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# What's a Shinzen Katami 形見?
- URL: https://www.gojukarate.com/shinzen-katami/
- Published: 2023-02-16T05:34:31.000Z
- Updated: 2023-02-16T05:34:31.000Z
- Description: Ever wonder what's inside the baskets on the Shinzen? Shinzen Katami are in one of them.
- Author: Goju Karate
- Tags: Sensei

**If your application for Rank Testing has been approved, please seriously consider bringing a *shinzen katami* to testing.**

Students who are invited to attend Rank Testing and test for advancement to their next rank (kyu) are given a handout that invites them to bring a **Shinzen Katami 形見** to the day of rank testing.

![](https://storage.ghost.io/c/eb/9e/eb9ebba1-1832-4ab5-9b46-96567d9f3273/content/images/2023/02/shinzen-katami-basket-closeup.jpg)

The Basket for Shinzen Katami at the Goju Karate NYC Dojo

So what exactly is a **shinzen katami**?

### A Symbol of Everyone 

Literally, a shinzen katami is a "souvenir" or "representation" that is placed on the shinzen.

**It is, literally, a symbol of you.**  
  
*Katami* are placed in one of three baskets that are in the center portion of the *shinzen*, and remain there for about two months, and then are returned to their owners.

The purpose of *Shinzen Katami* is to help remind everyone that the *shinzen* is the focal point for our entire dojo community, especially all of our students, and the opportunity to place your own *katami* in the *shinzen* is a great demonstration of this.

### What Can You Bring? 

  
A **katami** can be either:

- **A small object that is meaningful to you in some way.** For instance, a *daruma* or a dried flower from a special event in your life. *The object can be inside a bag or container or wrapped so that it isn’t visible.* Please try to keep the size of the object to something smaller than a soda can, although we’ll try to make exceptions. (Especially if you want to bring a rank belt \[*obi*\] from someone that is important in your life, size limits will be waived automatically because of the deep significance that they hold. *Obi* need not be specifically karatedo *obi* — they may be from any martial art).  
    
If the object isn’t necessarily unique, or if you think it might be hard to identify later when *katami* are returned to everyone, please put a small label on it with your name.
- **A note in a sealed envelope.** This note can contain anything you wish; the envelope will never be opened and will be returned to you when the next rank testing cycle begins. The contents of the note are entirely up to you: perhaps its a letter addressed to yourself in the future, discussing how you feel about your training and about testing now; or perhaps it’s a note or a shodo meditation kanji that is especially meaningful to you; or perhaps it has nothing to do with karatedo or rank testing, but about other important aspects of your life.

###   
What Happens to Your Shinzen Katami?

  
Please bring your *shinzen katami* with you on the day of rank testing; you’ll be asked to put it in a basket for the shinzen before promotion starts.

*Shinzen katami* will be returned to their owners the week before the next rank testing cycle ends; a basket with the *katami* will be placed to the side of the *shinzen* and you are free to retrieve your *katami* at any point before or after class.