Shufu Judo Yudanshakai

presents the

Fall 2026 Shufu Judo Yudanshakai

Junior and Senior Promotional Examination

 Saturday, October 31, 2026 

Beltsville Community Center

3900 Sellman Road, Beltsville, MD 20705

United States Judo Federation Sanction # 26-10-xx

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

Eligibility to register for promotion

All judoka must be a current member of the USJF (USA Judo or USJA)

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

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

Promotion Requirements

The Shufu Board of Examiners has implemented the changeover to the USJF promotional requirements.  The 2026 Shufu Fall Promotional will follow the “2021 USJF Senior Rank Requirements”, available on the Shufu website under Promotions. 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.

Key Deadlines –  These are HARD deadlines  – no exceptions

August 31 – First date to accept applications.

September 30 – First deadline for Dan paperwork (initial submission of Form 20)

October 17 – Second deadline for ALL FULLY COMPLETED paperwork due (juniors, senior kyu, dan)

October 31 – Promotion day, BOE meeting, BOD meeting

Event Schedule for Saturday, October 31st

9:00 AM Check-in and testing begins

9:30 – 11:30 AM promotional candidates’ written tests and practical evaluations

11:30AM-12:15 PM Shufu Board of Examiners meeting – (All Board of Examiners members are requested and encouraged to attend in person.)

12:15 -12:30 PM Awarding of promotions

12:30-2:00 PM     Shufu Board of Directors Meeting (All registered Yudansha [Black Belts] are encouraged to attend but a Zoom connection will be supplied.  Contact:  Shufu President Miki Takemori at shufupresident.miki@gmail.com)

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

Registration and Fees

1.     Registration Deadline (These are HARD deadlines.)

• • October 17, 2026:  All promotion candidates (juniors, senior kyu, and dan ranks)

2.   All registration is online – no onsite registration

• • Registration Fee (all examinees): $25 for junior and senior kyu ranks; $50 for all dan ranks

  • Additional Fees for Black Belt Ranks only:

  • Shufu Promotion Fee: $15 (paid online with registration fee)

  •  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 to USJF Promotional Fees will be provided after the promotional.)

• Waiver (online; pending) must be electronically signed or scanned and sent to Kevin Tamai, Chair of the Board of Examiners at shufuboechairman.kevin@gmail.com. Waivers will also be available on site.  For minor judoka unaccompanied by a parent or guardian, please have the parent or legal guardian download, print, and sign Waiver to bring to this event.

All Registration is ONLINE HERE.

Accommodations

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

Documentation to submit by senseis and candidates

August 31

Documentation first accepted (electronic submission only)

September 30

Black Belts only: Editable Form 20 (electronic submission only):

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

    • The Rank Registration Team will work with 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. October 17

    • If a Form 20 has not been submitted by September 30, the Shufu Board of Examiners (BOE) will table the promotion request until the next promotional.

October 17

Senseis – 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 Saturday, October 17th to facilitate the smooth running of the event.  Submit to Kevin Tamai, Chair of the Board of Examiners, at shufuboechairman.kevin@gmail.com

All Black Belt Rank candidates must have an additional, written recommendation from their instructor submitted by email to Kevin Tamai, Chair of the Board of Examiners.  shufuboechairman.kevin@gmail.com by Saturday, October 10th, 2026

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

• • • • Submit scans of documents below to Kevin Tamai, Chair of the Board of Examiners, at shufuboechairman.kevin@gmail.com

      • Membership card

      • Competition results

      • Kata Scores (as required for the rank sought)

        • Contact Rank Registration Chair, Karen Whilden, at shufurankreg@gmail.com for accommodations to kata demonstration due to issues of space and safety.  Shufu will follow USJF Medical Committee and local/state guidelines regarding the COVID at the time of the Promotional.

        • 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)

• • Black Belt Documentation Requirements (electronic submission only):
    

    (See Shufu website under Promotions for how to submit each document.)

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

      • Form 20 – in final, complete, and editable format

      • Membership card

      • Indicate status of a USJF background check (for judoka 18 years of age and older)

1. 1. 1. 1. Hold a current USJF background check or have recently applied for one.

• • • • Promotion certificate for current rank

      • Kata Scores (as required for the rank sought)

        • Contact Rank Registration Chair, Karen Whilden, at shufurankreg@gmail.com for accommodations to kata demonstration due to issues of space and safety.  Shufu will follow USJF Medical Committee and local/state guidelines regarding the COVID at the time of the Promotional.

        • Kata must be judged by a national level or higher certified kata judge or kata instructor in the kata to be tested.

      • Safe Sport certificate (for judoka 18 years of age and older)

      • CDC Heads Up certificate or NFHS (National Federation of High School – National Federation of State High School Association) Concussion Training

        (Note: For dan candidates that need to also satisfy USA Judo – CDC Heads Up is accepted but not NFHS.)

      • For Nidan and above: CPR and First Aid certificate(s)

      • Other certificates (as required to decrease Time-in-Grade for the rank sought for non-competitors)

      • If the Form 20 has not been updated to cure all identified problems, and resubmitted by Saturday, October 17, 2026, the Shufu Board of Examiners will table the promotion request until the next promotional.

No documentation will be accepted after Saturday, October 17, 2026.

Topic: Shufu Yudanshakai Board of Directors (ALL registered black belts)

Time: Saturday October 31 at 12:30pm

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/84647273911?pwd=VFBPRzM4b0pyWUZxeXV3WGphZlJSQT09

Meeting ID: 846 4727 3911

Passcode: ShufuBOD

One tap mobile

+19292056099,,84647273911#,,,,*53078443# US (New York)

+13017158592,,84647273911#,,,,*53078443# US (Washington DC)

Join instructions

https://us02web.zoom.us/meetings/84647273911/invitations?signature=2P9-wkZwSoNeMCyXjPOKbrtJnltT73N4sC27ruKxG-M

Topic: Shufu Judo Yudanshakai Board of Examiners Meeting

Time: Saturday October 24 at 1130am

Join Zoom Meeting:

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/83980208150?pwd=Smd6aGhCNExMajVrL0t5cG13aitrUT09

Meeting ID: 839 8020 8150

Passcode: ShufuBOE

One tap mobile

+16469313860,,83980208150#,,,,*80671976# US

+19292056099,,83980208150#,,,,*80671976# US (New York)

Join instructions

https://us02web.zoom.us/meetings/83980208150/invitations?signature=8ZCvg12C3eymLPtL2TiII-cdr9wOjh6MpW27RbvYVxE