Shorinji Karate Dojo was founded on the guiding principles of budo, the martial way that unites discipline, awareness, and self-mastery.
The dojo’s teaching lineage traces directly to O’Sensei Richard Kim, one of the most respected modern masters of traditional karate, and to Sensei Ralph Corvino of the Ancaster Karate Club, a direct student of O’Sensei Kim and Sensei to the instructor of this dojo.
Training at Shorinji Karate Dojo follows the same path of discipline and martial virtues handed down through these dedicated teachers within the Dai Nippon Butoku Kai, the oldest and most prestigious martial arts organization in Japan.
Karate-do is a lifelong study of awareness.
Every class begins and ends with respect through the bow, the breath, and zazen: self-look, that teaches us to know ourselves before knowing another.
In training, students learn to cultivate a strong spirit that does not shrink in the face of challenge. We study movement, timing, and energy with the understanding that true strength is calm, measured, and rooted in compassion.
This is the foundation of budo: discipline of the body, clarity of mind, and humility of spirit.
The goal of training is not to fight others but to refine oneself.
At Shorinji Karate Dojo, students develop physical skill, emotional stability, and moral character through steady, sincere practice.
Children learn focus, manners, and confidence through their own sincere training efforts.
Adults rediscover balance, awareness, and a renewed sense of discipline that reaches beyond the dojo. Through this shared pursuit, the dojo nurtures respect, compassion, gratitude, and a community guided by the principles of budo.
The instructor, Mark L'Homme of Shorinji Karate Dojo has been training over 20 years, spending a decade as a resident student under Sensei Ralph Corvino, a direct student of O’Sensei Richard Kim.
Training was daily, physical, philosophical, and often silent. Many lessons came from the words, stories and guiding principles of Sensei Corvino. From quiet observation, repetition, and reflection the bond between Sensei and student was solidified and training continues.
This experience shaped a deep understanding that karate is not only technique but a way of living: a constant dialogue between discipline and awareness.
O’Sensei Richard Kim’s teachings, preserved through Sensei Corvino, emphasized that karate-do is an education of the self, one that extends to all aspects of life.
At Shorinji Karate Dojo, that same spirit endures. Students are guided to develop patience, respect, and courage through every challenge, both in training and in life.
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