How are Okinawan karate kobudo associations organized? What distinguishes them from associations in other countries? What are the exact rules? Over years, karate kobudo practitioners around the world have asked these and similar questions. Therefore, to give you a reliable glimpse, I here share a representative example of the rules of an Okinawan association, translated from the original. I have shared this translation before with a member, but I believe it is important for everyone to study, understand, and interprete it, as well as for academic purposes.

Rules of the Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Ryukyu Kobudo

Chapter 1: General Provisions

Article 1: This association shall be called the Association for the Preservation and Promotion of Ryukyu Kobudo (Ryūkyū Kobudō Hozon Shinkōkai).

Article 2: The general headquarters of this association is located in Okinawa.

Article 3: This association is organized by the general headquarters and those who practice Ryukyu Kobudo under it, in the whole of Japan and various foreign countries.

Chapter 2: Objective and Function

Article 4: The objective of this association is to contribute to the spread and development of Ryukyu Kobudo by training mind and body through the practice of Ryukyu Kobudo, by preserving the Kata and improving the techniques, as well as by deepening mutual friendship among the members.

In order to achieve its objective, this association shall do the following.

1. Hold periodic seminars.
2. Hold kyū and dan promotion examinations.
3. Hold martial arts demonstration meets.
4. Anything else deemed necessary for the development of this association.

Chapter 3: Members and Officials

Article 6: A member shall be a person who has submitted the written membership application form to the General Headquarters, paid the registration fee, and is currently employed.

Article 7. Those wishing to join this association must submit the membership application form to the dojo they wish to belong to and to the General Headquarters, and pay the registration fee as specified in separate table 2 to the General Headquarters.

Article 8　This association shall appoint officials as follows.

1. President: 1 person
2. Vice-president: 2 persons
3. Board chairman: 1 person
4. Board director: Several persons
5. Head of Public Relations: 1 person
6. Secretary-general: 1 person
7. Secretary of accounting: 1 person

Article 9: The duties of officials shall be as follows.

1. The president shall represent this association and preside over the affairs of the association.
2. The vice-presidents shall assist the president and act as his substitute in the order determined by the president when the president is prevented.
3. The board chairman shall represent the board of directors and operate the board in cooperation with the president.
4. The board directors shall attend the board meeting and participate in deliberations on important and urgent matters of the association.
5. The Head of Public Relations shall conduct business related to public relations and public affairs of the association under the direction of the president.
6. The secretary-general shall handle all clerical work according to the president’s instructions or by his own initiative.
7. The secretary of accounting shall assist the secretary-general and handle the clerical/accounting work.

Article 10. The election of officers of this association shall be in accordance with the following.

1. The president shall be decided by a majority vote of the board directors.
2. Officials other than the president and the board directors shall be decided by the president based on the recommendation of the board of directors.
3. As a general rule, board directors shall be persons of 5th dan or higher, and no more than two directors shall be appointed from the general headquarters and each branch, and other persons deemed necessary shall be appointed by the president.

Article 11: The term of office of officials shall be two years, and in the event of vacancies, officials shall be decided by the board of directors.

Article 12. Advisors or counselors can be appointed in this association.

Article 13. Advisors or counselors shall respond to the president’s consultation regarding important business affairs.

Chapter 4: Meetings

Article 14: This association shall hold meetings as follows.

1. General meeting
2. Board of directors

Article 15. Convocation and holding of meetings shall be as follows.

1. The General Assembly shall be held once a year in Okinawa, and in principle all members shall participate. However, this does not apply to domestic and foreign members outside Okinawa Prefecture.
2. The board of directors shall consist of the president, vice-president, secretary-general, secretary of accounting, and the board chairman and other board directors, and shall be convened by the president when necessary.

Article 16: The General Assembly shall do the following.

1. Matters related to budget and settlement reports.
2. Matters related to reports decided by the board of directors.
3. Matters related reports on various events in progress or planning.
4. Other matters related to the development of the association and friendship.

Article 17: The Board of Directors shall do the following.

1. Matters related to the determination of various events and plans.
2. Matters related to revision of rules, etc.
3. Matters related to the supplement of a vacancy of an official.
4. Matters related to promotion examinations.
5. Matters related to the top-level organizations or other organizations.
6. Matters related to subordinate organizations.
7. Matters related to other necessary matters or urgent matters.

Chapter 5: Matters of Prohibition and Permission

Article 18. Matters of prohibition are as follows.

1. No one may change the kata without the permission of the president.
2. No one may establish new kata without the permission of the president.
3. No one may open a branch dojo without the permission of the president.
4. No one may teach kobudo kata to non-members without the permission of the president.

Article 19: Matters of permission are as follows.

1. When opening a branch dojo, it must be recommended by the owner of a dojo affiliated [with this association] and permission from the president must be obtained.
2. A person who establishes a branch dojo must have a shihan license. However, if there is a special reason and it is deemed appropriate and will contribute to the development of the association, the president may permit an instructor (shidoin) license holder to do so.
3. In addition to the preceding two clauses, even when conducting long-term or regular instruction to groups, etc., the person must also have a teacher’s (shihan) license or instructor’s (shidoin) license and obtain permission from the president.

Chapter 6: Organization and Function of Subordinate Branches

Article 20. The association shall be composed of the subordinate organizations of the General Headquarters as shown in attached table 1 as follows.

1. In Japan, one dojo is regarded as a branch association, and if there are two or more branch dojos in one prefecture, it is considered a branch association.
2. The domestic country shall be divided into Hokkaido, Tohoku, Kanto, Chubu, Kinki, Chugoku, Kyushu, and Okinawa regions, each with a regional headquarters and an All-Japan Headquarters above them.
3. Outside Japan, with the exception of the United States of America, each country shall set up a country headquarters and branches or a branch association shall be set up below them.

Article 21: Branches and branch associations, as well as regional headquarters and each country headquarters, can appoint officials as necessary and establish rules within a scope that does not conflict with the rules of the general headquarters.

Article 22: Each branch can hold examinations from 4th kyū to 1st kyū, register successful applicants, and issue a certificate in the name of the branch manager. However, if the dojo belongs to a branch association dojo, it will issued in the name of the branch association manager, if it is a regional headquarters dojo, it will be issued in the name of the regional headquarters manager, and if it is a country headquarters dojo, it will be issued in the name of the respective country headquarters manager.

Article 23: Each branch and branch association, regional headquarters, and each country headquarters can hold examinations from 1st dan to 4th dan, and apply to the general headquarters to receive a certificate for successful applicants. However, members of a branch association, which in turn is affiliated with a prefectural or regional association, shall be examined by the branch association.

Article 24: Examinations at branches, branch associations, regional headquarters, and each country headquarters shall be conducted in accordance with the examination regulations stipulated by the general headquarters.

Article 25. Based on the provisions of Article 5, each branch, branch association, regional headquarters, and country headquarters can hold technical exchanges between these organizations and various events within these organizations.

Article 26: Branches, branch associations, regional headquarters, and each country headquarters may offer their opinions on revisions to the regulations, management of the association, and other matters that are considered to contribute to the development of the association.

Article 27: The president shall appoint the head of the regional headquarters and the head of each country headquarters, and the head of the branch associations shall be decided by the president through mutual election of the branch leaders and shall be approved by the president.

Chapter 7: Acknowledgment of Qualifications and Delivery of Certificates

Article 28: The association will do the following for those who have passed the examination or applied for it.

1. Issue a certificate for the relevant dan rank to those who have passed the examination at the General Headquarters.
2. On application from the branch association, regional headquarters, or any country headquarters, a certificate of the corresponding rank will be issued to those who are recognized as having the qualifications from 1st dan to 4th dan.

Article 29: The association will perform the following for those who have passed the 5th Dan examination.

1. Issue a 5th dan certificate.
2. Issue a shihan diploma.
3. Issue a certificate of appointment as an examiner.
4. Approve the opening of a branch dojo.

Article 30: The association will award a title of Renshi or higher to those who are deemed qualified based on the examination regulations.

Article 31: The Association will issue an instructor’s license to those with 3rd to 4th dan if it is deemed particularly necessary for those who have requested it.

Article 32: In the case of Article 29, Paragraph 2 and the preceding article, the license fees specified in the separate table 2 and 3 must be paid.

Chapter 8: Accounting

Article 33: The accounting of the association shall be covered by admission fees, examination fees, registration fees, donations, and other income.

Article 34: The fiscal year of the association shall be from January 1st to December 31st of each year.

Article 35: The person in charge of accounting shall submit an accounting report every January.

Chapter 9: Rewards and Punishments

Article 36: The president may commend those who are recognized for their meritorious service.

Article 37: The chairman can expel a person who is recognized to have seriously damaged the reputation of the association and who has no prospect of repentance even after admonition.

Article 38: Persons who have been expelled shall lose all rights to the association and shall not be reimbursed admission fees or other payments.

Chapter 10: Miscellaneous Rules

Article 39: Qualifications that have already been obtained before the enforcement of these rules and the separate examination regulations shall be recognized.

Article 40: Revisions to these rules and other decisions shall be decided by a majority of those present at the board meeting.

Supplementary Provisions

This rule shall be enforced from January 1, 1995.

© 2023, Andreas Quast. All rights reserved.