Look I call everyone Sensei be they higher rank than I or lower in the setting of the dojo or tourney.
If in a formal setting I will go by Shihan as an introduction, but Sensei from that point forward.
If someone is 5 dan or so, yes the title of shihan comes into play, but as I understand it [old way pre wwII] shihan was just that a title only used during formal intro's and in your signature i.e.
"sensei tom jones nanadan shihan"
It is like calling someone CEO rather than Mr. Bossman
The title shihan over the years became something everyone used do to many outside Okinawa started to use it more as a name than a title... same goes for hanshi..
As well the titles Renshi and Kyoshi...
One should not be call them, they are a title give do to one is a very good 5th, 6th dan [renshi] better than most, yet do not have the years as a 5th or 6th dan to be promoted up.
As the same goes for Kyoshi. And in most cases these titles are used in kendo, kyudo, etc not in Karate yet you see them so much now...
Look Sensei means "come before" basically or loosely translated one who is born before you.
This usually means someone with wisdom and knowledge of their years = "Teacher"
That is what I do, that is what I'm called..
Shihan-Master teacher and Hanshi Master teacher of an organization, I'm not since I'm always learning and passing on that knowledge be I rokudan or judan sensei it will be.
Please, stop focusing on titles and focus on knowledge
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