# Dojos?



## Grasshopper22 (Apr 11, 2012)

This may be a stupid question but it's one I genuinely don't know the answer to (although I can guess it will probably be "no.") but - Are there any dojos in the UK?


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## Blindside (Apr 11, 2012)

There are probably a whole bunch of them, why don't you think there are any "place of the way" in the UK?


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## Grasshopper22 (Apr 11, 2012)

Blindside said:


> There are probably a whole bunch of them, why don't you think there are any "place of the way" in the UK?



Found the answer! http://www.dojodirectory.co.uk/find.php


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## Chris Parker (Apr 12, 2012)

That's not necessarily your answer, you realise. Which system are you looking for a dojo for? Just asking if there are any dojo in the UK is a little odd... of course there are. Are there any Takenouchi Ryu dojo? That's a different question (for the record, the answer there is also yes). Are there any dojo for the modern eclectic system you train in? No idea. Are there any dojo of my organisation? Nope. My art? Yeah, but different organisations. You can see how this can go.


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## frank raud (Apr 13, 2012)

You say your father is a 3rd Dan, so despite your personal lack of experience, you must have been around martial arts for most of your life.What, or where did you father train if not in a dojo? Also, are you a white belt or a green belt? You have claimed both.


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## Grasshopper22 (Apr 13, 2012)

frank raud said:


> You say your father is a 3rd Dan, so despite your personal lack of experience, you must have been around martial arts for most of your life.What, or where did you father train if not in a dojo? Also, are you a white belt or a green belt? You have claimed both.



My Dad just trained from cleared out gyms to sports halls. As for my belt rank, I am a white belt, the green belt question was from my cousin who is a green belt, he doesn't have a MT account of his own and just asked if he could use mine. Sorry for the confusion.


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## Chris Parker (Apr 13, 2012)

First off, it's best if you don't let him use your account in future. Not only is it confusing (as we can't see that it's not you, and will typically take into account other posts of yours when answering whatever you're asking now), but it's actually against the terms of service you agreed to when you joined. Your account is for you, and you alone. 

Next, are you thinking that a dojo has to be a specially built building? Nah, a dojo is any space that is used for training, really. By using that space, it becomes a dojo, even if only for an hour or two a week while that space is being rented.


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## 72ronin (Apr 13, 2012)

Your question reads as "Are there any dojo's in the UK", which you might agree, is lacking information regarding your particular enquiry.

Give more information in your questions, people like Chris Parker (and many others) are a wealth of knowledge.
Im guessing you were looking for your particular style?


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## Grasshopper22 (Apr 13, 2012)

Chris Parker said:


> First off, it's best if you don't let him use your account in future. Not only is it confusing (as we can't see that it's not you, and will typically take into account other posts of yours when answering whatever you're asking now), but it's actually against the terms of service you agreed to when you joined. Your account is for you, and you alone.
> 
> Next, are you thinking that a dojo has to be a specially built building? Nah, a dojo is any space that is used for training, really. By using that space, it becomes a dojo, even if only for an hour or two a week while that space is being rented.



Yeah when I say 'dojo' I think of a big wooden structure built specifically for martial arts training. I'll delete the green belt question now and make sure not to let him use my account in future


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## Grasshopper22 (Apr 13, 2012)

72ronin said:


> Your question reads as "Are there any dojo's in the UK", which you might agree, is lacking information regarding your particular enquiry.
> 
> Give more information in your questions, people like Chris Parker (and many others) are a wealth of knowledge.
> Im guessing you were looking for your particular style?



By 'dojo' I meant a big wooden structure specifically built for martial arts training and I just wondered whether there were any in the UK or whether they were all in Japan and other countries where martial arts originated. Nothing more, I just wondered.


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## Chris Parker (Apr 13, 2012)

"Dojo" is just the Japanese word for "place (jo) for the way (do)", or a place for training. There's no specific building, when it comes down to it, and no standard either. The image you have in your head is more based on temples than anything else. But, for the record, the Chinese art term for their buildings/schools is kwoon, the Korean is dojang, and the Western is "gym". All are just as special as each other.


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## lklawson (Apr 13, 2012)

Chris Parker said:


> and the Western is "gym"


To expand on that, "Club" was popular too and the French liked the term "Salle" for a Fencing specific training area, and because a lot of fencing, even in English speaking countries is French, "salle" became something of a Borrow Word for quite a while.

Sometimes I really think the English Language was deliberately designed to confuse people.  

It was also common during the 19th and early 20th C. for western instructors to be referred to by the title "Professor."  You have many 19th C. "Professors of Boxing" or "Professors of Defense" etc.  

Peace favor your sword,
Kirk


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## 72ronin (Apr 13, 2012)

Grasshopper22 said:


> By 'dojo' I meant a big wooden structure specifically built for martial arts training and I just wondered whether there were any in the UK or whether they were all in Japan and other countries where martial arts originated. Nothing more, I just wondered.



OK, so something like the Budokan, well there was a purpose built building here in Oz, the Headquarters for Kyokushin Karate Australia, they even ran uchi deshi programs there etc. 
Got a massive wooden floor all the good stuff.
That pretty much fits the description as in purpose built building and not converted building kind of thing.

I would guess there would be or have been something like that in UK before for sure.


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## Cyriacus (Apr 14, 2012)

Dojo arent any different to Dojang, Gym, School, or Outlet, as far as MA go, except that theyre grouped to a different set of Systems.

Is there Karate in the UK?
Yes.
Therefore, are there Dojos in the UK?
Yes.

And so forth.


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