Our Dojo

Kyoku Bu Kai Dojo Oath

I will train my heart and body for a firm unshaken spirit.

I will pursue the true meaning of the martial art so that in time my senses will be alert.

With true vigour I will seek to cultivate the spirit of self denial.

I will observe the rules of courtesy, respect my superiors and I will refrain from violence.

I will follow my God and never forget the true virtue of humility.

I will upwards look to wisdom and strength, not seeking other desires.

All my life through the discipline of Karate I will seek to fulfill the true meaning of the WAY.

The Instructor

Sensei Juha Halttunen was born in Helsinki Finland in 1959.

He joined the Queen's University Karate Club in Kingston, Ontario, Canada in the early 1980's. He served a term as the Queen's University Karate Club president and attained his brown belt before graduating and returning home to Finland.

Over the years he has kept up his training in Finland and abroad also with other available martial arts such as Kyukoshinkai karate, Shaolin Kempo, Jiu-Jitsu and Krav Maga, from which he has different belts, certificates and levels. He has also actively participated in Nordic sports that are popular in Finland.

Through the years he has kept in contact with his fellow karate-ka in Canada, Sensei Allen Yuen, Godan, who recommended him for his black belt to Shihan Shigeru Ishino, the Chief Instructor of the Shorinjiryu Genbukan Karate Federation.

Sensei Halttunen currently holds the level of Yondan, Fourth degree black belt (2012) and is the sole representative sensei of the style in Europe.

Shorinjiryu Genbukan Karate ( 少 林 寺 流 玄 武 館 空 手) is a Japanese/Okinawan style of Karate that was originated by Kaiso Masayoshi Kori Hisataka (also pronounced Seiki Kudaka in the Okinawan language). Kaiso Hisataka had the opportunity to train and exchange with many influential karate-ka of the early 1900's, but mostly under the legendary, Chotoku Kyan. After World War 2, he returned home to Japan and founded Shorinjiryu Kenkokan Karate ( 少 林 寺 流 拳 行 館 空 手) after a life-long study of the martial arts.

One way that Kaiso Hisataka's Shorinjiryu karate differentiates itself from other forms of karate is through the use of it's distinctive trademark, the vertical fist.

One of his students was Shihan Shigeru Ishino, who came to Canada to assist with the Kenkokan Karate dojo operations in Quebec. Shihan Ishino eventually formed the Ishino Shorinjiryu Genbukan Karate Federation some years after the passing of Kaiso Hisataka.

This website was created to introduce Ishino Shorinjiryu Genbukan Karate, and its pioneer in Finland, and the Club instructor of the 'Kyoku Bu Kai' (極 武 会) dojo is Sensei Juha Halttunen who has taught Shorinjiryu Karate in the city of Helsinki, Finland since 2006.

So what does Kyoku Bu Kai mean exactly?

Kyoku Bu Kai is composed of three Japanese symbols or kanji.

The first kanji, 極 'Kyoku' means: Extreme or Ultimate.

The true meaning of this is that you are willing to prepared to give all you got, to go as far as possible to the extreme physical or mental limits of your being, in every situation to finally achieve your goal. Don't give up when things become hard or difficult because you will be amazed by what you can do. Most of us can do a lot more than you what originally think you can do. Karate training promotes positive influences and contributes to the further development in your life, school, work, etc...

The middle kanji, 武 'Bu' can be translated as: Martial or Warrior.

The final kanji, 会 'Kai' can be translated as an Organization, Association, Society, Group or Club.

The translation that we use for 'Kyoku Bu Kai' is the "Extreme Warrior Club".

Uniform Patches

This is the Ishino Shorinjiryu Genbukan Karate Federation patch. It is worn on the left chest side of the karatedo uniform jacket.

Unlike most other Karate styles, the vertical fist in the center is our signature hand technique and represents our lineage to Kaiso Masayoshi Kori Hisataka's (Seiki Kudaka in Okinawan) Shorinjiryu Kenkokan Karatedo.

The red belt represents the highest dan (black belt) grade in Shorinjiryu Karatedo.

This design also appears on business cards, advertising, clothing, and upon grading certificates in the Ishino Shorinjiryu Genbukan Karatedo Federation.

This is the Kyoku Bu Kai dojo patch. It is worn on the right sleeve of the Karate uniform top.

The Japanese kanji along the top reads, "Shorinjiryu Genbukan Karatedo".

The bottom features the name of our dojo ~ KYOKU BU KAI: KYOKU = Extreme, BU = Warrior, KAI = Association, group or club.

In the center is a pair of KATANA (sword): In our logo the swords are crossed forming an X as in EXTREME.

The sword is a symbol of the warrior, but principally a warrior of virtue, even righteousness and justice. It has long been a symbol of power, especially in heraldry, and in some cultures skill with the sword was considered an art form.

Also in the center is the kanji KYOKU: translated as Extreme.

These two images are inside of the modified family emblem of Kaiso Masayoshi Kori Hisataka (Seiki Kudaka) called the "Mitsu-Domoe" .

COLOURS:

RED: symbol of perseverance and courage.

WHITE: symbol of purity.

GOLD: represents the wealth of knowledge.

BLACK: represents achievement and respect.

This is the Canada - Japan Shorinjiryu patch. It is worn on the left sleeve of the Karate uniform top.

This patch reflects the roots of Ishino Shorinjiryu Genbukan Karate. It's origin from Okinawa and Japan; it's migration to Canada where Shihan Ishino resides today in Montreal, Quebec, Canada; and where Sensei Juha practiced and learned Ishino Shorinjiryu Genbukan Karate in Kingston, Ontario, Canada.

The flag of Finland patch may be worn instead of the Canada - Japan Shorinjiryu patch. It is worn on the left sleeve of the Karate uniform top.

Karate Weapons

CODE OF HONOUR

The use of ancient oriental weapons can be both beautiful and powerful if practiced unper proper supervision. However, they can be dangerous to both innocent bystanders and the practitioner without appropriate instruction.

The two main weapons practiced in Shorinjiryu Genbukan Karate include the Okinawan traditional long range weapon, ' BO '.

[ Straight styled wooden staff, although their are some kobudo styles that prefer tapered ends. 1-1/4 inches in diameter, made from Hardwood such as Oak, length 5 feet or 6 feet long. ]

And the short range weapon, ' SAI '.

[ Leather or cord wrapped handles. Round or octagonal stems. Each sai weighs approximately 1.4 pounds. Usually carried in pairs, but some Okinawan practitioners carried three. Sizes 19-1/2 inches or 21 inches. ]

Some martial arts practitioners have publicly said that ' real ' Karate does not include weapons training, because Karate literally means ' empty hand ', and the introduction of weapons is a plot to enhance student numbers, using Hollywood's version of martial arts. Also that Gichin Funakoshi (founder of Shotokan and the reputed father of modern Karate) did not include weapons in Karate.

However well-intentioned those practitioners may have been to show the public ' real ' Karate, they themselves are mis-informed. Archival photos of Funakoshi prove different, as he was a practitioner of both the bo and the sai. He simply did not introduce these Okinawan weapons to the Japanese when he introduced Shotokan Karate to Japan.

Historically, the original meaning of Karate was ' China hand ', and the Chinese Martial Arts used many weapons besides the use of hands and feet in Chinese boxing.

There are many books that have been written telling us how historically Okinawan warriors converted farm implements to weapons for battle. So, to take a quote from those practitioners, ' real ' Karate has always included the use of weapons training.

Kaiso Hisataka was well versed in weapons training and has always included them in the Shorinjiryu curriculum. Weapons practice still serves a purpose today in Karate training as an extension of the hand.

Dojo Motto

These Japanese kanji symbols represent the Ishino Shorinjiryu Genbukan Karate Federation motto:

Doku Ji Gyo Sei Ki

Spiritual Development of Individuality in Mind and Body.