History of Shorinji Kempo

Shorinji Kempo is an Asian fighting art that relies on a combination of hard thrusts and kicks as well as soft throws, twists and locks. While the fighting side of Shorinji Kempo can trace its origins some 5,000 years back to ancient India, its modern form was born in 20th century Japan.

  1. Doshin So

    • Doshin So was the oldest son of a customs officer, in the Okayama Prefecture of Imperial Japan. As the World Shorinji Kempo Association tells it, while he was a young man So traveled across the Chinese mainland, studying various different types of Kempo Karate along the way. Eventually he settled in Manchuria and in 1945 So experienced the Russian army's occupation first hand. This had a deep effect on him and he formed a personal philosophy based upon the quality of the individual and the effect this had on the world at large.

    Origin

    • Upon returning to Japan in 1946 So found the youth of the nation dispirited and depressed following their side's defeat in the war. So devised a new martial art that culled from various aspects of the Kempo he had studied in China. He married this fighting style to his own personal philosophy. Accordingly the principles of courage, strength, mercy and a sense of justice formed the moral backbone of this new art form that he dubbed Shorinji Kempo.

    Shorinji Kempo and Buddhism

    • Like the martial arts of the Shaolin Temple, Shorinji Kempo was founded with strong ties to the teachings of the Buddha and the Boddhidharma. So established a training facility on the island of Shikoku. There he set about rebuilding the bodies and spirits of Japan's youth by instilling in them a sense of strength and indomitable spirit. The art form also advocated strict adherence to Buddhist teachings.

    Shorinji Kempo Goes Abroad

    • Yamamori Sensei had been training in Shorinji Kempo with Doshin So since the 1950s. In 1968 he opened the first Shorinji Kempo dojo in the United States in Los Angeles. As of 2010 there were an estimated 31 dojos in 15 different states.

    Continuing Success

    • Over the years the original 12-meter square dojo on the Island of Shikoku has grown into a large modern training facility. Under the auspices of the World Shorinji Kempo Association, Doshin So's martial art now flourishes all over the world. Having diverged somewhat from its Buddhist origins, Shorinji Kempo is a martial art open to anyone committed to improving society through bettering the body and mind.