Dōjōchō is the title for the head of a Japanese martial arts

Japanese martial arts

Japanese martial arts refers to the enormous variety of martial arts native to Japan. At least three Japanese terms are often used interchangeably with the English phrase "Japanese martial arts": , literally meaning "martial way", , which has no perfect translation but means something like science,...

 training hall, or dōjō

Dojo

A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...

 .

The dōjōchō is not always the chief instructor or highest ranked

Dan rank

The ranking system is a Japanese mark of level, which is used in modern fine arts and martial arts. Originally invented in a Go school in the Edo period, this system was applied to martial arts by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo and later introduced to other East Asia countries.In the modern...

 person, but reflects an administrative or ownership role. The person holding this title is often the dōjō's owner or someone appointed by him/her.

The title is used in Japanese martial arts such as judo

Judo

is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...

, karate

Karate

is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...

, kendo

Kendo

, meaning "Way of The Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship, or kenjutsu.Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sport-like physical elements.-Practitioners:Practitioners...

, aikido

Aikido

is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...

, etc.

People who are Dōjōchō

• Aikikai Hombu Dojo: Moriteru Ueshiba
  Moriteru Ueshiba
  is a Japanese master of aikido. He is a grandson of Morihei Ueshiba, founder of aikido, and son of Kisshomaru Ueshiba. Ueshiba is the third and current Doshu of the Aikikai.-Biography:Ueshiba was born on April 2, 1951, in Tokyo, Japan...
  
  
• Shoheijuku : Morito Suganuma
  Morito Suganuma
  Morito Suganuma is a Japanese aikido teacher holding the rank of 8th dan in the Aikikai .Born in Fukushima, Japan, his first contact with aikido was in 1963 at the Asia University in Tokyo where he followed a class taught by Nobuyoshi Tamura...
  
  
• Iwama dojo
  Iwama dojo
  Iwama is an important historical location from the development of Aikido. It has a famous dojo of the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, who lived there from 1942 until his death in 1969. It has become "a Mecca to the aikido community."...
  
  : Mitsuteru Ueshiba
  Mitsuteru Ueshiba
  Mitsuteru Ueshiba is the son of the third and current dōshu of the Aikikai, Moriteru Ueshiba. In keeping with the iemoto system of familial generations in traditional Japanese martial arts, he is expected to succeed his father as dōshu, becoming the Fourth Dōshu...