Shogo Title – Kyoshi Mike Hoffman

Kyoshi Mike Hoffman receiving his 7th Dan Menjo from Soke Joseph Ruiz.

2022 IKKU Fall Highlight

Join us in congratulating our longtime International Karate Kobudo Union (IKKU) friend and member, Mike Hoffman. On September 24, 2022, Soke Joseph Ruiz, 10th Dan Hanshi-Sei of the IKKU, awarded both a 7th Dan rank in KoToSu-Ha Shito-Ryu Karate and the Shogo title of Kyoshi to Mike Hoffman.

Kyoshi Mike is known on the traditional karate circuit of the Sugar Hills, Georgia area, as the award-winning, prominent sensei at Kita Kaze Karate Kai with over 60,000 votes. Winner of the Gwinnett Daily Post 2019 Reader’s Choice Award for Best Martial Arts Training Facility in the Atlanta Area, Kyoshi Hoffman is the man to see if you or your children are in the Sugar Hills area and seeking traditional martial arts tutelage.

Well done and well deserved, Kyoshi Hoffman!

SHOGO SYSTEM (称号)

Shihan Dai Mike Hoffman submitting his 6th Dan, Shihan Dai Obi to Soke Ruiz before his promotion.

For those unfamiliar, the Shogo (称号) System is similar to the ranking used by many Japanese martial arts styles. The word loosely translates to “title” instead of “rank” since many martial arts systems have these as independent systems. Shogo titles are only awarded to higher-level dan, and many organizations use Shogo titles to signify the higher level of understanding, commitment, contribution, and sharing from an individual black belt.A Shogo title is undoubtedly one of the biggest signs that a Soke, Hanchi, or Kaicho could share with one of their black belts to signify the value and respect they have for the practitioner. Shogo titles are only earned after years of rigorous training, maturity, and character development.

The Shogo system is progressive, only achieved by contributing, growing, sharing, and excelling in the respective art. Commonly used Shogo titles are Renshi, Shihan, Kyoshi, and Hanshi. The IKKU recognizes the system implemented and developed by Soke Joseph Ruiz in the ’70s.

Additional IKKU Information:

Don’t forget our upcoming event, the 2025 IKKU Summer Camp entitled “Camp Tensho.” It is scheduled for June 5 through June 7, 2025, at Robinson Karate Dojo in Carrollton, GA.

For information about joining the IKKU—International Karate Kobudo Union—please visit our IKKU Registration Page. We welcome new members to our organization and have 6-8 scheduled events each year. This will allow you direct access to Soke Joseph Ruiz, the founder of the IKKU, and other High-Dan Instructors from the IKKU.

For a complete listing of upcoming scheduled sessions, please visit our Events Page. Here we showcase our upcoming Clinics, Camps, and other opportunities for engagement with the IKKU.