I've been doing Kendo for about 7 months and my teacher (7th Dan) said that I should try the 1 kyu exam. Now i've read other threads about people starting at 6 Kyu etc and am wondering if my teacher is getting a little carried away. I practice about two or three times a week, often at the Japanese Junior High School that I work at with the kids. They are a lot better than me so I often lack confidence. Are the grading exams different in Japan compared to other countries?