Hello, my name is Nick and Ive been doing this martial art for 8 years. There are many reasons for why Ive stayed this long. The largest reason for this is because of the such low monthly fee. With the tuition only being $35 a month its an extreme value. And for this $35 a month cost Ive been able to focus on both my physical health as well as my mental abilities. In addition to this, Shorinji Kempo is like no other martial art. The atmospheres is indescribable as everyone is extremely friendly, passionate, and hardworking. May I also mention that there is such a diverse culture here. Whether your are looking to make new friends as an adult or child or looking for a place to learn a new type of martial art, Shorinji Kempo Orange County is the place to go! Once you join the Orange County Shorinji Kempo branch, you arent just joining a regular martial art but youre joining a second family.

I have been a student at Shorinji Kempo since I was 7 and now I am 20. Without this martial art I wouldnt be the person who I am today. Shorinji Kempo has taught me how to build character and be an effective worker in society. It taught me discipline to be a better person and to give back to society. Shorinji Kempo also taught me self defense and promoted good health. Ive learned physical techniques which have included punching, kicking, grappling, pinning, and many more. These techniques are a big part as to why I fell in love with the martial arts; theyre thoroughly interesting and so much fun to do (especially as you get higher in the ranks). Even through 13 years of training and learning hundreds of techniques, the most Ive taken away from Shorinji Kempo is the philosophy towards humanity. You wont always apply punching and kicking techniques in the real world but the philosophy and discipline you learn from Shorinji Kempo can be effectively applied every single day. Students are taught how to have compassion for others and learn the importance of giving back to society. Even the physical techniques are taught to only be used as a self defense mechanism in the worst case scenario. If youre looking for a rough, big, and burly martial art that will teach you how to break bones and deliver the most pain to your opponent then Shorinji Kempo is far from the martial arts for you. But if youre looking to build character and discipline all the while promoting good health and mental cultivation through self defense techniques, then Shorinji Kempo is the perfect community to be of. The branch is filled with tons of good hearted, genuine, and kind people who are passionate about Shorinji Kempo and I am lucky and blessed to have been able to join and meet them

In my 8 years of practice, I believe that this dojo has been one of the greatest impacts on my life.I had an amazing experience being taught by Rastogi Sensei, the branchmaster there. He speaks fluent Japanese and is a high ranking martial artist - dont judge a book by its cover....What I love about this dojo is that it gives students the opportunity to teach each other - none of the main teachers here are paid (a non-profit dojo and overall organization; the low $35/month payment goes directly to their headquarters in Japan for organization fees) and we are not at all strictly taught. Its a casual class and it allows anyone who walks in to be comfortable with the others around them! It is definitely a friendly environment and anyone even as young as 7 or as old as their 80s or 90s have participated. They also do several community service projects, adding to the value of this dojo to society.Having taken these classes has taught me a lot about how to be a better person overall. Being taught to be a better person, while also learning to defend myself and keep in good health are some of the best parts of this martial art. I believe that if you take this class and visit this place, you will fall in love with your first class (its free!!!)A low monthly price (paid in check or cash), maintaining health and learning self-defense, and doing community service while youre at it: I can definitely say it is one of the best extracurricular stuff Ive had the privilege to experience!

[DISCLOSURE] I am a member of the Los Angeles branch of Shorinji Kempo, and I am not a member of this Orange County branch. That being said...I must admit that this branch is among the best if not, THE BEST Shorinji Kempo branch you will find in the USA.Not only are they the largest branch in the nation, I have quite literally never seen a large collection of dedicated and well disciplined individuals practicing week in and week out in a single organization. It is truly an astonishing site that you must see and experience to believe.Many of that is credited to the branch master Mr. Pankaj Rastogi, but he has also fostered remarkable students that are well qualified to start their own branches.With a plethora of amazing leaders and mentors, this branch is guaranteed to offer your child and yourself an experience and education that cannot be offered in schools and other extracurricular activities. You will not regret stopping by to their class to see what this martial arts has to offer.

I have tried a few other martial arts and by far this has been the most beneficial for my Martial arts knowledge. I have learned a lot in the past few years and made great relationships! I highly recommend this Martial Art class for anyone who is interested because this is a very friendly community and also has a cheap monthly fee.

For me, I feel that every time I go to OC Shorinji Kempo, I feel reborn!Maybe its the endorphins or physical activity but I always come out of practice; happier. I dont let petty frustrations or temporary negative emotion affect me as much. Added to the fact that the philosophy/spirituality of Shorinji Kempo is made to enhance individual human beings and society, it is a optimistic narrative made to spread joy!If you feel lost, depressed, or unable to find a clear purpose, I highly recommend to try a class! Have a nice day! :)

I’ve been in Shorinji Kempo for the past 13 years and it has been one of the best decisions of my life. Aside from learning self defence, you learn about giving back to ones community and living life half for yourself and half for others. Throughout my years of training in Shorinji Kempo I have gone on to meet amazing and wonderful people all across the world through multiple seminars and competitions. People who I don’t just call friends but see as family for life. Shorinji Kempo has helped me become the person I am today through the many values, teachings and principles that have been instilled in me from day 1. The Sensei’s are passionate about teaching their students all the knowledge that has been passed down to them from generation to generation. Classes are energetic and has an amazing atmosphere to it along with a very friendly and welcoming environment for all! I recommend Shorinji Kempo to all because of the structure and how beneficial it is to both the physical and mental side of things. Everyone in this community is more than willing to help each other to attain person goals in this organization wether they are short-term goals or long-term goals!

All the wonderful reviews are much deserved for this school. I enrolled my 5- year-old daughter in January and have told family and friends about how much I have enjoyed our experience here thus far. They let her borrow a uniform and have patiently taught her the basic techniques, correcting her when she is not observing the proper form/technique. Rastogi Sensei makes class enjoyable for the students with his amazing skills and techniques as well as real-life wisdom. All the other senseis also contribute to making this place great. Something should also be said about how genuinely nice all the students are as well, especially all the Black Belt young men and women who are wonderful mentors.

Its always nice to see the people who cares about the community and spend their time in this nonprofitable organization activities and gives the younger ones the opportunity to learn the true values of life!

Sensei Pankaj Rastogi and his wife Ukiko and many other senseis there have made such a difference in the lives of those who joined. They not only focus on the techniques of self defense but life lessons that will help us all become better people. My kids and husband joined SK years ago and I can sincerely say that the teachings have enriched my family so much more than I could imagined. SK teaches many things but for me, to live half for oneself and half for other is so profound. We live in a country with so many opportunities and riches that we sometimes feel a sense of entitlement. SK have taught my family that in giving we are receiving much more in return.SK is not just for kids but also for adults. Sensei allows you to go on your own pace and constantly encourages you. Those of you who are not sure, he will allow you to come in, watch, and try it out. Chances are that you will like it. You have nothing to lose but everything to gain. Additionally, being that its a non profit organization, it is very affordable.

As a shy, non-athletic 20-something, I started Shorinji Kempo over 10 years ago with the encouragement of my then black-belt boyfriend. And now, as a 30-something 2nd degree black belt and mom (yep, married the guy) I cannot not overstate the positive effect that Shorinji Kempo has had in my life.As a martial art, the techniques are most similar to aikido, where you use pressure points and your opponents weaknesses to disable then. You can check them out on YouTube to get a sample (some Senseis are straight up Pai Mei!). But the true beauty of Shorinji Kempo comes from its non-profit structure of the entire organization. Every official Shorinji Kempo dojo shares the philosophy of Half for oneself and half for others. None of the Senseis or black belts are paid in money (food, sometimes 😀) and yet the culture of helping one another grow and learn is instilled in every single student. Because of the strong belief in building confidence and strength to help others, the tuition is at a low unheard-of rate.Sensei Pankaj Rastogi is the most enthusiastic advocate of Shorinji Kempo and his students. The kids class is always full of fun, and no matter how hard a day I had, hitting the mats in adults class always takes my stress away. Several times a year, we have visiting Senseis and black belts from other branches - Nor Cal, Arizona, and even Japan. Which brings me to another great point about Shorinji Kempo - your membership is good anywhere in the world! You could be in France, not speak a lick of French, and yet you can speak the same Shorinji Kempo language.I could go on and on, but youll have to see it for yourself. Theres really something for everyone.

All of them are very friendly not only Kenshi but also their families. They also enjoy some events such as jogging and volunteer work to clean the beach outside of dojo.Of course you can expect to learn the real Shorinji Kempo techniques under Rastogi branch master, 6-Dan.Through this practice with them, you can find and feel compassion to make everyone smile. It is the essence of the martial arts. You will not regret to join them to sweat together.GasshoHiroshi Onaka7-DanEx-SEATTLE branch master