.:: ClubGrades

.:: Nippon Kempo has a belt system based on the traditional Japanese system of junior and senior grades. Club grades refer to the junior grades: WHITE, YELLOW, GREEN and BLUE belt. These grades are awarded at club level by the regional senior coach.

The purpose of the colour belt system is to provide a convenient method of grouping people of a similar attainment for training more efficiently. Because the colour of the belt carries a grade, it is a means of indicating seniority and the level a person has reached.
Each junior grade must be held for a minimum of three months.

.:: InternationalLicence

.:: This is the minimum grade of proficiency recognised internationally. This is awarded solely by competition. To prove that a minimum level of Nippon Kempo competence has been reached, two points must be scored in competition. These can be accumulated over a number of competition attempts.

.:: AssociationGrades

.:: These are the senior grades awarded centrally by the associations. There are ten senior grades i.e. ten grades of BLACK belt.

Senior grades are awarded for success in competition or by the recommendation of the executives of the association. Senior grades are awarded by recommendation only under very special circumstances:
1. Where the grading competition system does not allow an active and willing member to participate regularly in grading competition(i.e. due to lack of opponents).
2. Where a senior member has ceased active participation in grading competition but have made valuable contributions to Nippon Kempo as a coach and/or referee.

To grade to a senior grade, competitors are required to win a set number of bouts consecutively or an accumulated number of bouts over a number of competitions. Grading by competition applies for 1st to 6th Black Belt. 7th to 10th grade Black Belt is by recommendation.