Today we take a look at the difference between titles and honorifics in the Japanese language and how they are used in the Japanese martial arts. Some of these terms include, sensei, senpai, soke, shihan, kyoshi, and hanshi.

Special thanks to Grigoris Miliaresis for making sure I had not forgotten how to use the Japanese language. Grigoris is a writer for the Japanese martial arts magazine Gekkan Hiden (budojapan.com) and a practitioner of two classical Japanese martial arts with additional experience and background in modern budo like judo and kendo.