I'm just wondering, where is Kenpo from? Because I've heard of Kenpo and Chinse Kenpo. I beleive Chinese Kenpo is the style of kung fu which has the tiger, snake, and such. But is Kenpo similar to Karate? What country did it originate from? And what's it like?
Kempo is the Japanese reading of Chaun Fa. It means Method of the Fist or Law of the Fist. Some Japanese systems that have links to Chinese systems use the term as well as some American systems. It could be said that Chinese systems using the term chaun fa could also be called kempo, but why use a Japanese reading for a Chinese art? There are a number of forms of Kempo so I'll stick with a description of Shorinji Kempo as it is what I know. Shorinji Kempo has three main areas of physical study, these ar Goho, Juho, and Seiho. Goho deals with striking and blocking. Juho deals with joint locks, throws, pins, and chokes. Seiho deals with massage, manipulation and pressure point use to heal the body. Although these systems come under different headings they are designed to work together. As a physical description it is sometime referred to as a cross between Karate and Aikido, this is a very poor description as our Goho is very different than Karate, and our Juho only superficially resembles Aikido. Shorinji Kempo is the most popular martial art in Japan today. There are about 1.5 million people practising it in 29 countries around the world. If you would like to learn more about have a look at the links in my signature black.
Almost ALL of the Kempo or Kenpo styles taught in the US came from Hawaii. They got to Hawaii from Japan, mostly. In the last 50-60 years they have cross-bred with stuff form the 4 corners of the earth, but mostly with filipino and chinese (external) styles. Also the training methods have a Japanese karate flavor for the most part (gis, colored belts, sensei' dans and kyus) -David
This girl at my school says she does one called Kenpo Goji or seomthing like that, anyone know how that is?(good or bad)
And some that don't have Chinese links. Takenouchi Ryu, for instance, has an unarmed section on its syllabus it refers to as "kenpo taijutsu".
This is not meant to mean anything other than a question as I don’t know that style. In your opinion are they using the term kempo to draw a connection to the Chinnese arts, if not directly then in principle? I had not heard of any of the older styles using the term before, but then I’m no expert on the koryu arts.
Good question. Now I wouldn't call myself an expert either, but I doubt in Takenouchi Ryu's case that that was the aim. Some koryu jujutsu schools do try and claim links to China, but Takenouchi Ryu is generally not one of them. In fact it is often used as an example by people trying to debunk the "jujutsu came from China" myth, since the school was formed quite some time before the arrival of Chin Genpin on Japanese shores. The kenpo taijutsu section of Takenouchi Ryu's syllabus is a bit of a mystery when it comes to its name. It is more commonly known as "hade", which is an even more obscure term in Japanese martial arts, the origin of which even less is known about.
Like Colin said above, the word "kempo" is a general term for something like 'way of the fist' or 'fist law' in Japanese. In the United States, anyway, most of the styles with the word 'kempo' or 'kenpo' in the name come from the Japanese art that was taught in Hawaii by James Masayoshi Mitose just after the 2nd world war, and then spread to the mainland by his former students. It seems that this branch of kempo is only 'chinese' in the sense that the original Kosho-ryu kempo of Mitose was influenced by Chinese martial arts. So, really, the common style of kempo that we have in the United States is a hybrid, consisting of Chinese, Japanese, Hawaian, and American influences. My instructor calls what we learn 'Chinese Kenpo', but I really believe that this is a misnomer. Our belt system and uniforms are Japanese, some of our katas are similar to the Hung Gar style of Chinese Kungfu and we only use English names for our techniques. So go figure... I read an essay by William Durbin who claimed that Okinawan karate at one time was very different from the traditional karate that we have today, such as Shotokan. Before Funakoshi brought karate to the mainland Japan there were just as many circular movements as there were linear. The flow between strikes was also a very important component. Perhaps this is really where our kempo comes from; it's just an older version of karate by way of Honolulu. Since nobody really owns the word 'kempo', I'll have to apologize to Colin and the others who study styles that are different from the main line of kempo in the US. I don't think Shorinji Kempo has anything to do with Hawaii, although I know that it is a very effective and legitimate style. Feel free to correct any mistakes of history that may have made....
By the way, it just occurred to me that some people use the name 'Chinese Kenpo' simply to distiguish our art from more traditional Japanese stuff. If it were really Chinese then we could trace the lineage directly to a style or teacher in China, we would use Chinese terms, and we would wear Chinese uniforms. Sorry for double-posting.
1. No apologies necessary. The only time that it worries me is when people refer to Shorinji Kempo when talking about some other form of kempo. 2. Yes you’re right, Shorinji Kempo has no connections with any other form of Kempo. It is a product of Doshin So’s experiences in China where he became the head of a Shaolin martial art form call Giwamonken, and the various other forms of budo that he studied. Shorinji Kempo is not that well known in the west, but it is the most popular martial art in Japan. Its membership world wide is a bout 1.5 million and it is practiced in about 30 countries, all under the one organisational umbrella of WSKO (World Shorinji Kempo Organisation).
There are big question marks surrounding the original Kenpo/Kempo in Hawaii because of their founder James Mitose. Some say he never went to Japan because it can't be proved. Others say he was just secretive about his "familys martial arts." Any way, The Chinese connection was through William Chow who was Mitose's student and supposedly trained under his father a Shaolin or Buddist priest. Mitose's art was supposed to be Japanese with out the Okinowan connection. Recent research has pretty much proven that if their was any Asian connection at all it was probably through Nabura Tanamaha, a black belt under Choki Motobu who was in Hawaii at the time. As for quoting Durbin. Read this about him: http://www.martialtalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=18314
my brother practiced shorinji kempo before and he was taught it was kempo from tumaiti, anyone know where the heck is tumaiti?
I've been practicing it for 16 years, both here in Australia and Japan and have never heard this. I have done a quick google search and it appears that this is another name for Tomari te, a form of Karate. The only link that I can find to Shorinji Kempo is a Mexican one that states the following, “1982-1984 Practical of the style of Caratê Zen Sho Shorinji Kempo Tumaiti of the master Shigeo Nakazato (8vo degree) and professors nor one dojo of the Federal Capital approving 3 examinations and I participate in matches of the forms and ruptures”. This can be found at http://www.geocities.com/aikicom/cvam.htm This should not be confused with Shorinji Kempo, as it is a completely different art form, and seems to be one based on Karate. Shorinji Kempo, although it contains strikes is not like Karate. The Goho (strikes and kicks) have much more body movement than any Karate I have seen, the body is relaxed and carries little tension and the strikes are rapid combinations. While the Juho (throws, locks, pins and chokes) is much more sophisticated and in depth than those I have seen in some karate systems. It is more like Aikido or Daito Aiki Jutsu. I have a link to our governing body in my signature block if you’re interested in learning more, it is the second on that starts with wsko.
Kempo Kempo originated in China and is traditionally known as Chaun Fa. It is also known as the 12 Fists Of Lo'han. It was brought to Japan by Bohidrama a Chinese Shaolin monk famous for his martial arts.
Bohidrama was an Indian monk who traveled to China, and as legend has it, went to the Shaolin Temple and meditated for many years, and then formed the basis for what is called Shaolin "Gung-Fu". He never traveled to Japan, and was dead many centuries before any form of karate was introduced to Japan proper. The Japanese word "Shorinji" translated literally means "Shaolin Temple."
Kempo is a generic term that translates as Chaun Fa, there are many different styles, even in China. Bodhidharma (Damo, Daruma) didn’t bring it to Japan, he brought it to China; however there were other styles of Kempo in China before he came. What he brought to China, and taught at the Shaolin Temple was a style of Indian Kempo known as Nalo-Jan and other times as Arohan, it later became known as I-jinsin to distinguish it from zazen. This art had a different purpose to the native arts in China at the time. It was designed not only as a self-defence system, but also as a way of developing the individual and helping them attain enlightenment. Japan gained its knowledge of Kempo through various people visiting China, or Chinese people visiting Japan and bringing with them different arts they had studied. Referance: Shorinji Kempo (Shaolin Chaun Fa), philosophy and techniques. Author So Doshin.
I think we can all agree that posting answeres to these questions without asking for a specific style is moot. There are too many variants that differ in to many ways to effectively answer the question.
I think you mean "18 Hands of Lo Han" or "Shih Pa Lo Han Sho", which became the basis of "Shaolin Temple Boxing" and Tien Shan Pai - Kung Fu.
The styles in America known as Chinese Kenpo mostly derive from an early period in Ed Parker's development, when he started training with Ark WOng and other Chinese teachers in the early 60s. he published a book "The Secrets of Chinese Karate". It was at this time the Tracy brothers left Parker and still teach Tracy's Kenpo today. Later, offshoots form Tracy's and others who left Parker at that time called their style "Chinese Kenpo". So yes Chow did probably have a chinese-based influence, but Ark Wong brought a lot more, directly, into kenpo, much later.
