Shufu Judo Yudanshakai presents the Spring 2026 Shufu Judo Yudanshakai Junior and Senior Promotional Examination Saturday, April 25, 2026 at Beltsville Community Center 3900 Sellman Road, Beltsville, MD 20705 United States Judo Federation Sanction # 26-04-03 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, USJA, or USA Judo . (USJF members are eligible to be promoted at this event. USJA and USA Judo members may request to be examined and have their results forwarded to the appropriate organization.) 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 being used The Shufu Board of Examiners has implemented the changeover to the USJF promotional requirements. The 2026 Shufu Spring Promotional will follow the “2021 USJF Senior Rank Promotion 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[...]
Register HERE for the Takemori/Kashiwazaki Clinic Waivers will 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.
DON’T MISS THIS CLINIC!! Former World Champion and “Godfather of Newaza” Katzuhiko KASHIWAZAKI coming to DC Area on May 9th and 10th. Register HERE. NOW.
DEADLINE REMINDER FOR CANDIDATES FOR ALL BLACKBELT RANKS!!! Important OCTOBER 5th DEADLINE
September 13, 2018
Important Message from the President, the Chair of the Board of Examiners, and the Incoming Rank Registration Chair of Shufu Yudanshakai
Shufu will hold its semi-annual centralized promotional at Sport Judo on Sunday, November 4.
For some time, it has been a requirement for Dan-grade promotions (all black belts, including those rising to Shodan) that an editable Form 20 be prepared electronically and submitted to the Rank Registration Chair by email. Both the editable Form 20 and answers to Frequently Asked Questions were prepared by Terence McPartland and are available at https://shufujudo.org/?page_id=971.
When a Form 20 is submitted only shortly before the promotional, it is often difficult or impossible to revise it so that it contains the required information in a way that satisfies the USJF National Office until after the promotional and the Shufu Board of Examiners meeting have taken place. Experience has shown that people are much more focused on the requirements before the promotional than after, and it has often been difficult for the Rank Registration Chair and the promotion candidate to work together, after the event, to get the Form 20 in shape, with resulting frustration for both the judoka being promoted and the Rank Registration Chair.
To streamline things and make it easier to get Shufu’s promotions accepted by USJF, we are putting a new timetable on the submission of the Form 20. Form 20 must be submitted to the Rank Registration Chair at least 30 days before the promotional. The Rank Registration Chair will then 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.
If a Form 20 has not been submitted 30 days in advance, or revised as needed 14 days in advance, the Shufu Board of Examiners will table the promotion request until the next promotional. By this means, we can greatly increase Shufu’s ability to get Dan promotions accepted by USJF and ranks recognized more quickly than they are now.
Therefore the editable Form 20, available at the link provided above, must be sent to the Rank Registration Chair by Friday, October 5, to be considered by the Shufu Board of Examiners at the November 2018 promotional. Send the form to Karen Whilden, who is succeeding Terence McPartland as Rank Registration Chair, at rock913@cox.net.
We hope and expect that the advance effort on the Form 20 will be rewarded with an overall more timely and streamlined process, achieving maximum efficiency with minimum effort. We are grateful to Terence McPartland for his 7 years of service as Rank Registration Chair, a position from which he is retiring effective October 1.
Roy Englert, President
Miki Takemori, Chair of the Board of Examiners
Karen Whilden, Incoming Rank Registration Chair
Sensei Edwin Takemori Retiring as USNA Coach
Sunday, May 3, 2026 at NOON at USNA, Annapolis, MD
This newsletter is presented in memory of Malcolm Hodges who was a dedicated Shufu and Washington Judo Club member for many years and wrote and was the editor of the monthly Shufu Shinbun newsletter.
Did you know that Shufu has an Athlete Funding Program?
Shufu’s Athlete Funding
Program provides reimbursement ($150 to $300) for athletes competing in National and
International level events. Juniors, Seniors, Masters/Veterans, and Kata competitors
can all apply to the Shufu Athlete Funding Program. If you have been a member of Shufu for at least 2 years and have participated in any of the events listed below, then you should consider applying for Shufu’s Athlete Funding Program!
2025 USA Judo Youth National Championships
2025 USA Junior Olympic National Championships
2025 USA Judo Senior National Championships
2025 USA Judo President’s Cup
2025 US Open
2025 USJF/USJA Nationals
2025 Pan American Cups or 2025 Pan American Championships
2025 IJF Point Events (Grand Prix, Grand Slams, or Championships)
Please note that these are not the only tournaments which will be considered for funding.
Please go to the Funding Support for Athletes link for the complete details.
