners (BOE) will table the promotion request until the next promotional.

        The Rank Registration Team will work with the candidate to identify and cure any problems with the Form 20, with that process to be completed at least 14 days before the promotional, i.e. Saturday, March 29, 2025.

        Submit to Karen Whilden, Rank Registration Chair, at shufurankreg@gmail.com.

 

    • Junior and Senior Kyu Documentation (electronic submission only):

      • Membership card

      • Competition results

      • Kata Scores (as required for the rank sought)

        • Contact Rank Registration Chair for accommodations to kata demonstration due to issues of space and safety. Shufu will follow USJF Medical Committee and local/state guidelines regarding COVID at the time of the Promotional (See below).

        • Kata must be judged by a member of the BOE, or a National level or higher certified kata judge or kata instructor in the kata to be tested.

      • Certificates (as required for the rank sought)

      • Submit scans of documents above to 

        Kevin Tamai, Chair of the Board of Examiners at shufuboechairman.kevin@gmail.com AND to Miki Takemori at Mtakemori@aol.com.

No documentation will be accepted after Saturday, November 1, 2025.

 

Notice to all judoka registering for Dan rank promotions – It is up to each judoka to submit an EDITABLE Form 20 by the first deadline. The form should be complete. The packet should be complete with all documentation attached. The judoka’s sensei should review their individual packet to make certain it is complete with all required documentation (See above list) . The rank registration person (or a member of her team) will review the packets and let you know if anything is missing. Do not miss the deadlines. You have until the second deadline to have all paperwork completed or you will be removed from consideration.

 

Covid Guidelines-1

 

BOE Zoom

Shufu North Promotional: Zoom Meeting Information

Saturday, November 15, 2025
Memento Mori BJJ/Judo

Contact: Miki Takemori, 617-686-6406

ZOOM link for Board of Examiners Meeting to follow examination of

candidates, at ~ 12:00 noon:

 

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/86050500742?pwd=2m8ftvZPxbI8LrqaKCbh

ndIaq3gaEI.1

Passcode: ShufuNorth

 

Hotels near the venue:

Hilton Garden Inn Springfield

800 Hall of Fame Avenue

Springfield, MA 01105

 

Fairfield Inn & Suites Springfield/Enfield

1 Bright Meadow Blvd.

Enfield, CT 06082

 

Shufu Shinbun is BACK !

Coach Certification

SafeSport Certification is now required for all USJF registered clubs. If you have already completed the course and submitted a copy of your certificate, you do not need to resubmit. For more information or to take the course, please visit https://athletesafety.org/

Heads Up concussion training, through the CDC’s website, is a requirement for all members of your USJF registered club who function as teachers at any time. Please advise all of your instructors and assistant instructors of this requirement. The training can be accessed at: http://www.cdc.gov/headsup/

Hilaire Notewo Seeking Donations for Judo Programs in the Ivory Coast, Needs Gis and Equipment

Longtime Shufu Judo member Hilaire Notewo is planning to relocate to Côte D’Ivoire (Ivory Coast), Africa in late November/December. He will be supporting judo programs, but equipment (esp. judo uniforms) are difficult to come by.  Hilaire is looking for gently used judo gis and other equipment.  Hilaire will also be visiting and donating goods to orphanages.  Should you have gently used shoes, clothes for teenagers, youths, and toddlers, kindly make them available to Hilaire.

If you would like to donate to this effort, you can send your donation to the following address:

Hilaire Notewo

7401 New Hampshire Ave. #1003

Takoma Park, MD  20912

Or contact him via his email address: hilson79@gmail.com 202 945 3781.