A General Timeline of the use of Dan and Ranking system in Modern Karate

Many thanks to  沖縄剛柔流空手古武道拳志會山口県支部 Okinawa Gojuryu KenshiKai-Yamaguchi Prefecture branch for putting this timeline together. I have translated it roughly and added a few key dates for those interested in Chito Ryu. The text below was posted on their Facebook page. I have shared my translation with them

Article stats below:
.昇級昇段に関する資料として動画を制作しました。
間違いや問題がありましたらご指摘お願い致します。
I made this video as a document on promotion to the rank of dan.
If there are any mistakes or problems, please let me know.
空手における称号段位制度の歴史　超ザックリ！柔道も含む。
History of the title-dan system in karate. Super zany! Judo included.

• 1882年 講道館柔道創立 (Founded Kodokan Judo). 
• 1895年 大日本武徳会創立。称号「範士」「教士」「錬士」設定。(1895 Founded Dai Nippon Butoku Kai. Titles "Hanshi", "Teacher", and "Renshi" are set).
• 1919年 大日本武徳会、「武術」の名称を「武道」と改称統一。(1895 Founded Dai Nippon Butoku Kai. Titles "Hanshi", "Kyoshi", and "Renshi" are set).
• 1920年 講道館柔道「段級規呈」を発表する。(1920 Announced Kodokan Judo ``Dan Requirements and expectations").

 

• 1933年 大日本武徳会沖縄県支部設立、日本の武術として唐手を承認。12月8日付け。(1933 Established Dai Nippon Butoku Kai Okinawa Chapter and approved Karate as a Japanese martial art. Dated December 8th).
• 1934年 大日本武徳会に「剛柔流唐手」と登録。(1934 Goju-ryu Karate Registered with the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai).
• 1937年5月5日宮城長順、大日本武徳会より「教士」授与。(May 5, 1937 Chojun Miyagi was awarded a "KYOSHI" by Dai Nippon Butoku Kai).
• 1939年船越義珍(松濤館)摩文仁賢和(糸東流)新里仁安(剛柔流)大日本武徳会より「錬士」授与。(1939 Gichin Funakoshi {Shotokan} Kenwa Mabuni {Shito-ryu} Hitoshi Niisato {Goju-ryu} Awarded "Renshi" by Dai Nippon Butoku Kai).
• 1940年比嘉世幸(剛柔流)、長嶺将真(松林流)、大日本武徳会より「錬士」授与。(1940 Dai Nippon Butoku Kai Awarded "Renshi" to Sekō Higa {Goju-ryu}, Shoshin Nagamine {Matsubayashi-ryu} .
• 1946年第二次世界大戦終結 大日本武徳会解散。(1946 End of World War II Dissolution of Dai Nippon Butoku Kai).
• 1948 - Chitose appointed as the Head of the KyuShu Regions HQ for the All Japan Kenpo-do Promotion Society )added by James H based on the work of Hokama. T. in 100 masters of Okinawan Karate).
• 1956年5月 沖縄空手道連盟創立 (May 1956 Established the Okinawa Karatedo Federation).
• 1960年12月30日沖縄空手道連盟、初の段級制を実施(3段25人、2段23人、初段40人発表) (December 30, 1960 Okinawa Karatedo Federation implements and issues the first dan grading/system {3rd dan 25 people awarded, 2nd dan 23 people awarded, 1st dan 40 people awarded}).
• 1964年4月国際空手道連盟極真会館創立 (April 1964 Established Kyokushin Kaikan, International Karatedo Federation). 
• 1964年10月全日本空手道連盟創立 (October 1964 Established Japan Karatedo Federation).
• 1967年「沖縄空手道連盟」を解消し「全沖縄空手道連盟」を結成。(1967 The "Okinawa Karatedo Federation'' was dissolved and the "All Okinawa Karatedo Federation" was formed. In April this group established and clarified dan expectations. In May this group awarded the following” Hansei-rei {1}, Hanshi {5}, Kyoshi {24} and Renshi {29}. Later this year the All Okinawan Karate Kobudo Federation Union Formed - in 1968 they will Award Chitose 10th Dan - however the union never took hold and disbanded soon thereafter.)
• 1982年「沖縄県空手道連盟」設立、「全日本空手道連盟」に加盟。(1982 Established "Okinawa Prefecture Karatedo Federation" and joined "All Japan Karatedo Federation". Not all Okinawan karate groups joined).

Other Key Dates

• 1920 大正9年 6月5日 「講道館段級規呈」を発表する (1920 June 5, 1919 Announcement of "Kodokan Grade Regulation").
• 1943 昭和18年1月10日 本館段級規則による帯の色分を改正する (1943 January 10 Karate amended the color of the obi according to the Kodokan regulations and grade rules). 
• 1957 昭和32年5月6日 講道館審議会規則「昇段基準に関する内規」制定 (1957 May 6 Enactment of Kodokan Council Regulations "Internal Regulations on Promotion Standards" - establishes again the regulation of dan system on a global scale).
• 1957 昭和32年8月1日 「講道館昇段資格に関する内規」制定 - not too sure as this repeats what is above - but gives a different date.
• 1977 昭和52年12月1日 「講道館女子柔道昇段資格に関する内規」制定 (1977 December 1, Enactment of "Kodokan Women's Judo Promotion Qualifications" established)

For a fuller chronology of Karate key dates please see Hokama., T (2007) Timeline of Karate History: Pre-History to 2000. Trans J. Swift