Kyu and dan — the judo belt system

What is Kyu and dan — the judo belt system?

Kyu (級) are coloured belts below black; dan (段) are black belt and higher grades. Together they form judo’s visible learning path.

How does Kyu and dan — the judo belt system work?

In the Netherlands the Judo Bond Nederland (JBN) runs a national graduation ladder. Below black sit the kyu steps (white through yellow, orange, green, blue to brown, with youth tabs as intermediates). Dan grades follow from black belt. Club exams test throws, breakfalls, groundwork and theory; dan exams run through the district with kata requirements (one kata for 1st dan, two for 2nd, three for 3rd). Black belt is not an endpoint — it marks serious technical study. See also our articles on belt colours and grading.

Belt order (kyu to dan) — indicative JBN path

Belt exams on Amsterdam mats

In Amsterdam-Amstelland clubs usually run kyu exams themselves, while dan exams run through the JBN district with several dates per year. Hall culture differs — compact Centrum versus spacious Zuidoost halls — but the ladder logic is national. Plan exams early, drill kata with an uke who knows the form, and read our belt-colour and grading articles before registering. Parents: do not stack exam week with a heavy tournament.

What kyu and dan mean

Kyu (級) are coloured grades below black; dan (段) starts at black belt. JBN’s graduations page describes a ladder with sixteen grades to the top — including coloured steps and the dan series. Tabs give youth intermediate rewards. Black belt marks serious technical study with kata and district exams — not an endpoint. Internationally you recognise the idea via IJF events, but exam rules differ by country. In the Netherlands jbn.nl leads on what clubs may examine. Ignore marketing numbers that are not on the exam pages.

The JBN exam path step by step

Kyu exams: club dates, ukemi, nage-waza, ne-waza and theory. Dan exams: register via the JBN calendar (dan exam registration filter); districts send venue and kata details. First dan needs one kata, second two, third three — plus technical standards and a competition or technical pathway. Under-fifteens generally cannot sit dan exams. Path: (1) ask for the exact syllabus, (2) train ukemi/uchi-komi on those demands, (3) register early, (4) avoid a heavy tournament the same week. Check judogi rules and recovery for youth.

Belt order and realistic pace

Adults training twice a week often need five to eight years white to black; children longer due to age rules and tabs. Gaps between kyu grades are typically six to twelve months — not a calendar right. Clubs differ in how strictly they judge exam readiness; that is quality control. Use the table as an indicative JBN path. Confirm exact colours and intermediates with your sensei, not a random webshop chart.

Conflicts between sources — how we choose

Evidence packs can show numeric noise next to exam rules. We prefer jbn.nl for graduations and dan exams, IJF for international competition context, and avoid Wikipedia as primary authority. Soft claims about teaching or age limits are worded cautiously with a pointer to current federation info. We never lift verbatim JBN sentences — including near-identical exam paragraphs.

From trial class to black belt in the city

Pick a club via the dojo guide, visit two trials if unsure, ask about exam calendars and tab policy. Pair with the live calendar for district dates. Further reading: belt-colour and kyu/dan grading articles — as context, not a federation substitute. Sponsors are labelled separately; JBN appears editorially, not as bulk dofollow footer links.

Practice block 1: kyu-dan

Season calendar kyu/dan: mark club exam nights, district dan dates, school holidays and tournaments. Never stack an exam and a heavy tournament in the same week. Children with tabs: four calm weeks between tab moments. Adults: protect sleep in the seven days before a dan exam. The JBN ladder with sixteen grades is a learning path, not a race calendar.

Practice block 2: kyu-dan

Kata block 1st-3rd dan: twenty minutes weekly with a fixed uke. 1st dan one kata, 2nd two, 3rd three — cleaner transitions beat spectacle. Register via the JBN calendar (dan exam registration filter) and keep the confirmation.

Practice block 3: kyu-dan

Parent belt session: colours are not a ranking between children. Ask the sensei for learning goals beyond the belt (ukemi, respect, grit). Read our belt-colour and grading articles as background — the federation stays authoritative on rules.

Practice block 4: kyu-dan

Source hygiene for graduations: when numbers conflict, jbn.nl/judo-graduaties, dan exam pages and the exams overview win. IJF for international contest context. No Wikipedia as primary exam authority. No verbatim JBN sentences.

Practice block 5: kyu-dan

Club choice and exams: in the trial class ask about exam calendars, tab policy and kata support for dan candidates. Two trials beat one brochure. Note travel distance and recovery time.

Practice block 6: kyu-dan

Personal white-to-black checklist: attendance, ukemi quality, uchi-komi log, exam syllabus per colour, dan path (competition or technical). Have the sensei sign off each quarter. Without a checklist, almost ready stays a feeling instead of evidence.

Practice block 7: kyu-dan

Deepening case for kyu-dan: describe a concrete Amsterdam class situation (youth or senior) where this concept went wrong, which cue the sensei gave, and how the next three sessions were adapted. Write at least eighty words in your log; without that case theory stays floating. Then attach a measurable drill (time, reps or checklist) that applies only to this concept.

Practice block 8: kyu-dan

Check moment for kyu-dan: have a partner quiz you with five open questions that cannot be answered yes/no. Note gaps. Schedule a remedial drill within seven days. This check does not replace a federation exam but prevents discovering shaky definitions only on exam night.

Practice block 9: kyu-dan

Integration with neighbouring concepts around kyu-dan: pick two knowledge pages that logically sit beside it and write a paragraph on how they reinforce each other on the mat. Read that paragraph aloud to your sensei for correction. That builds a network of ideas instead of isolated lemmas.

Practice block 10: kyu-dan

Quality bar for kyu-dan: state when you are satisfied (for example three clean reps, a faultless etiquette sequence, or a clear parent explanation). Share that bar with your coach. Without your own bar, progress stays vague and you only compare yourself to others.

Examples

• Kyu grading at your dojo, often once or twice a year
• Dan grading via JBN district (calendar filter for dan exam registration)
• Intermediate youth tabs between belt colours
• Technical dan pathway when competition points are not the route

Further reading

• Judo banden uitgelegd: kleuren van wit tot zwart
• Judo gradering: kyu en dan in de praktijk

Our sources

• JBN — Judo graduaties
• JBN — Danexamens 1e–3e dan
• JBN — Danexamens
• International Judo Federation