Apply to be examined overseas.

Members who wish to apply to be examined in Japan by the AJKF; a Japanese prefecture kendo association or by any other overseas kendo/iaido/jodo organisation, must complete the below relevant procedures.

AKR members who wish to apply to be examined overseas, including in Japan by the AJKF; a Japanese prefecture Kendo association or by any other overseas Kendo/Iaido/Jodo organisation, must complete the below relevant procedures.

AKR policy to apply to be examined overseas is here.

 

From January 2025 onward:

AJKF Exams (6 Dan and above)

  1. Complete all fields in full, on an AKR Grading Exam Application form. Ensuring that the dojo sensei and an officer of the relevant state/territory association has also signed the form. (There are no fees payable to the AKR) Return this form to AKR as Word document or PDF.
  2. Complete all fields in full on the relevant examining bodies application form.  Please use the relevant AJKF Grading Application form for kyu and 1-5 Dan (return to AKR as Word or PDF), or 6-8 Dan (return to AKR as Excel document only).
  3. Prepare a PDF copy of your current grade certificate.
  4. Email all the above documents completed in full and signed by all required to the AKR president (akrpresident@kendoaustralia.asn.au) and copy to the AKR secretary (akrsecretary@kendoaustralia.asn.au).  Your application should arrive no later than 21 days before the overseas application deadline. If you did not receive an acknowledgement of receipt from AKR within 7 days, please email and follow up with us in case your email went to the junk mailbox.
  • Please note: From January 2025 onward, the AKR will collate and submit all individual applications and submit ONE spreadsheet per exam location to the AJKF on members’ behalf. No late submissions will be entertained.
  1. Applying members will, in due course receive further advice from the AKR regarding acceptance of their application and payment of relevant fees.
  • Note: Please avoid emailing AJKF to follow up on your payment, as the office has a high volume of emails to manage. You will be contacted if your payment was not received.
  • Some AJKF exams have a two or three month application cut-off date, please take care to check this carefully well in advance.  Some AJKF exams have over 1000 applicants and for such events, the applications are handled in a strictly controlled schedule, so late entries are not considered.

Other Exams (Japanese prefectural up to 5 Dan etc.)

Exams in Japan for 5th Dan and lower are conducted by prefecture Kendo associations.  Accordingly, the AJKF does not handle applications for those exams.  An applicant should first complete steps 1-4 above.

AKR will provide a letter of approval, allowing at least two weeks for return of all application documents.

The member then must submit their own AKR approved application documents and other documents (as  maybe required) direct to the prefecture kendo association (not to AJKF) .

 

Exams in FIK affiliate countries except Japan

An applicant should first complete steps 1-4 above.

AKR will provide a letter of approval, allowing at least two weeks for return of all application documents.

The member then must submit their own AKR approved application documents and other documents (as maybe required) direct to the Kendo association.

 

Other information:

Australian Kendo Renmei, PDF Grading Exam Application form, Modified – 1 May 2015.

All Japan Kendo Federation, Grading Application form for kyu and 1-5 Dan, or 6-8 Dan.

The 2025 AJKF Event Schedule, including exam dates, is here.

 

Advice for AKR Members who reside overseas:

AKR Members (or former members) who have moved overseas or may reside temporarily overseas for approximately a year, or more, are strongly advised to join their local kendo association, where they will abide by local rules and procedures for grading application.