Does your club/organization use dan bars on black belts

[Dr. Frank]

As Shotokan practitioners we do not put stripes on the belts. We may embroider the belt with rank in Japanese characters using red thread for shodan and nidan, and gold for sandan and above. I think this is because sandan was traditionally considered "instructor rank."

The head instructor is an 8th dan and sometimes he wears a red and white belt at tournaments. He says 8th and above can wear this belt but I think he borrowed that idea from another style as I don't think it's strictly traditional Shotokan.

I was promoted to shodan in 1979 and have never worn anything but plain, black belts.