Traditional International style A3 Dan Certificate

We recently worked with a group in Scotland to produce a traditional International style A3 Dan Certifictae. 

The basis of the certificate template is a standard design and then is customised with group details, logo, Chief Instructor details etc. This works out about only half the cost of a fully custom certificate and follows the format issued by most Japan based organisations.

Always nice to see a photo of Dan Certificates being presented - Congratulations to Stuart McLean on promotion to Sandan.

If you would like to explore certificate options for your group just drop us a mail to sotosabisu@btinternet.com

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A Godan (5th Dan) Black Belt Certificate

Here we have a Godan (5th Dan) certificate for Total Shotokan Karate.

Our congratulations to Daniel on your recent promotion, many thanks to the group for forwarding the presentation photo, greatly appreciated.

 

The Graphics for the custom certificate

The Presentation

If you would like to explore certificate options for your group just drop us a mail to sotosabisu@btinternet.com

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The big certificate makeover

We recently worked with KD Combat Systems to do an extensive re-vamp on their certificate.

It was a bit of a strange one, because the client wanted to change practically everything, but at the same time wanted to retain as much of the old as possible. A serious nod to the history of the group.

We worked with them and produced a fully custom certificate to meet their specific needs.

New Shodan Certificate

The client wanted to retain the graphic of the tiger and the snake. 

We did offer some high resolution vector alternatives, although generally similar in style they did not gain approval. 

They only had a low resolution image which would not convert to a vector image in our graphics package. In the end we broke the image apart, then converted it, heavily edited it and stitched it all back together before making it a transparency and adding it as a watermark. 

There was probably about six hours work alone and the image comprises of 2898 individual objects.

The original certificate format

The group's hanko was in a sort of a seal script katakana. Although within the hanko and other parts of the certificate KD had been translated into katakana (which doesn't really work), we asked what the KD stood for, which was originally their first dojo, the Kihaku dojo. They also wanted to add Shotokan, so the hanko reads "Kihaku Dojo Sento Shotokan", and is written now all in kanji.

We translate the recipients name and add the grade into the main text. 

The text has changed to a standard Japanese Shotokan format. 

At the request of the group the imperial calendar date was removed at the "proof" stage. 

The reason for this is that the group does not generally hold centralised gradings, the chief instructor may move from club to club, and only grade one or two participants at anyone time. 

They chose just to have the date within the English text. This also allowed the Chief Instructor to prepare a batch of certificates, even if examination dates had not been finalised, or may have been arranged over a two to three month period.

As we regularly say, custom is what we do best. Quite a few hours on the project, probably a bit of a "loss leader", but we are equally happy working with groups that may only order a handful of certificates a year, compared to large groups that may have thirty to fifty members grading multiple times a year.

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A3 Dan Certificates

Here we have a few examples of A3 Dan certificates produced for various groups over the last year. 

A3 Dan Certificate for the EKF

Nishikan A3 Dan Certificate

Kempo Karate A3 Dan Certificate

BSKA  A3 Dan Certificate

Ren Ryu A3 Dan Certificate

 

"Option A" the fully individual certificate with the recipient's name in katakana and date in the imperial calendar format in kanji remains by far the most popular option. 

 The current costings for the certificates are on the website in the shop section, but a normal budget to produce your groups custom template would be around £110/£120. A budget for a full custom certificate, perhaps copying an existing kanji text that you currently use would be around £230.00 

After that individual recipient certificates are translated and designed and sent to you as a high resolution pdf for printing at your local printers. Costs range from £12.75 to £16.50 each depending on volume.

We also offer printing on glossy white card or parchment, but the majority of our customers arrange their own printing to save cost, postage and risk of damage in transit.

If you would like to explore certificate options for your group just drop us a mail to sotosabisu@btinternet.com

 Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Our Option "C+" Dan certificate

We recently worked with Nishinihon Karate Association to upgrade their "Option C" template to "Option C+". 

On "C+" the Dan rank kanji and corresponding English text is embedded into the template. It is never quite as simple as that, because all kanji are a different size all the rest of the kanji in the column also move so the tops of each column align across the template. 

We also changed some spacing and the logo at the base of the certificate to the groups requirements.

C+ Shodan Certificate

C+ Nidan Certificate

C+ Sandan Certiicate

C+ Yondan Certificate

The Certificate explained

 "Option A" the fully individual certificate with the recipient's name in katakana and date in the imperial calendar format in kanji remains by far the most popular option. 

 The current costings for the certificates are on the website in the shop section, but this option "C+" starts at £95 and £8 for each grade template that is added.

If you would like to explore certificate options for your group just drop us a mail to sotosabisu@btinternet.com

 Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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A3 Dan Certificates for the Highland Karate Association

We recently worked with the Highland Karate Association to re-vamp their Dan grade certificates. 

The certificate is based on the marriage of our standard templates and their original certificate.  

We had some really great feedback, thank you HKA.

A completed Certificate

New certificates are awarded - Congratulations

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Kyu and Dan Certificates for Kempo Karate Association

We recently worked with Braintree Shotokan Karate Club to produce Dan grade certificates. It was great working with the Kempo Karate Association on their new Kyu and Dan certificates. 

They were after something a little different so went for a full custom package. 

We really like how the two certificates complement each other. 

A4 Custom Kyu Certificate

Kempo will complete the details for Kyu level and they will order individual Dan level with serial number, names, dates and grade inserted in katakana and kanji. 

A3 Custom Dan Certificate

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A New Option for A3 Dan Certificates

We recently worked with Braintree Shotokan Karate Club to produce Dan grade certificates. 

BSKC Shodan Certificate

We recreated their logo as a vector image and produced what is now an option "C+" dan grade certificate. 

Option "C" is a template where clubs fill in all the detail of grade and names etc and there is no individual translation of names. 

BSKC Nidan Certificate

BSKC requested if we could add the Dan rank kanji so the club purchases a base template and then orders additional templates for additional dan ranks. 

We like this as an option as there is no additional English text mixed in with the kanji.

BSKC Sandan Certificate

Our most popular certificate remains Option "A" where we translate individual recipient names, but this new "C+" option is a development for those groups that require something less bespoke. 

We will always guide you through the options if you contact us.

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Custom Karate Dan Certificates

We recently worked with Shotokan Karate Norwich to produce their new custom dan certificates. 

Our congratulations go to Archie and George Smith on their promotion to Shodan, Oss!

SKN requested that we use a brush style font and incorporate their logo. They also chose not to embed the inkan into the certificate, but to use their own Hanko to create the inkan after the certificate is printed. We are happy to make Hanko for our customers when required, but this is left as a client option.

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A3 Karate Dan Certiicates

We recently worked with Martial Arts East to produce a Dan grade certificate. 

Our congratulations go to Ethan Ward on your recent promotion to Shodan, Oss!

The Certificate incorporated the club logo, a hanko with a standard block script font for the club and smaller chief instructor hanko. 

All the certificates produced for the club will have the recipients name translated into katakana, the Dan rank in kanji, the date added in the imperial calendar format.

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Fully Custom Shito-Ryu Dan Certificate

 We have been working with Genbu-kai UK to produce a traditional format Shito-Ryu Dan certificate. 

Fully Custom Shito-Ryu A3 Dan Certificate

Apologies for a long post, this was a lot of work and we thought you would be interested in the process.

Our experience is very much  based in the Shotokan Ryu and we don't have the knowledge to provide script translations, but we were interested to see if we could be of  service for this enquiry.

Our customer wanted to keep very much to the style of their existing International Federation Certificate both in border and text. However, they did need to make adjustments to the issuing authority so it represented the devolved National Association rather than the International Federation.

Our first step - Establishment of authority to issue Dan Certificates. 

We do not "Police" the issuing of authority, but we do make enquiries and undertake some research to authenticate a request for Dan Certificates. On a small number of occasions customers have "withdrawn" from an enquiry when we have politely asked what we consider "reasonable" questions. 

As an existing format Dan Certificate we had been provided with a photo of  our clients Rokudan issued by Shihan Fumio Demura. The author of quite a few books that had sat on my bookshelf for 20 years! Our customer is recognised as the International Federation's representative in the UK.

We started by establishing the kanji used on the certificate so we could insert them into our graphics package.

右の者, Migi no mono means right person, the persons name who is written in the column on the right of this line of vertical text.

糸東流空手道,  Shito-ry karate-do

参段,  Sandan, 3rd dan

允に授與する, Awarded to

玄武会連合王国, Genbu kai rengo-okkoku, Genbu kai UK

We added the column for the imperial calendar date, changing the era to the new imperial era and added the Chief Instructors details.

The customer wanted to retain the border, but we could not source it anywhere. Our work around saw the client sending us an existing blank dan grade certificate, which we then had commercially scanned. We then had remove all the background and text to just leave us with a border. It turned out to be about four hours work in itself.

The kamon did not scan well and we could not find one on the internet that was of a high enough resolution, so we created one from scratch in the graphics package.

Last but not least was to recreate the hanko. Although we have searched for over ten years for a seal font we have never managed to access one. However, for this projects we made further enquiries in Japan and managed to access font from a Tokyo based font factory. The new Association kanji were transposed into the seal font and the inkan positioned on the certificate.

How long did it take? Well we lost track of hours, perhaps just as well because it would not be commercially viable to do. An estimate, about 16 hours over a 6 week period. 

Did we enjoying doing it, absolutely. 

The first batch of certificates are awarded.

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A3 Dan Certificate for Shin -Gi-Tai

Another new Dan Certificate, this one headed to Scotland.

 

We recently worked with Shin-Gi-Tai In Scotland to produce a template and a couple of Dan Certificates.

We communicate mainly by E Mail, it helps with keeping good records, but sometimes it works better just picking up the phone and chatting through all the various options. (Calls limited to UK Only)

So if you are thinking of updating your certificates with either a full or semi custom version just drop us a e Mail and we can start developing a graphic for your approval.

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A3 Dan Certificates - the three options explained

証明書 - Shomeisho - Certificates

We are now offering three different base layout options for A3 Dan Certificates all of which can be customised to your requirements.

Option A - A3 Dan grade certificates - pdfs (Soto Sabisu completes Reg. No. + name + date in kana and script when individual certificates are ordered)
Size	Cost
A3 Template - 420 x 297 mm	From £75.00
A3 Custom Certificates - pdf's
1 to 3	£14.50 each
4 to 10	£13.00 each
10+	£11.00 each
"Click" to go to - A3 Dan Certificates page
Additional "fully custom" items as costed on table below
Payments by BACS or Pay Pal at 5% Premium

Option B - A3 Dan grade certificates - pdfs (Soto Sabisu completes Reg. No. + date in kana and script when individual certificates are ordered)
Size	Cost
A3 Template - 420 x 297 mm	From £85.00
A3 Custom Certificates - pdf's
1 to 3	£10.50 each
4 to 10	£9.00 each
10+	£7.00 each
"Click" to go to - A3 Dan Certificates page
Additional "fully custom" items as costed on table below
Payments by BACS or Pay Pal at 5% Premium

Option C - A3 Dan grade certificates - pdfs (Association completes Dan level and script) Option C+ - As above with Dan grade  kanji and text
Size	Cost
A3 Template - 420 x 297 mm	£95.00
"Click" to go to - A3 Dan Certificates page
Additional "fully custom" items as costed on table below
Payments by BACS or Pay Pal at 5% Premium

Certificate Additional "options" list
Item	Cost
Custom authentication hanko	£5.00
Custom association hanko	£8.00
Logo conversion from your image / file (if possible)	£5.00
Custom logo - 25% discount	£30.00
Phoenix border to certificate	£5.00
Title of official hanko	£5.00
Watermark	£8.00
Option C+ - Additional templates with grade in kanji and English text	£8.00

There is also the option to leave the space for hanko blank and ordering self inking stamps to apply to the printed certificate, these can be purchased at a 20% discount

So if you are thinking of updating your certificates just drop us a e Mail and we can start developing a graphic for your approval.

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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A3 Dan Certificate for Nishikan Martial Arts

We were recently asked by Nishikan Martial arts to produce a Dan certificate for one of their members who was promoted to Godan.

We produced a custom Hanko for them and used a font very similar to their existing logo throughout.

Our congratulations to Pat Gawler on his promotion to Godan.

NMA were so pleased with the certificate they have decided to use it for all their Dan grades and have even ordered some replacement certificates for members that have passed grading in the last few years.

So if you are thinking of updating your certificates just drop us a e Mail and we can start developing a graphic for your approval.

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Semi Custom A3 Dan Grade Certificates

We recently worked with Black Scorpion Karate on a Semi-Custom A3 Dan grade certificate.

This is an alternative to the fully custom certificate. The full option includes a custom serial number, name of recipient and date in imperial calendar format translated in kana. 

The Semi Custom version selected by Black Scorpion Karate includes the name of the issuing Club / Association in kanji and the position and name of the examiner in kanji / katakana. 

We also include a club / association hanko above the kanji for "Sho", the issuer will complete the rest of the details in English text. 

Whereas the full Custom version is a similar format to a JKA style certificate the Semi-Custom version is more of a half way house of "East meets West", it is all down to personal preference.

We also took the original logo and converted it to a vector image for the certificate and supplied a pdf version of this separately for them as "added value".

So if you are thinking of updating your certificates with either a full or semi custom version just drop us a e Mail and we can start developing a graphic for your approval.

Current costings can be found in the relevant shop page please click on the button below to view.

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Dan grade certificates for The Karate Dojo

Recently we worked with Sensei Ady Gray from The Karate Dojo, this time re-modelling their Dan grade certificates.

We together reviewed elements of previous certificates and looked at options to try and make the certificate a little bit special. BSKA asked us to use a custom text for the English part of the certificate that they had composed and we added a custom watermark behind with three rings of the BSKA logo, the rising sun and the shotokan tiger.

Congratulations to Sensei Colin Smith and Sensei John Gardiner who were awarded 6th and 4th Dan respectively earlier today.

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A3 Dan Certificates for TSKUK

 We were thrilled when we were approached by TSKUK to produce dan grade certificates for them. TSKUK were looking for a traditional JKA style format and for us to produce the pdfs of individual certificates with names and dates translated.

I think we completed the graphics for 39 Certificates in our first production for TSKUK. 

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A3 Dan Certificate for Switzerland

We were recently asked by the Swiss Karate-do Organization to produce a A3 Dan certificate for them that they could complete themselves.

They chose to add their logo at the top of the certificate, which we converted to a vector image. They also added a custom Hanko for the Organization and a chief Instructor hanko in the signature box along with a phoenix border and a script font. Below is our graphic:

Below is a photo of a printed certificate sent by our client:

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Certificate remodel for Nishinihon Karate

 We were recently asked to remodel a current Dan certificate for Nishinihon karate which involved making a few changes to layout, it was to be a mix of their existing certificate and our standard style A3 template. Being a small micro business "custom" is our speciality and we happy to work with our clients to try and produce exactly what they want. As usual the design is usually developed in a number of steps from client brief, through our initial rough draft, then a few "to and fro" amendments until we reach a final design.

The certificate uses the kanji for Shuryo-Shosho rather than just the Sho kanji as per their existing certificate. The client requested that the kana part of the text did not require a translation of the name of the recipient and date as this would be in the English text below. There is a space at the top of the 3rd column from the right to insert text of the level of Dan attained.

Nishinihon karate also asked that we incorporated their logo at the top, a custom Hanko, a phoenix border and a watermark along with their affiliations to federations at the base of the certificate.

The certificate leans a little more to a "Western" style than our normal certificate making it easier for the Association to complete details in English text making it a little easier for them and easier for the recipient to read as well.

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A new era for CKA

We have been producing Dan certificates for the Chiltern Karate Association for a while now, but last weekend following Dan gradings they presented successful karateka with certificates with the Imperial calendar date showing the new Reiwa era.

The Reiwa period, in Japan,is the imperial reign period that began on May 1, 2019, following the abdication of Emperor Akihito and the elevation of his son Naruhito to the Chrysanthemum Throne. The two kanji constituting the period’s reign name are rei (meaning “order” or “auspicious”) and wa (“harmony”). The official English translation of the period is “Beautiful Harmony.”

Congratulations to all recipients including Bernard and Alex above.

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