jōdan

For the kenjutsu posture which is frequently shortened by kendo practitioners to "jōdan", see Jōdan-no-kamae. Jōdan (上段), which in a martial arts context means something like 'high-level' (lit. 'high/upper degree'), is one of the three heights commonly referred to in Japanese martial arts. It refers to the upper part of the body, which includes the shoulders and above.
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