Our Philosophy

On the wall of virtually all karate training halls in Japan hangs a set of precepts known as the Dojo Kun, said to have originated with an Okinawan Karate Master known as Karate Sakugawa (1733-1815). According to karate tradition these are the rules by which a karate-ka is supposed to live.

Seek perfection of character
Be faithful,
Endeavor,
Respect others,
Refrain from violent behavior

The first, Seek perfection of character, indicates that the art is more than just physical. Through rigorous training, the spirit to fight and succeed will be developed. Along with this fierce competitive spirit should come the realization that ones strength is great, and to use it and Karate against the uninitiated is unfair. The practitioner should seek to subdue his mind as well as conquer the intricacies of body movement. Forging the spirit in the face of adversity will provide lifetime benefits. Even in old age when the body is no longer able to perform as well, the spirit can continue to grow.

To Be faithful, evidences a strong Samurai tradition and by extension a confucianist strain in the Martial Arts. In this sense, the faith to be shown is faith in one's instructors and seniors. The student must always be faithful to them and follow in much the same way as a Medieval Samurai was bound to follow his Feudal Lord. While this may seem unusual in the present day, it is unreasonable to expect an instructor to extend himself fully and teach all he knows to one who is likely to leave for the slightest reason. The faith extended to the instructor will be rewarded in that a greater amount of knowledge will be transmitted to the student. This bond between teacher and student is extremely valuable and is the basis of the learning relationship.

The Endeavor mentioned in the Dojo Kun refers to the complete dedication to the effort necessary to achieve Mastery of the Martial Art. In no case is Mastery possible without strenuous effort on the part of the practitioner. This Endeavor must be of sincere nature and not just superficial. Serious endeavor on the part of the student will be recognized by the instructor, who will in turn spend more time with him.

Respect for others is common to the Japanese Fighting Systems in particular. It is frequently said that the Martial Arts begin and end with etiquette. This is a reflection of the formal nature of the Japanese people and may be observed in the manner in which they conduct themselves in training sessions and generally in the presence of one another.

Dojo etiquette is particularly well defined, requiring that all who enter the training hall pause and bow to the memory of the past Masters, usually memorialized in photographs or paintings in the front of the practice area. Prior to the beginning of class, students and instructors line up before the photo- graphs, kneel, and meditate. They bow to the memory of past Masters and then to one another from the kneeling position. This courtesy continues throughout the training session. Whenever an exercise, drill or kata that uses two people or more is performed, it always begins and ends with a bow. Additionally, the bowing ceremony is repeated at the end of training after a closing period of meditation.

It is the responsibility of all trained practitioners to Refrain from violent behavior since a trained fighter can inflict serious injury upon others. The goal of Karate training is self- mastery, including mastery of one's behavior. In situations where it is necessary to defend oneself, no non-violent alternative maybe possible. However, the tradition handed down by great teachers indicates that after a life of training, they felt that they had failed if they were forced to resort to violent action against their fellow man, no matter how justified such actions might have been.

In the present day, refraining from violence is hard to explain to Westerners. Some people take up the art of Karate with the purpose in mind of hurting others and they wish to learn how to do so as quickly as possible. It is therefore necessary for instructors to remember the Dojo Kun and to impress it upon their students. The Japan Karate Association has shortened the Dojo Kun and labeled it as their Five Guiding Maxims.

In abbreviated form they are Character, Sincerity,
Effort, Etiquette, and Self Control.

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