Welcome to SHŌRYŪKAN. Shoryukan is a relatively new Karate Academia. At the moment, there are only a few students, and daily training is led by myself and my son. But here, we have created a space where people who wish to grow in both mind and body through martial arts karate can train with peace of mind.

The roots of this journey go back to a time when my kids and I began practicing together quietly in a small neighborhood park.

When our family returned to Yokohama after years stationed in Shizuoka, I struggled to balance my children’s education with work and home life. I was just an ordinary father, like many others.

We began with simple basics, practiced discreetly in a quiet corner of the park. The only one beside me was my eldest son, who was already training in Shitō-ryū under the same teacher I had learned from. For us, that little park became our private “Kenbukan” dojo (named after our Alma-Matter dojo in Shizuoka)— a father-and-son practice space, no more, no less.















 

Since my youth, I’ve studied a wide range of styles: Shōrin-ryū, Shōtōkan, Gōjū-ryū, Wadō-ryū, and Shitō-ryū. Each of these traditions deepened my appreciation for the richness and diversity of karate. In Yokohama, where my affiliated dojo did not exist, I continued training in school-based dojo settings, regularly traveling to Fujinomiya, Shizuoka, to see my Master and Senpais and eventually participate in regional tournaments. Even after turning fifty, I competed in masters events, still learning and growing.

I do not seek to create a new style, but rather to carefully re-examine the essence of the kata and techniques I have inherited, in my own way. This is why I continue to train across various styles and systems. While the Japan Karate Federation recognizes the “four major styles” as a framework, this also includes kata and techniques originally from Shōrin-ryū and Ryūei-ryū. Accordingly, we follow the standards set by both the All Japan Karate Federation and the World Karate Federation.
 

Even living in Yokohama, for a long time I continued visiting my Karate Master in Shizuoka to pursue deeper understanding.

One figure in our lineage is Kanken Tōyama (遠山寛賢 Tōyama Kanken, 1888–1966), born Kanken Oyadomari in Shuri, Okinawa. He was someone who resisted creating a “new style” brand and instead sought to integrate karate traditions into one cohesive path. I resonate deeply with that philosophy. It reminds me of Socrates — who, though opposed to writing, was passed down through the writings of his disciples.

Yet it is also true that by being systematized into styles and developed as a competitive art, karate has been refined and preserved. Respecting both those paths, I began formally transmitting what I had learned to my son in my late 40s. Together we founded a small dojo called “Kenbukan”, which was officially recognized as a branch by our mother dojo in Shizuoka as "Kenbukan Yokohama (Branch)", where we had trained under our master and seniors. Our members? Just the two of us.

However, due to the long distance and my local work in Tokyo area,　we figured out that it would become difficult for our new students to travel to Shizuoka for belt examinations under the same association standards.
So, in 2024, with our Master's blessing and understanding, we took a new step and established our own dojo in Yokohama under a new name:
Shoryukan International Bujutsu Karate-do Academia — no longer a branch, but a new beginning.
The Karate Academy born in Yokohama!

My son, who has trained in karate since childhood, is now fully focused on his university studies, so I am currently the one leading the daily practice.

At Shoryukan International Bujutsu Karate-do Academia, we welcome everyone — from children to adults, beginners to seasoned practitioners. This is a safe and open space to take your first step. No one is born knowing — we all learn by starting somewhere. It’s the same in karate: we begin with simple but essential forms, repeating them as we strive for perfection. Great journeys often begin with the smallest steps.
Shall we take this first step together — and begin a path of cultivating body and mind?
I truly look forward to meeting you.

Helio Sato (佐藤エリオ)

​