To ensure that everyone who holds a Kobido® License is fully qualified to perform Kobido® Facial Treatments, students may only receive a License by proving their skills in the Kobido® Licensing Exams.
The Licensing Exam is not just an evaluation and verification of your skills. You may think of it as simultaneously a personal evaluation and a private lesson, during which any technical difficulties and corrections will be addressed and any technical questions may be asked.
The Licensing Exam is also a pre-condition to proceed to Levels 4 and 5. A previous examination is necessary to preserve the calibre of our Training Program as well as the reputation and quality associated with the Kobido® License and Training.
Note: Any student who has completed Level 1–2 with a Licensed Instructor other than Dr. Shogo Mochizuki must successfully pass the Level 1–2 exam before enrolling in Level 3 with the Grandmaster. This requirement ensures that all Level 3 students meet the same standard of proficiency
The 2026 Academic Program will introduce major updates to the contents of Level 3, with important consequences for the exam structure. After the implementation of these changes, all examinations will be conducted exclusively on the basis of the new Level 3 format, according to the updated technique distribution. The older versions of Level 2 and Level 3 will no longer be tested.
The examination will be divided into two parts: a Level 1–2 Exam and a Level 3 Exam.
The Level 1–2 Exam will test Techniques 1 through 80, while the Level 3 Exam will test Techniques 81 through 155, for a total of 155 techniques. During the examination, students will be required to demonstrate a minimum of 135 techniques at a satisfactory level. All techniques will be tested in sequence, with students demonstrating the full sequence continuously.
Candidates must successfully pass both the Level 1–2 Exam and the Level 3 Exam in order to qualify for a License. You may choose to take these two exams separately or consecutively on the same day, meaning that the Level 1–2 exam may be completed prior to taking the Level 3 class.
The exams consist of a private evaluation and personal lesson with the Grandmaster himself via Zoom call. As you demonstrate each technique one after the other, Dr. Shogo will evaluate whether it is satisfactory and instruct you exactly on what to fix and how to improve, determining which techniques require more practice.
One exam typically takes approximately 50 minutes, while taking both exams consecutively would require between 100 minutes and two hours.
Exams are typically held from Monday to Thursday at around 4 p.m. (Japan Time).
The exam will be held in English or Japanese. If you require us to provide a live-time translator, we may be able to arrange it for an extra fee, although we cannot always guarantee the availability of the service.
We encourage everyone to practice thoroughly by relying on our textbooks and video lessons before taking the test. Please consider that the average student takes about two or three times to pass the examination. After each attempt, we will offer a detailed evaluation of which techniques you have not passed, so that you may practice them and challenge the exam again. You will not be asked to repeat the techniques you have passed, but rather only those which were deemed inadequate.
The fee for each evaluation is €198, for a total of €396. In the event of a failure, retaking either exam will cost €99.
Please contact our office via e-mail to schedule your examination so that we may send you an invoice covering the exam and the eventual translation fee.
We hope you see how this is necessary to guarantee the highest quality of training for all students. We are grateful for your understanding and collaboration. After successfully passing the examination, you are free to go ahead and register for the Level 4 Japan training.
