Shintokukai Karate & Kobudo


Copyright © 2005	FAQ's Why should I consider joining Shintokukai? We have endeavored to provide as much information as possible on this website in order for you to make an informed decision for yourself or your child(ren). We welcome any further questions you may have. For a short summary of the benefits of membership with us, please see the section: Becoming a Member. What "style/s" of martial arts do you do? The styles of Karate that we practice are: Shorin-ryu (Matsukaze) and Shorin-ryu (Kobayashi), the former being our own dojo style and the latter, the classical art virtually unchanged since Chibana Sensei's time. The physical attributes of Shorin-ryu are based upon natural human movement and are performed in a relaxed yet very fast and explosive manner. The style incorporates short stances designed for quick movements and sudden changes in direction. The breath is un-forced with emphasis given to the lower lung region. In addition to being relaxed, much attention is focused upon maintaining correct body alignment, as well as moving from the hara, the body's centre. Efficient blocking movements, quick body shifting designed to evade an oncoming attack, accompanied by sharp defensive blows to the vulnerable points of the opponent's body all together contribute to an extremely effective method of self-defense. We also study Ryukyu Kobudo (traditional Okinawan weaponry). Existing synergistically with Karate, Karate and Kobudo are considered to be kindred arts. In a broad sense Kobudo can be thought of as weaponized Karate; likewise, Karate can be thought of as weaponless Kobudo. Please see our Kobudo brochure for more information. *What do the words: Shorin-ryu* and Shintokukai mean?** The kanji (Japanese characters) most often used to spell Shorin-ryu can be translated in English as: "small forest", or sometimes: "pine forest". More likely, however, shorin is a phonetic approximation of shaolin (there is no L-sound in the native Okinawan dialect), paying direct homage to Karate's Chinese Wushu (Kung Fu) roots. Shintokukai, meaning: "Divine Virtue Association", is the name of our organization currently comprising 11 schools in B.C. The underlying intent of the name is that the virtues taught and expressed in martial arts training, such as razor sharp focus and the endless pursuit of technical and personal excellence, transcend the ordinary Human condition offering a path to enlightenment - of which Karate and Kobudo are similar paths of many. How well trained are your instructors and what is involved in their training? All of our teaching staff possess a minimum of 4 years of extensive training and in several cases, many more years than that. At Shintokukai, our students learn only authentic techniques taught by individuals who have committed literally thousands of hours of focus and time into learning them and then being able to teach them safely and effectively. Do you offer training in weapons? Yes. We hold regular Kobudo classes every Saturday from 6:45 PM till 7:45 PM at our main dojo in North Vancouver (see: Locations, Times & Contact Information) offering instruction in all the classical Okinawan weapons, including: sai, nunchaku, bo, tonfa, tekko, ekku, kama, tinbe and rochin. Please see our Kobudo brochure for more information. Do you teach grappling? Karate (and Kobudo) is generally practiced as a stand-up art. However, Karate is no more or less flexible in its applications than the depth of understanding of the individual practitioner. Being able to defend one's self from virtually any position, including from the ground, is covered at length in any one of our classes throughout the year. In fact, we frequently dedicate entire class sessions to topics such as grappling, as well as to other equally important topics including weapons defense and the protection of third parties, for example: one's loved ones. With regard to grappling, however, if that is your main interest, we recommend Jujutsu (often misspelled: "Jiujitsu") or Judo, both of which are martial arts of Japanese origin dedicated primarily to grappling. What are the facilities like? Historically, Karate and Kobudo were often practiced outdoors in Okinawa. An actual practice hall or dojo would certainly have been a luxury back then. Today, however, we have some excellent indoor facilities in which to enjoy our training. Our main store-front location in North Vancouver, for example, is one of the Lower Mainland's few authentic Japanese-style dojo featuring: imported wall-to-wall tatami mats, his and hers change rooms and washrooms, air conditioning, as well as convenient bench seating for visitors offering unobstructed class viewing. There is plenty of free street parking at the front of the building; as well, the North Vancouver Seabus terminal is only a five minute walk from our front door. Our youth program locations, scattered throughout the Lower Mainland, are hosted by community recreation centres, BC provincial schools, as well as some private schools. We are truly fortunate to have such well-situated, well-equipped facilities in which to practice our art. Please see the section: Locations, Times & Contact Information, for a full listing of our locations. Why are you not so commercially focused? Since the mainstream introduction of martial arts to North America, the instruction in them has taken on an increasingly monetary focus. Choosing a school today is often not much different than signing-up for a gym membership, subject to all the standard marketing pitfalls. Sadly, Japanese words like sensei and dojo are bandied about by schools that do not even teach Japanese martial arts because they know the general public have heard these words on television and in the movies. With loud hip-hop music, 25-year-old "masters" and flashy school uniforms more reminiscent of a carnival setting than an environment of austere study, martial arts in North America, with fewer and fewer exceptions every year it seems, have reached an all-time divergence from their original intent as serious spiritual disciplines. At Shintokukai we desire to retain an older approach to teaching and training, even though it may no longer be popular. What can I expect my first day of class? You can expect: To enjoy yourself To feel welcome and be treated respectfully To get an excellent workout To leave feeling motivated and excited about your new martial arts training! Which other martial arts associations are you affiliated with? Shintokukai is a member organization of Ryukyu Kobudo Hozonkai (Canada) under the direct supervision of Masanobu Kikukawa Sensei. RKH is an international organization based in Okinawa headed by Masakazu Kinjo Sensei which is dedicated to the preservation of Okinawa's ancient martial arts weaponry traditions. We are also happy to be a participating member of the International Alliance of Martial Arts Schools (IAOMAS) due to what we believe is their sincere effort to promote friendship and openness in the field of martial arts in general. Part of this effort has been manifested in there being an agreement among all IAOMAS school owners world-wide to offer free training to students of other IAOMAS schools while traveling for a period of up to two weeks. There are no fees passed down to Shintokukai members for this service. "Bringing the World Closer Together" Is there a Beginner's Program? The Shintokukai curriculum provides a single set of basic and intermediate techniques that are taught to everyone. The aim in training is to strive toward the continuous development and ultimate perfection of these techniques. Advanced techniques are taught on an individual basis as the teacher believes the student is ready. Constant repetition and supervised correction in the proper methods are employed at all times in order to maximize students’ progress. Class sizes are generally small, or in the case of some larger children's classes, broken up into smaller more manageable groups. Overall it has been our finding that in a shared environment newer students strongly benefit from the example of the more advanced ones. Advanced students in turn benefit from learning to be patient in working with the beginners. Consequently, a harmonious atmosphere of cooperation and learning is continually fostered. Do you host any special classes or events? In addition to our regular group classes, private sessions are also available depending upon teacher availability. We also host periodic special training clinics from time to time, as well as numerous group activities throughout the year. Some of these activities include our very popular annual beach workout, as well as our annual all-members, non-competitive meet. What is the financial obligation? Please see the section: Fee Philosophy, for more information. Do you offer programs for children and teens? Yes. Please see the section: Youth Program.

FAQ's

Why should I consider joining Shintokukai?

We have endeavored to provide as much information as possible on this website in order for you to make an informed decision for yourself or your child(ren). We welcome any further questions you may have. For a short summary of the benefits of membership with us, please see the section: Becoming a Member.

What "style/s" of martial arts do you do?

The styles of Karate that we practice are: Shorin-ryu (Matsukaze) and Shorin-ryu (Kobayashi), the former being our own dojo style and the latter, the classical art virtually unchanged since Chibana Sensei's time. The physical attributes of Shorin-ryu are based upon natural human movement and are performed in a relaxed yet very fast and explosive manner. The style incorporates short stances designed for quick movements and sudden changes in direction. The breath is un-forced with emphasis given to the lower lung region. In addition to being relaxed, much attention is focused upon maintaining correct body alignment, as well as moving from the hara, the body's centre. Efficient blocking movements, quick body shifting designed to evade an oncoming attack, accompanied by sharp defensive blows to the vulnerable points of the opponent's body all together contribute to an extremely effective method of self-defense.
We also study Ryukyu Kobudo (traditional Okinawan weaponry). Existing synergistically with Karate, Karate and Kobudo are considered to be kindred arts. In a broad sense Kobudo can be thought of as weaponized Karate; likewise, Karate can be thought of as weaponless Kobudo. Please see our Kobudo brochure for more information.

What do the words: Shorin-ryu and Shintokukai mean?

The kanji (Japanese characters) most often used to spell Shorin-ryu can be translated in English as: "small forest", or sometimes: "pine forest". More likely, however, shorin is a phonetic approximation of shaolin (there is no L-sound in the native Okinawan dialect), paying direct homage to Karate's Chinese Wushu (Kung Fu) roots.
Shintokukai, meaning: "Divine Virtue Association", is the name of our organization currently comprising 11 schools in B.C. The underlying intent of the name is that the virtues taught and expressed in martial arts training, such as razor sharp focus and the endless pursuit of technical and personal excellence, transcend the ordinary Human condition offering a path to enlightenment - of which Karate and Kobudo are similar paths of many.

How well trained are your instructors and what is involved in their training?

All of our teaching staff possess a minimum of 4 years of extensive training and in several cases, many more years than that. At Shintokukai, our students learn only authentic techniques taught by individuals who have committed literally thousands of hours of focus and time into learning them and then being able to teach them safely and effectively.

Do you offer training in weapons?

Yes. We hold regular Kobudo classes every Saturday from 6:45 PM till 7:45 PM at our main dojo in North Vancouver (see: Locations, Times & Contact Information) offering instruction in all the classical Okinawan weapons, including: sai, nunchaku, bo, tonfa, tekko, ekku, kama, tinbe and rochin. Please see our Kobudo brochure for more information.

Do you teach grappling?

Karate (and Kobudo) is generally practiced as a stand-up art. However, Karate is no more or less flexible in its applications than the depth of understanding of the individual practitioner. Being able to defend one's self from virtually any position, including from the ground, is covered at length in any one of our classes throughout the year. In fact, we frequently dedicate entire class sessions to topics such as grappling, as well as to other equally important topics including weapons defense and the protection of third parties, for example: one's loved ones. With regard to grappling, however, if that is your main interest, we recommend Jujutsu (often misspelled: "Jiujitsu") or Judo, both of which are martial arts of Japanese origin dedicated primarily to grappling.

karate north vancouver honbu dojo What are the facilities like?

Historically, Karate and Kobudo were often practiced outdoors in Okinawa. An actual practice hall or dojo would certainly have been a luxury back then. Today, however, we have some excellent indoor facilities in which to enjoy our training. Our main store-front location in North Vancouver, for example, is one of the Lower Mainland's few authentic Japanese-style dojo featuring: imported wall-to-wall tatami mats, his and hers change rooms and washrooms, air conditioning, as well as convenient bench seating for visitors offering unobstructed class viewing. There is plenty of free street parking at the front of the building; as well, the North Vancouver Seabus terminal is only a five minute walk from our front door. Our youth program locations, scattered throughout the Lower Mainland, are hosted by community recreation centres, BC provincial schools, as well as some private schools. We are truly fortunate to have such well-situated, well-equipped facilities in which to practice our art. Please see the section: Locations, Times & Contact Information, for a full listing of our locations.

Why are you not so commercially focused?

Since the mainstream introduction of martial arts to North America, the instruction in them has taken on an increasingly monetary focus. Choosing a school today is often not much different than signing-up for a gym membership, subject to all the standard marketing pitfalls. Sadly, Japanese words like sensei and dojo are bandied about by schools that do not even teach Japanese martial arts because they know the general public have heard these words on television and in the movies. With loud hip-hop music, 25-year-old "masters" and flashy school uniforms more reminiscent of a carnival setting than an environment of austere study, martial arts in North America, with fewer and fewer exceptions every year it seems, have reached an all-time divergence from their original intent as serious spiritual disciplines. At Shintokukai we desire to retain an older approach to teaching and training, even though it may no longer be popular.

What can I expect my first day of class?

You can expect:

To enjoy yourself

To feel welcome and be treated respectfully

To get an excellent workout

To leave feeling motivated and excited about your new martial arts training!

Which other martial arts associations are you affiliated with?

Shintokukai is a member organization of Ryukyu Kobudo Hozonkai (Canada) under the direct supervision of Masanobu Kikukawa Sensei. RKH is an international organization based in Okinawa headed by Masakazu Kinjo Sensei which is dedicated to the preservation of Okinawa's ancient martial arts weaponry traditions.
We are also happy to be a participating member of the International Alliance of Martial Arts Schools (IAOMAS) due to what we believe is their sincere effort to promote friendship and openness in the field of martial arts in general. Part of this effort has been manifested in there being an agreement among all IAOMAS school owners world-wide to offer free training to students of other IAOMAS schools while traveling for a period of up to two weeks. There are no fees passed down to Shintokukai members for this service.

"Bringing the World Closer Together"

Is there a Beginner's Program?

The Shintokukai curriculum provides a single set of basic and intermediate techniques that are taught to everyone. The aim in training is to strive toward the continuous development and ultimate perfection of these techniques. Advanced techniques are taught on an individual basis as the teacher believes the student is ready. Constant repetition and supervised correction in the proper methods are employed at all times in order to maximize students’ progress. Class sizes are generally small, or in the case of some larger children's classes, broken up into smaller more manageable groups. Overall it has been our finding that in a shared environment newer students strongly benefit from the example of the more advanced ones. Advanced students in turn benefit from learning to be patient in working with the beginners. Consequently, a harmonious atmosphere of cooperation and learning is continually fostered.

Do you host any special classes or events?

In addition to our regular group classes, private sessions are also available depending upon teacher availability. We also host periodic special training clinics from time to time, as well as numerous group activities throughout the year. Some of these activities include our very popular annual beach workout, as well as our annual all-members, non-competitive meet.

What is the financial obligation?

Please see the section: Fee Philosophy, for more information.

Do you offer programs for children and teens?

Yes. Please see the section: Youth Program.