Backyard, Home, Garden Dojo, Oh my!

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The Home Dojo: Today, Michael Clarke of the Shinseidokan Dojo, wrote about the home dojo or what some refer to as the “backyard dojo.” It is a great article so go ahead and read it first then come back. "At Home in the Dojo"

…. dee dee dum dee dum (think elevator music while I wait for you :-)

Ok, all done, great and welcome back or should I simply say, “thanks for returning.” First, my best times teaching, learning and practicing karate have been in and out of my home dojo. I taught a lot out of my garage after I left the Marines and before I went to work for the Navy as a civilian and I also taught folks by teaching in their garages or back yards. One of the best back yard dojo’s I have seen (via the internet, have not personally visited said dojo on site) is Advincula Sensei’s “Garden Dojo” in Southern California. 

I have to wonder as well why the home or backyard dojo is not more prevalent than it is here in the United States. Maybe it is but we just don’t know about it because those sensei tend to be more private about it and tend to remain out of the limelight that a lot of the more commercial oriented shopping mall karate studio’s. For all we know there may be thousands of backyard, home or garden type dojo out there teaching all kinds of martial arts but remain unknown because they adhere to a code of teaching that leaves the ego out and keeps the core of what karate means inside. Like Clarke Sensei says, “maybe because it is more about what you bring to your karate that actually provides you with what you get out of it” that truly matters. 

Michael Clarke, like many other karate-ka, teachers and authors says things that make sense and are of value to learning, studying and gaining experience, knowledge and expertise in this, to me, most unique of disciplines. Take a look at his back yard, kind of, dojo on his blog site, totally awesome. While Advincula Sensei’s is outside in a garden environment without walls Clarke Sensei’s is surrounded by a garden, walls and the dojo proper similar to those you might encounter in Okinawa. So cool. 

Clarke Sensei reminds me that when searching out a karate teacher it might be that we should add to the list or requirements whether they are a back yard dojo kind of sensei or a shopping mall karate studio model. In my mind it does make a difference but would it make one in finding a solid sensei? 

I have to admit, once again, my preference because I am most and have been most comfortable in my and others backyard dojo environment. 

In the defense of studio dojo I can understand that in most states such endeavors require licenses and a pretty large investment to get one going then you find yourself tied to economic pressures and if you are not business oriented the obstacles can be oppressive yet doable. Also, in our country almost all of us have certain perceptions about when, where, how, who and what is taught to us by providers such as karate sensei. We are influenced by societies perceptions of the martial arts, we are influenced by the media’s perceptions of the martial arts and we are all influenced a great deal by the fad driven media displayed sport oriented type television and movie driven perceptions of the martial arts. 

More often than not the advertisements will drive what folks perceive and accept over any valid qualifications a sense might possess and by the way that ain’t much in today’s view of martial arts since it is like the wild west; ungoverned, not controlled and not monitored for truth not only in advertisement but as to credentials, etc. to which all of us have expectations of. 

Personally, I tend to think that unless the area, i.e., city, county or state, has requirements under the law that there are many, many backyard, home of garden dojo’s out there but are keeping a very low profile. After all, what we are most exposed to are those entities that project an expected kind of model that attracts consumerism blocking the quieter low profile sensei from the public eye and attention. 

The moral of this post today is that the home dojo may be one of those hidden jewels that a true searcher of true martial art discipline will have to discover for themselves and make the effort to find that sensei let alone gain entrance to learn, study and practice. It may be like the old stories of the sensei who would require personal servitude effort as proof of character and personality deserving of the sensei’s attention.  Then again, maybe not. 

Tatsuo Shimabuku Sensei, created the Isshinryu Karate system and taught the Marines stationed in Okinawa starting in the fifties and continued up to his death in the seventies. This shows his yard dojo with makiwara and Sensei practicing a sai kata for the camera. His dojo was his yard, the wall seen here was built by Marines who studied under his tutelage later and after that it remained pretty much in this state until his death. Take a moment to google Okinawa home dojo from the fifties and sixties, etc. and many will be similar to the photo above.