Please note we are currently teaching from our private home dojo (see note below).
Classes are by appointment only.
The Shuri Dojo™ (formally the Kazoku Dojo) was first established in the UK in 1986, teaching children and adults traditional karate. In 2015 we were invited to teach at a local karate school in the Palos Hills area of Illinois, USA. We relocated from the UK to the Chicago suburbs in 2016.
Karate in Okinawa, the birthplace of karate, prior to the 1900's was taught as a way of protecting yourself from civilian attacks and wasn't governed by style as it is today. Our dojo follows the older Okinawan tradition of training from a small home based dojo. What we lack in size, we make up in quality and the sincerity of our training. There are classes each week for all levels and abilities.
The main difference in the way we practice and teach our karate, is the underlying philosophy that all our studies are based around the use and creation of techniques and principles used in actual self-protection, rather than used in any sporting context.
We welcome new members who wish to study and discover the traditional principals and skills within our art. Our aim is the preservation of our art, the cultural traditions and heritage we have been entrusted with and passing on our art to the next generation of students.
Passionate about the traditional fighting arts, but prefering functionality and pragmatism over the modern interpretation of karate. Inspired by the likes of Ronnie Colwell, Patrick McCarthy, Iain Abernethy, Vince Morris and many more pragmatic karate teachers. (no direct lineage is implied)
Karate and its kata has undergone many modifications over the years to comply with non-combative considerations such as competition, athleticism, “style purity”, aesthetics and more. Historically, karate and its kata, were created to record the fighting methods or principles of a given individual for civilian self-defense.
Much of what is referred to as ‘karate’ today, is just highly choreographed 'karate-ka' vs 'karate-ka' demonstrations, which often start with impractical blocking techniques.
Fighting, martial arts and self-protection, require differing skill sets, different methodologies in its practice. Most dojo and associations today consider just blocking, punching, and kicking and are not in any way related to the historical roots of karate. We do not follow or support this interpretation, with its completely unrealistic techniques and practices.
The Shuri Dojo is here to help students understand realistic pragmatic karate, with the sporting element removed. Principles based upon those which were created by the early karate pioneers, such as Itosu Anko, and before its modernization and addition of sporting rules and regulations.
Many karate schools today are entrenched in traditions, legacies and lineages that do not provide authentic and functional karate. A modern karate based system in NOT designed to provide effective answers to civillian self-defence.
At the Shuri Dojo we have the following:
We know the hardest step is the first one, we were all beginners once, so make that important first step with us at the Shuri Dojo. Don't delay, come and JOIN US and become part of our traditional karate family.
"Ichariba chode" (行逢りば兄弟). An Okinawan expression ….. “Though we meet but once, even by chance, we are friends for life.”
Chief Instructor
Adam Carter 8th Dan
Senior Instructor
Noel Carter 6th Dan
We do not accept all applications for membership. Our dojo follows the older Okinawan tradition of training from a small home based dojo. We have a selective student intake on a periodic basis. Traditional training is typically limited to small, dedicated groups of students, who are seeking to achieve a high level of disciplined, skills and values. Therefore preserving the culture and foundation of our art.
Note for experienced martial artists: This is a private dojo that is not open to visitors without first gaining permission to train. The dojo exists to take beginners from white belt onwards. It does not cater to experienced martial artists looking for one-off training or transferring from another style.
