1. Entering the dōjō (道場)
The etiquette begins before stepping on the floor.
- Bow at the entrance
rei (礼), a simple standing bow.
Purpose: acknowledge the training place and leave daily life behind. - Say quietly:
onegai shimasu (お願いします)
Meaning: I ask for your guidance. - Adjust gi (着) and obi cleanly
No snapping, no dramatic gestures.
2. Lining up
Commands you will hear:
- Seiretsu (整列) – line up
- Chakuza (着座) or seiza (正座) – sit
- Mokusō (黙想) – quiet reflection
- Mokusō yame (黙想止め) – end meditation
- Shōmen ni rei (正面に礼) – bow to the front
- Sensei ni rei (先生に礼) – bow to the instructor
After bowing, everyone says again:
onegai shimasu (お願いします)
At the end of class:
arigatō gozaimashita (ありがとうございました)
3. Basic training commands
- Hajime (始め) – begin
- Yame (止め) – stop
- Yoi (用意 / 準備) – ready
- Mawatte (回って) – turn around
- Kamae (構え) – guard posture
- Kiai (気合) – spirited shout
- Naore (直れ) – return to natural stance
- Kōtai (交代) – switch partners
4. Directions and levels
- Migi (右) – right
- Hidari (左) – left
- Mae (前) – front
- Ushiro (後ろ) – back
- Ue / jōdan (上段) – high
- Chūdan (中段) – middle
- Gedan (下段) – low
5. Stances (立ち, dachi) used in Shūdōkan
- Heisoku-dachi (閉足立ち) – feet together
- Heikō-dachi (平行立ち) – parallel stance
- Zenkutsu-dachi (前屈立ち) – front stance
- Shuto-dachi (手刀立ち) – L-stance
- Neko-ashi-dachi (猫足立ち) – cat stance
- Tsuru-ashi-dachi (鶴足立ち) – crane stance
- Usoku-dachi (右足立ち) – lean-away stance (unique to your dojo context)
6. Strikes and blocks used in your Keishin kata
- Oi-tsuki (追い突き) – lunge punch
- Gyaku-tsuki (逆突き) – reverse punch
- Mae-geri (前蹴り) – front kick
- Shuto-uke (手刀受け) – knife-hand block
- Shuto-tsuki (手刀突き) – knife-hand strike
- Gedan-barai (下段払い) – low sweep block
- Age-uke (上げ受け) – rising block
- Nukite (貫手) – spear-hand strike
- Tettsui-uchi (鉄槌打ち) – hammer-fist
- Nijū-uke (二重受け) – double block
7. Common dojo phrases
These are used in Shūdōkan just as in traditional Okinawan karate.
- Osu / Oss (押忍) – acknowledgment, respect, I understand
(Not shouted, used with awareness.) - Ganbatte (頑張って) – do your best
- Hai (はい) – yes
- Wakatta (分かった) – understood
8. Etiquette during partner work
- Bow before and after each drill
rei (礼) - Say
onegai shimasu before,
arigatō gozaimashita after. - Never correct another student unless you outrank them and the sensei delegated instruction.
- Keep full control.
Shūdōkan emphasizes form and safety, not impact.
9. Etiquette specific to kata practice
- Announce kata name clearly:
Keishin! (敬心) - Begin from heisoku-dachi.
- Stay quiet unless asked.
- After finishing,
naore and rei.
10. Vocabulary list (clean alphabetical list)
This is ready for your Obsidian file.
age-uke 上げ受け – rising block
arigatō gozaimashita ありがとうございました – thank you very much
barai 払い – sweep
chūdan 中段 – middle level
eri 襟 – collar
gedan 下段 – low level
gedan-barai 下段払い – low sweep block
gyaku-tsuki 逆突き – reverse punch
hai はい – yes
hajime 始め – begin
heikō-dachi 平行立ち – parallel stance
heisoku-dachi 閉足立ち – feet together
hidari 左 – left
hikite 引き手 – pulling hand
jōdan 上段 – high
kamae 構え – guard posture
kiai 気合 – spirited shout
mae-geri 前蹴り – front kick
migi 右 – right
mokusō 黙想 – quiet reflection
nankuru naisa なんくるないさ – it will be ok (Okinawan spirit, optional)
naore 直れ – return to natural stance
neko-ashi-dachi 猫足立ち – cat stance
nijū-uke 二重受け – double block
nukite 貫手 – spear-hand
oi-tsuki 追い突き – lunge punch
onegai shimasu お願いします – please guide me
rei 礼 – bow
seiretsu 整列 – line up
seiza 正座 – kneeling
sensei ni rei 先生に礼 – bow to instructor
shomen ni rei 正面に礼 – bow to front
shuto 手刀 – knife-hand
shuto-dachi 手刀立ち – L-stance
shuto-tsuki 手刀突き – knife-hand strike
shuto-uke 手刀受け – knife-hand block
tsuru-ashi-dachi 鶴足立ち – crane stance
usoku-dachi 右足立ち – lean-away stance
yame 止め – stop
yoi 用意 – ready
zenkutsu-dachi 前屈立ち – front stance
