Dojo

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D?j? (??) is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way", and is used to name a hall or space for immersive learning or meditation. This is traditionally in the field of martial arts, but has been seen increasingly in other fields, such as meditation and software development.

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History

Initially, d?j?s were adjunct to temples and were formal training place for any of the Japanese arts ending in "-d?", from the Chinese Tao (or Dao), meaning "way" or "path".

In Japan, any facility for physical training, including professional wrestling, may be called a d?j?. In the Western world, the term d?j? (when related to physical activity) is used exclusively for Japanese martial arts such as aikid?, jud?, karate-d?, etc.

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In martial arts

A proper Japanese martial arts d?j? is considered special and is well cared for by its users. Shoes are not worn in a d?j?. In many styles it is traditional to conduct a ritual cleaning (s?ji) of the d?j? at the beginning and/or end of each training session. Besides the obvious hygienic benefits of regular cleaning it also serves to reinforce the fact that d?j? are supposed to be supported and managed by the student body (or by special students, e.g., uchi-deshi), not the school's instructional staff. This attitude has become lost in many modern d?j? that are founded and run by a small group of people or instructors. In fact, it is not uncommon that in traditional schools (koryu), d?j? are rarely used for training at all, instead being reserved for more symbolic or formal occasions. The actual training is conducted typically outdoors or in a less formal area.

Many traditional d?j? follow a prescribed pattern with shomen ("front") and various entrances that are used based on student and instructor rank laid out precisely. Typically students will enter in the lower-left corner of the d?j? (in reference to the shomen) with instructors in the upper right corner. Shomen typically contains a Shint? shrine with a sculpture, flower arrangement, or other artifacts. The term kamiza means "place of honor" and a related term, kamidana refers to the shrine itself. Other artifacts may be displayed throughout the d?j?, such as kanban that authorize the school in a style or strategy, and items such as taiko drums or armor (yoroi). It is not uncommon to find the name of the d?j? and the d?j? kun (roughly "d?j? rules") displayed prominently at shomen as well. Visitors may have a special place reserved, depending on their rank and station. Weapons and other training gear will normally be found on the back wall.

Hombu d?j?

A hombu d?j? is the central training facility and administrative headquarters of a particular martial arts style.

Some well-known d?j? located in Japan are:

• Kodokan Judo Institute (Judo)
• Aikikai Hombu D?j? (Aikido)
• Noma D?j? (Kendo)
• Nakazato Karate Weapons Gym (Shorin-Ryu Shorinkan)

Other names for training halls

Other names for training halls that are equivalent to "dojo" include the following:

• Akhara (Indian martial arts)
• Dojang (Korean martial arts)
• Gelanggang (silat Melayu)
• Heya (sumo)
• Kalari (kalaripayat)
• Sasaran (pencak silat)
• Wuguan (wushu)

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In other fields

The term d?j? is also increasingly used for other forms of immersive-learning space.

Zen Buddhism

The term d?j? is sometimes used to describe the meditation halls where Zen Buddhists practice zazen meditation. The alternative term "zen-do" is more specific, and more widely used. European S?t? Zen groups affiliated with the International Zen Association prefer to use "d?j?" instead of zendo to describe their meditation halls as did their founding master, Taisen Deshimaru.

Computer-related

• Coding Dojo: refers to a space and associated technique for groups to practice computer programming skills
• Hacker Dojo, a software hackerspace in Mountain View, California
• Dojo Toolkit, JavaScript toolkit

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See also

• D?j? kun, rules of the hall

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References

Source of the article : Wikipedia