Our dojo emblem with the Seibukan symbol representing Okinawa, the mon (family crest) of the Tsugaru clan, representing Japan, and Leonardo da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, wearing a karate uniform, representing the West.

TRADITIONAL OKINAWAN KARATE IN EDMONTON

International Okinawan Shōrin-ryū Seibukan Karate-dō Association

国際沖縄少林流聖武館空手道協会

Shimabukuro Zenpo Sensei, the head of Seibukan karate worldwide, smiling.

人に優しく己に厳しくそういう精神が厳しい稽古の中で培うものである

This spirit of being kind to others and being strict with oneself is cultivated through rigorous training

島袋善保先生 Shimabukuro Zenpō Sensei, leader of Seibukan karate-dō worldwide

Seibukan karate class in our Edmonton dojo

One of our karateka messaged Lucy to say how much she appreciated our community, pointing out the many ways that members help others, in and out of the dojo.

I am proud that our students work hard to live up to the Seibukan #karate values taught by Zenpō Sensei.

Seibukan karateka training vertical elbow strikes at the Edmonton dojo.

Canada will never be the 51st state. #ElbowsUp

I am so lucky to belong to a community of such good people. They embody and live a humility, kindness, and welcome that are sadly uncommon across martial arts clubs.

Seibukan Karate Dojo instructor feeding a bird on the grounds of Shuri Castle in Okinawa

Do you understand the violence it took to become this gentle?
Nitka Prakash

The gentleness that comes, not from the absence of violence, but despite the abundance of it.
Richard Siken

NEWS

Brown belt between two of his Seibukan karate instructors.

The Seibukan Karate Dojo is proud to announce that Jared has been promoted to ikkyū.

Banner of the International Okinawa Shorin-ryu Seibukan Karate-do Association

The Seibukan banner which we've hung with pride in our home. It's signed by Zenpō Sensei, Zenshun Sensei, and Zenei Sensei.

Someone asked me, "If you don't take care of yourself, who will?"

In the way of the karate, the answer is, "Everyone else in the dojo." For us, that's the meaning of community. We work very hard on ourselves, for years and decades, so we can lift up others.

Training in Okinawa

Zenpō Sensei is unequivocal that it is necessary for Seibukan karateka to go to Okinawa:

Karate is from Okinawa, so you must go back to Okinawa and see what we do; every karate technique you must correct in Okinawa. Make sure you visit your sensei and feel all Okinawan people.

Please visit Okinawa, to feel traditional Okinawan karate, and eat Okinawan food and breathe Okinawan air. Many things you have to experience in Okinawa.

Our dojo funds instructors and senior students to go to Okinawa to learn from the finest Seibukan sensei in the world. Last October three went there. Craig stayed for two weeks; Lucy and Doug were there for a month. It was demanding, illuminating, and marvelous.

Lucy and Doug will be returning in May. It will be their eighth trip since 2014. Three other members of the dojo will be going in October. Clayton will be going for a fourth time; Craig for a second time; Jared for his first.

The purpose of our dojo is to be a bridge between the karate and culture of Okinawa and good people in Canada seeking to move with more grace through life.

Okinawan karate sensei giving one-on-one instruction to a Seibukan Karate Dojo member.

Seibukan Karate Dojo instructor Lucy talking with Zenpo Sensei while walking together.

When we go to Okinawa, we generally train six days a week. But some of the best lessons we've had about the way of karate have come in personal conversations with Zenpō Sensei outside of the dojo.

Our Edmonton Dojo

Five karateka, young and old, junior and senior, training Seibukan karate.

9000 km from Okinawa, we are doing our best to uphold the great tradition of Seibukan karate-dō.

Three seniors of the Seibukan Karate Dojo training together

The definition of equity is "the quality of being fair." Fairness is a fundamental value of Seibukan karate-dō, and our dojo will always fight for equity against the malevolent forces which seek to eliminate it.

Female members of the Seibukuan Karate Dojo.

The women and girls at last Saturday's morning class.

Currently, 44% of our 62 person roster of in-person and online members is female. From white belt to black belt, each one of them makes our dojo community better.

Inclusion.

Male instructor of the Seibukan Karate Dojo training.

Karate-do is merely a reflection of our true selves. Excuse-makers will make excuses. Boasters will boast. The aggressive will do anything to beat someone else. Karate-do itself cannot change all this, but it can make these things much more obvious. It then becomes our responsibility to recognize ourselves and make the necessary changes.

Adapted from Onuma Hideharu

The community of a good dojo depends on the mutual respect and consideration of all its members, from white belt to black belt.

Lucy teaching a student during an outdoor summer class of the Seibukan Karate Dojo in Edmonton.

HOW TO CHOOSE A KARATE SCHOOL

Nantanreikan Seibukan Dojo

Nantanreikan Seibukan Dojo

One of our karateka messaged Lucy to say how much she appreciated our community, pointing out the many ways that members help others, in and out of the dojo.

I am proud that our students work hard to live up to the Seibukan #karate values taught by Zenpō Sensei.

Canada will never be the 51st state. #ElbowsUp

I am so lucky to belong to a community of such good people. They embody and live a humility, kindness, and welcome that are sadly uncommon across martial arts clubs.

Do you understand the violence it took to become this gentle?
Nitka Prakash

The gentleness that comes, not from the absence of violence, but despite the abundance of it.
Richard Siken

NEWS

The Seibukan Karate Dojo is proud to announce that Jared has been promoted to ikkyū.

The Seibukan banner which we've hung with pride in our home. It's signed by Zenpō Sensei, Zenshun Sensei, and Zenei Sensei.

Someone asked me, "If you don't take care of yourself, who will?"

In the way of the karate, the answer is, "Everyone else in the dojo." For us, that's the meaning of community. We work very hard on ourselves, for years and decades, so we can lift up others.

Training in Okinawa

When we go to Okinawa, we generally train six days a week. But some of the best lessons we've had about the way of karate have come in personal conversations with Zenpō Sensei outside of the dojo.

9000 km from Okinawa, we are doing our best to uphold the great tradition of Seibukan karate-dō.

The definition of equity is "the quality of being fair." Fairness is a fundamental value of Seibukan karate-dō, and our dojo will always fight for equity against the malevolent forces which seek to eliminate it.

The women and girls at last Saturday's morning class.

Currently, 44% of our 62 person roster of in-person and online members is female. From white belt to black belt, each one of them makes our dojo community better.

Inclusion.

The community of a good dojo depends on the mutual respect and consideration of all its members, from white belt to black belt.

Nantanreikan Seibukan Dojo

Nantanreikan Seibukan Dojo

One of our karateka messaged Lucy to say how much she appreciated our community, pointing out the many ways that members help others, in and out of the dojo.

I am proud that our students work hard to live up to the Seibukan #karate values taught by Zenpō Sensei.

​

Canada will never be the 51st state. #ElbowsUp

I am so lucky to belong to a community of such good people. They embody and live a humility, kindness, and welcome that are sadly uncommon across martial arts clubs.

Do you understand the violence it took to become this gentle? Nitka Prakash The gentleness that comes, not from the absence of violence, but despite the abundance of it. Richard Siken

NEWS

The Seibukan Karate Dojo is proud to announce that Jared has been promoted to ikkyū.

The Seibukan banner which we've hung with pride in our home. It's signed by Zenpō Sensei, Zenshun Sensei, and Zenei Sensei.

Someone asked me, "If you don't take care of yourself, who will?" In the way of the karate, the answer is, "Everyone else in the dojo." For us, that's the meaning of community. We work very hard on ourselves, for years and decades, so we can lift up others.

Training in Okinawa

When we go to Okinawa, we generally train six days a week. But some of the best lessons we've had about the way of karate have come in personal conversations with Zenpō Sensei outside of the dojo.

9000 km from Okinawa, we are doing our best to uphold the great tradition of Seibukan karate-dō.

The definition of equity is "the quality of being fair." Fairness is a fundamental value of Seibukan karate-dō, and our dojo will always fight for equity against the malevolent forces which seek to eliminate it.

The women and girls at last Saturday's morning class. Currently, 44% of our 62 person roster of in-person and online members is female. From white belt to black belt, each one of them makes our dojo community better. Inclusion.

The community of a good dojo depends on the mutual respect and consideration of all its members, from white belt to black belt.

Do you understand the violence it took to become this gentle?
Nitka Prakash

The gentleness that comes, not from the absence of violence, but despite the abundance of it.
Richard Siken

Someone asked me, "If you don't take care of yourself, who will?"

In the way of the karate, the answer is, "Everyone else in the dojo." For us, that's the meaning of community. We work very hard on ourselves, for years and decades, so we can lift up others.

The women and girls at last Saturday's morning class.

Currently, 44% of our 62 person roster of in-person and online members is female. From white belt to black belt, each one of them makes our dojo community better.

Inclusion.