Shorinji kempo

Hi folks,hope you are all well.
One of my friends has started taking shorinji kempo,i looked at some videos on youtube and noticed a lot of the throws look exactly like aikido.Some people say it is a mix of karate,aikido and judo buy my friend says the art came from chinese kenpo. Does anyone know anything about shorinji kempo?

victory over others is no substitute for victory over oneself.
 

tucsonbill

New Member
Yes, you're right. They are similar in some of the techniques. I had an opportunity to study both at the same time. (Aikido & Shorinji Kempo) I think that they help you understand the techniques better when you study both.

Do Shin So created the art form. He grew up in Korea while Japan occupied Korea before WWII. He wanted to help the youth of Japan after the war and started teaching openly then. However, there was some connection with the "Black Dragon Society" that were around before the War. I don't remember what that connection was...just remember them mentioning that. Good luck with that. It's a great art.
 

charles

Charles
Yes, all Kenpo comes from Chinese Kempo, which is claimed to descend from Shaolin Gongfu. All Kempo in America, however, stems from the teachings of James Mitose, who knew Kempo as well as--some argue--Aikijutsu and Kago Ryu Ninjutsu.
 

Beyond Hope

New Member
"Shorinji" is Japanese for "Shaolin". "Kempo" means "fist law". It is rooted in the Chinese expression "Chuan Fa" which means "fist method". The Hawaiians ( including Mitose's Student, William KS Chow) replaced the M with an N thus calling their art "Kenpo".
 

charles

Charles
Yes but it is still pronounced "Kempo." Actually, the replacement of the "m" with the "n," resulting in "Kenpo," was the result of a typo. The publisher of Mitose's book, What Is Self Defense?, mispelled "Kempo," spelling it "Kenpo." Mitose could not afford to have the book republished, and the error has been with us ever since. Chow adopted the incorrect spelling, as did Ed Parker.
 

tucsonbill

New Member
Do Shin So created a large organization teaching his style of Shorinji Kempo. It was very effective. It seemed to be a cross between Aiki-jujitsu and and Chinese boxing styles. It was also heavily into Zen Buddhism. If you didn't like spending 20 minutes or more in seated Za-Zen meditation...you wouldn't make it ever far. But if you could do that...there was a great art waiting for you. Man, I couldn't wait until I heard them slam the Bo against the floor which would indicate the end of meditation. By that time both my legs would be totally asleep. But they would wake them up...with a series of kicking drills. It was a great art. I'd recommend it to just about anyone.
 

Beyond Hope

New Member
I see what you mean. I have a copy of Mitose's book, and it is full of typo's and errors.
Also most of the techniques look more like basic karate than any thing else. Thanks for the clarification.
What I am also curious about is which Aiki techniques did Do Shin So include in Shorinji?
I think every art contains some form of kote gaeshi, but not every art contains shiho nage, for example. Any thoughts?
 

tucsonbill

New Member
Shorinji Kempo has a lot of wrist controls and joint locks. (i.e. Ikyo, Nikyo, etc.) The kote-geshi techniques they have a lot of. And some of them are the same and some are very different. For example, Gyaku-Kote-Geshi, or reverse wrist twist. Start with same side wrist grab. Bring the wrist that was grabed up like you are looking into a mirror. Reach under with your free hand and grab the thumb side of the attackers hand. Free your grabed hand with a twist. Now make a arch with your attacker's hand and continue to twist his wrist though out the technique. He'll land face down in front of you. Give a try. but do it slow at first. That was one kote-geshi waza that I learned from Shorinji Kempo that wasn't in Aikido. (at the time.)
 

charles

Charles
You have Mitose's book? I have been looking and looking for a copy of it! I know it's on Amazon and ebay, but they want like $100 or more for it! Could you possibly upload portions of it here?
 

TDWoj

Administrator
Staff member
Copyright issues. I'll have to search out how much we can post before it becomes infringement.
 

Beyond Hope

New Member
Tucsonbill, thanks for the example. I can see why slow is important at first. Very interesting technique. I look forward to trying it with uke, thanks again.

TDWoj, I wouldn't want to make any trouble. I'll hang tight for now.

Charles, As you know, It's called What Is Self Defence? (Kenpo Jiu-Jitsu). Publisher. Kosho-Shorei Publishing Company, Sacramento, 1981. I'll upload if it's allowed.
 

charles

Charles
I just found out that Mitose's entire book is already uploaded on the Tracy website, tracyskarate.com. Thank you.
 
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