Welcome to Shoshin Shotokan Karate

The Fort Washington Shoshin Shotokan karate dojo offers instruction in the traditional Japanese art of Shotokan karate to students of all ages. We teach to a diverse range of students that include grade school, high school and college students, trades professionals, nurses, doctors, accountants and lawyers, homemakers and others; some are as young as 7 or as old as 70, with most in between those ranges. We help improve the physical and self-defense abilities of all of our students. We focus on improving the karate skills of intermediate students with the goal of advancement up through the lower ranks and into the black belt ranks. We also welcome students of any skill level from other Shotokan dojos as well as from other martial art styles.

We are members of the International Shotokan Karate Federation (ISKF), a worldwide organization with member dojos in the United States, Pan America, Europe, Asia, Middle East, and Africa. Members of the ISKF follow the teachings of Shotokan’s founder, Gichin Funakoshi. The ISKF is one of the largest Shotokan karate organizations in world, and our affiliated dojo’s can be found in over forty countries worldwide. Our core of experienced instructors have over 100 years of collective martial arts training, with our primary instructors attaining the rank of Rokudan, 6th degree black belt, or Godan, 5th degree black belt.

Hiroyoshi Okazaki is the chairman and chief instructor of the ISKF, and can be found at the Philadelphia headquarters of the organization or at his own dojo, the Okazaki Karate Academy in Palmyra, NJ. Our instructors train with him regularly.

The Meaning of Shoshin

Shoshin (初心) is a concept that is based on Zen Buddhism that means “beginner's mind“.

This is the mindset that is ideal when approaching any learning experience, and what we strive for while learning the self-defense art of Shotokan karate.

On a deeper level, Shoshin refers to having an attitude of openness, eagerness, and lack of preconceptions when studying a subject, even when studying at an advanced level.

In addition to intense physical training, the guiding principles of Shoshin Shotokan karate are reflected in the Dojo Kun. The Dojo Kun is a five point statement of moral principles or guidelines for the Shotokan karate practitioner’s conduct both inside and outside of the dojo which is recited at the end of each training session, intended to frame our practice within an ethical context. These are to:

1. Seek perfection of character;
2. Be faithful;
3. Endeavor;
4. Respect others;
5. Refrain from violent behavior.

Although they are all equally important, perfection of character is the first of the five precepts that all karate students (“Karateka”) strive to live their lives by. Developing Shoshin is a key component of Shotokan karate. Shotokan Karate is well suited to people who want to improve their physical well-being and learn self-defense. Ultimately our goal is to attain a higher level of understanding and learning of not just self-defense but of our own self.