What is Shorinji kempo?

​Shorinji kempo (少林寺拳法; Shaolin-temple boxing) is a Japanese martial art that was founded in 1947 by Doshin So, a Japanese intelligence agent and martial artist. Through his travels in China before and during the second world war, Doshin So had the opportunity to study with many of the "lost" quan fa (kempo) schools that were driven into hiding following the boxer rebellion; schools steeped in history and with a deep connection to zen buddhism. He also experienced first hand many of the horrors of war, terrible acts committed by ordinary people and soldiers, and on his return to Japan after the war, found a nation defeated and in disarray.

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These experiences together impressed on him the importance of an individual's strength of character in how they act and treat others. This motivated him to create a system that would teach both practical self defence and the ideals of mutual respect, responsibility and cooperation to the young people of his country, to help with healing and improving society. His art quickly spread, and today Shorinji kempo is practiced in over 40 countries around the world, and continues to promote self improvement and mutual cooperation through the practice of the martial art.

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Shorinji kempo combines elements of the styles of jujustu that Doshin So learned from his grandfather, with many techniques and ideas learned from various quan fa masters during his time in China. Doshin So took these elements, and systematised them, incorporating ideas and changes from his own experience. In many ways, Shorinji kempo is one of the original mixed martial arts.
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In choosing a name for his martial art, Doshin So picked one that reflected the spirit of the Chinese arts he had learned (epitomised by the Shorin-ji or Shaolin temple), and would stand out in contrast to the classic traditional Japanese arts such as karate, aikido and jujustu.

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