He holds the rank of 9th dan black belt in the art, awarded under the Japan Karate Association.

He was also the first person to graduate from the Japan Karate Association's (JKA) instructor training program instituted by Gichin Funakoshi and Masatoshi Nakayama.

[3] In 1956, Mikami enrolled in the Japan Karate Association's (JKA) newly formed instructor training course under Nakayama.

There were only three students in the group; his classmates were Eiji Takaura and Hirokazu Kanazawa, who also graduated in 1957.

[3][5] In 1958, Mikami fought in one of the most celebrated matches in JKA tournament history.

[2] In 1990, Mikami was named Instructor of the Year in American Karate by Black Belt magazine.

[2][5] In 2005, he was elected President of the Japanese Karate Masters' Association of North America.

[2][3][12] Mikami was promoted to 9th dan on September 30, 2011, by JKA headquarters in Tokyo.