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Karate Grading Syllabus (by Belt)

In Shotokan, you grade down the coloured kyū belts (from ~9th kyū to 1st kyū) then up the black-belt dan grades (Shodan onward). Each grade adds a required kata, representative kihon (basics) and a kumite (sparring) type. Belt colours and exact requirements vary by organisation; below is a representative JKA-style syllabus — the one consistent thread is the kata order.

How the kyū / dan system works

The coloured belts are kyū grades and count downward — a beginner starts around 9th or 10th kyū and works down toward 1st kyū (usually brown), the most advanced kyū. Then the black belts are dan grades and count upward: Shodan (1st), Nidan (2nd), Sandan (3rd), Yondan (4th), Godan (5th). See the colours and meaning on our karate belts in order page, and typical timelines on how long a black belt takes.

Representative syllabus by grade

GradeRequired kataRepresentative kihonKumite
9th kyūHeian ShodanOi-zuki; age-uke, soto-uke, uchi-uke, gedan-barai; mae-geriGohon (5-step)
8th kyūHeian Nidan+ shutō-uke (back stance); yoko-geri keage & kekomiGohon
7th kyūHeian SandanCombination basics; sanbon-zukiGohon (some add kihon ippon)
6th kyūHeian YondanBlock + kizami/gyaku-zuki; mawashi-geriKihon ippon (one-step)
5th kyūHeian GodanMulti-technique combinations; empi, urakenKihon ippon
4th kyūTekki Shodan+ ushiro-geri; work in kiba-dachiKihon ippon
3rd kyūBassai DaiLonger combinations with stance changes+ jiyu ippon introduced
2nd kyūSentei kata (choice)Advanced combinations, kicking sequencesJiyu ippon
1st kyūSentei kata (choice)Full combination sets, all major kicksJiyu ippon; some light jiyu kumite
1st dan (Shodan)Tokui kata (Bassai/Kankū Dai, Jion, Empi)Extended combinations incl. kicksJiyu ippon and/or jiyu kumite
What varies, and what doesn’t. Belt colours, exact kihon combinations, whether gohon or sanbon is used, and the 2nd/1st-kyū Sentei kata choice (Bassai Dai, Kankū Dai, Jion or Empi) all differ by dojo and organisation. The kata order — five Heian, then Tekki Shodan, then Bassai Dai — is consistent across JKA-lineage Shotokan.

The kumite ladder, explained

  • Gohon kumite (5-step) — five identical stepping attacks; retreat, block, counter on the fifth. For distance and timing.
  • Kihon ippon kumite (one-step) — a single announced attack, one block and immediate counter.
  • Jiyu ippon kumite (semi-free one-step) — free stance, announced attack but live timing and distance; the bridge to free sparring.
  • Jiyu kumite (free sparring) — unchoreographed, with control.

More on the six types on our kumite page, and the forms themselves in the kata library.

Frequently asked questions

What are the belt requirements in Shotokan karate?
Each grade adds a required kata, representative kihon combinations and a kumite type — starting with Heian Shodan and gohon kumite at 9th kyū and building through the five Heian, Tekki Shodan and the Sentei kata to Shodan. Exact requirements vary by organisation.
What kata do you need for each belt?
Typically: Heian Shodan (9th kyū), Heian Nidan (8th), Heian Sandan (7th), Heian Yondan (6th), Heian Godan (5th), Tekki Shodan (4th), Bassai Dai (3rd), then a Sentei kata (Bassai Dai, Kankū Dai, Jion or Empi) for 2nd–1st kyū and Shodan. This order is consistent across JKA-lineage Shotokan.
Do kyū grades count up or down?
Down. Beginners start around 9th or 10th kyū and progress toward 1st kyū (the highest coloured belt). After that, dan (black-belt) grades count upward from 1st dan (Shodan).
Are karate grading requirements the same everywhere?
No. Belt colours and exact kihon and kumite requirements vary by organisation and even between clubs. The kata order is the most consistent element across JKA-lineage Shotokan; always follow your own dojo’s syllabus.