I can tell you from many years of being an instructor this.... I have been given many gifts by well meaning student as a show of gratitude for me teaching them. None of the gifts were correct in that students do not and can not understand the instructor. His motivations, likes, and dislikes are often much different from what students think they are. I think that the best gift I ever got was when some students got together and made a card for me telling me how much training with me meant to them. The other memorable times were when old students from years ago would contact me and tell me how much training with me had helped them in everything they do. Gifts rarely convey feelings the way just telling someone how much they mean to you can.

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A couple generic gifts to instructors I've seen are:

-Special cultural food or dessert from your family

-Starbucks, Walmart, or Target gift cards

A katana

I dont know you should decide from your relationship with your instructor.

a head band with the japanese flag on it

ive always wanted one of those

Write something for him...and yes along with something nice that complements his personality.

You can gather all fellow students together, take a group picture, and ask everyone to sign on the back of it.

If I were an instructor, I would appreciate it more than anything else. Knowing that I have made a lasting impact on someone's life is a priceless reward in itself.

As an instructor the only thing I ever wanted from my students is for them to come to class and be prepared to workout hard. I want them to learn to do the things that I'm teaching and give it 100%.

If a student gave me any other type of gift I would accept it and appreciate the thought. But they are never necessary for me.

I agree with Matt, it should be based off of his personality and not his job. Like at my dojo someone gave our instructor a martial art decorated hiking stick- he goes into the mountains a lot.

A needle to drain his ugly cauliflower ear....lol.

Seriously though, gifts should be based more on their personality than his hobby or profession

I've been doing martial arts for a couple years with a great dojo, and with a great instructor. Today our instructor announced that he is going to be closing his school, and a group of us will be transitioning to another school. Our instructor will be closing up his school within the next month, and I would like to get him something before classes end. What should I get him that would be appropriate for an instructor coming from a martial arts perspective?

Get him a mojo.