Editing Shintaido (section)

==Curriculum and organisation==

Shintaido offers five [[Dan (rank)|Dan]] (段, ''higher level'') grades: currently just four people in the world hold the highest grade (5th Dan). On average it takes ten years of practice to reach 1st Dan (the grade of Shintaido instructor).  Equivalent grades are also offered in the Shintaido forms of bojutsu & karate.

In Europe [[Kyu grade|Kyu]] (級, ''lower level'') examinations are conducted in each country. For 1st Dan and above, they are held at a European workshop organised by the European Shintaido College (ESC). Exams of 3rd Dan and above are held at international festivals held every four years at varying locations around the world.

The International Shintaido College (ISC) is the main organisation of Shintaido instructors. It meets every four years, when it also holds exams, of 3rd dan and above.  Its Technical Committee (ISC-TC) comprises nine members, drawn from Shintaido's three regions: Europe, the Americas (including Australia) and Japan. This committee aims to harmonise practice and technique around the world.

Japan, the country of Shintaido's origin, has many instructors, most working within a national organisation (NPO). In the Western hemisphere, Shintaido is practised in USA, Canada and Brazil. The US instructors operate under the auspices of Shintaido of America. In Europe, The European Shintaido College (ESC) includes most of the Shintaido instructors in Europe, based in Germany, Belgium, Spain, France, Britain, Italy, the Czech Republic and Switzerland. ESC meets annually at a ‘forum’, when exams of 1st and 2nd Dan are also held. The European Technical Committee (ETC) oversees the examinations and establishes the curriculum for all examinations in Europe. Kyu grade exams can be held nationally or locally, twice a year.