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Information about Dojo

This article is about training halls. For other uses, see Dojo (disambiguation).
A dojo (道場 dōjō) is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the Way". Initially, Dojo were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of a martial arts style to conduct training, examinations and other related encounters.

The concept of a dojo as a martial arts training place is a Western concept; in Japan, any physical training facility, including professional wrestling schools may be called dojos as well depending on the context.

Martial arts dōjō

A proper Japanese martial arts dōjō is considered special and is well cared for by its users. In many styles it is traditional to conduct a ritual cleaning of the dōjō at the end of each training session (called souji, which translates from Japanese as "cleaning"). Besides the obvious hygienic benefits of regular cleaning it also serves to reinforce the fact that dojo are supposed to be supported and managed by the student body, not the school's instructional staff. This attitude has become lost in many modern, commercial dōjō that are founded and run by a small group of people or instructors. In fact, it is not uncommon that in traditional schools (koryu), dōjō are rarely used for training at all, instead being reserved for more symbolic or formal occasions. The actual training is conducted typically outdoors or in a less formal area.

Many traditional dōjō follow a prescribed pattern with shomen and various entrances that are used based on student and instructor rank laid out precisely. Typically students will enter in the lower-left corner of the dōjō (in reference to the shomen) with instructors in the upper right corner. Shomen typically contains kamidana—an area for a Shintō shrine and other artifacts. The term kamiza is frequently confused by martial arts practitioners with the Kamidana. Many other artifacts may be displayed throughout the dōjō, such as kanban that authorize the school in a style or strategy, and items such as taiko drums or armor (yoroi). It is not uncommon to find the name of the dōjō and the dōjō kun (roughly "dōjō rules") displayed prominently at shomen as well. Visitors also typically have a special place reserved, depending on their rank and station. Weapons and other training gear will normally be found on the back wall.

A fine example of a traditional kendō dōjō is Noma dojo in Tokyo.

A hombu dōjō or honbu dōjō of a style is considered the administrative and stylistic headquarters or a particular martial arts style or group. This does not necessarily mean that they are large or ostentatious.

Some well-known hombu dōjō located in Japan are: The equivalent Korean term for "dōjō" is "dojang", and very similar disciplines and customs are followed.

Dōjō in Zen Buddhism

Dōjō is also used to describe the meditation halls where Zen Buddhists practice zazen meditation. It is sometimes used instead of the term "zendo" which is more specific, and more widely used. European Soto Zen groups affiliated with the International Zen Association prefer to use "dōjō" instead of zendo to describe their meditation halls as did their founding master, Taisen Deshimaru.

See also

External links

Dojo can refer to:
  • Dojo, training hall
  • Dojo kun, rules of the hall
  • Dojahng, Korean hall
  • Dojo Kanojo Cho, character in the television series Xiaolin Showdown

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This article contains Japanese text.
Without proper ,
you may see question marks, boxes, or other symbols instead of kanji or kana.

Japanese
日本語
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Martial arts are systems of codified practices and traditions of training for combat. They may be studied for various reasons including combat skills, fitness, self-defense, sport, self-cultivation/meditation, mental discipline, character development and building self-confidence,
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WEST can refer to:
  • Western European Summer Time
  • WEST (AM), an AM radio station located in Easton, Pennsylvania
''This article refers to the cardinal direction; for other uses see West (disambiguation).

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A professional wrestling school is a school or gym that teaches students the necessary skills to become pro wrestlers. The courses are sometimes taught by qualified professional instructors who have usually worked for several years as professional wrestlers themselves.
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Japanese martial arts refers to the enormous variety of martial arts native to Japan. At least three Japanese terms are often used interchangeably with the English phrase "Japanese martial arts": "budō", literally meaning "martial way", "bujutsu
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Kamidana (神棚 in Japanese), literally meaning "kami shelf", is a type of miniature shrine placed or hung high on a wall in some Japanese homes. The kamidana contains a wide variety of items related to the Shinto style ceremony.
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Shinto (神道 shintō
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Kanban (in kanji 看板 also in katakana カンバン, where "kan 看 カン" means visual, and "ban 板 バン" means card or board) is a concept related to Lean or Just In Time (JIT) production,
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The unrelated word Taikō (太閤) is a title given to a retired Kampaku regent in Japan. In a narrow sense, taikō would refer to Toyotomi Hideyoshi, a more common usage.

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Armour or armor (see spelling differences) is protective clothing intended to defend its wearer from intentional harm in combat and military engagements, typically associated with soldiers.
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The O-Yoroi (大鎧) is a prominent example of Japanese armor. The term ō-yoroi means "great armor."[1] For the most part the O-Yoroi was a rich man's armor and not used by lower ranking samurai.
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Dojo kun is a Japanese martial arts term literally meaning dojo rules. They are generally posted at the entrance to training halls and outline behaviour expected and disallowed. In some styles of martial arts they are recited.
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Noma Dojo (野間道場 Noma Dōjō) is a privately owned kendo training hall, or dojo, located in Tokyo's Bunkyo ward close to Gokoku-ji.
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Tokyo Metropolis (東京都 Tōkyō-to)

Capital n/a
Region Kantō
Island Honshū
Governor Shintaro Ishihara
Area 2,187.
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Aikikai Hombu Dojo (合気会本部道場
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Bujinkan Hombu Dōjō (武神館 本部道場) is the headquarters of the Bujinkan. Its formal name is the Bujinden or "The palace of warrior Gods."

It is located in Nodashi, Chiba Prefecture in Japan.
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 Korean}}} 
Writing system: Exclusive use of Hangul (N. & S. Korea), mix of Hangul and Hanja (S. Korea), or Cyrillic alphabet (lesser used in Goryeomal) 
Official status
Official language of:  North Korea
 South Korea
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Dojang is a term used in Korean martial arts, like taekwondo and hapkido, that refers to a formal training hall. It is typically considered the formal gathering place for students of a martial art to conduct training, examinations and other related encounters.
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Zen ( or ) is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism notable for its emphasis on practice and experiential wisdom—particularly as realized in the form of meditation known as zazen—in the attainment of awakening.
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Zazen (坐禅; Chinese: zuò chán pinyin or tso-chan Wade-Giles) is at the heart of Zen Buddhist practice. The aim of zazen is just sitting, opening the hand of thought.
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This article is about Buddhist meditation halls. For other uses of Zendo see Zendo (disambiguation)


Zendo (禅堂, Chinese: Chántáng) is a Japanese term translating roughly as "meditation hall".
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Zen ( or ) is a school of Mahāyāna Buddhism notable for its emphasis on practice and experiential wisdom—particularly as realized in the form of meditation known as zazen—in the attainment of awakening.
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Taisen Deshimaru (birth name: Yasuo Deshimaru) (1914-1982) was a Japanese Zen Buddhist teacher. Born in the Saga Prefecture of Kyushu, Deshimaru was raised by his grandfather, a former Samurai before the Meiji Revolution, and by his mother, a devout follower of the Jodo Shinshu
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citation, footnoting or external linking.


McDojo is a pejorative term used by some Western martial artists to describe a martial arts school where image or profit is of a higher importance than technical standards.
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