In Japan, I don't know if you can say to the extent of being traditionally so, but the disciplines like flower arranging, tea, learning a classical musical instrument like the bamboo flute (shakuhachi) or the stringed koto, and martial arts, for a long time have been much tied into the money making aspects of it for the sensei. Often the teacher willl have to share his profits with his own teacher, or the association that he is part of. Taking tests and gaining rank is a big part of it, it holds people's interest and raises more money, as often taking a test requires an additional fee. Sometimes the testing gets accelerated at a less than what should be normal rate, prompted by the business aspect of it, and the student may get the satisfaction of having achieved a certain goal, justifiably or not. The gear too, tools or special clothing is often bought through the teacher, so more money in hand. It is a lot of business. I have a teaching rank in bamboo flute, having gone through the process many years ago, I know how it works. Like anything else, some instructors are more interested in the profit aspect of it than others, and there may be varying pressures from above. The people at the top are in powerful positions. I don't believe that the situation as it often stands, is the ideal in terms of pure learning for the sake of it, and people who can't afford the costs, may have few alternatives to be able to still study.
Pertaining to martial arts, I think that jujitsu and kendo may still be in their purest forms, being much taught in the schools initially (almost every junior and senior high school), with less of the profit incentive a factor.
