Enshin Karate SF

I do martial arts for more than 20 years. Practiced in Europe and in Japan before going to Enshin Karate, SF branch. Let’s summarize it in a few words :
Tomiyama sensei, a true japanese with a very solid background in martial arts (black belt in Enshin Karate /​Kyokushin Karate /​Mumonkai Karate /​Judo; former world Sabaki champion etc.) is an awesome and skilled instructor, close to his dechi (follow), open minded… In my opinion, he succeeded to merge the best of a japanese martial art and the american culture/​expectations. I definitely recommend this dojo to whoever wants to practice seriously (and sweat a lot!), do a full contact Karate style, find nice (and good) sparring partners and friends. Osu!
EDIT: 2y later, a couple others styles tried in the Bay area, I just can state that Tomiyama is definitely an outstanding dojo. About stand up fitghing, you can’t find a better instructor.
For those who has questions, we do a full contact style –beginners wears body protections-​, we can also do face punches with headgear in additionnal of the Enshin rules.
I know some of you are concern by the prices, here there is no contract, you pay at the beginning of each month you join and, compare to the average prices in the bay, it’s more than affordable, especially for the quality of the instruction.
Stop by if you have any questions :)
Osu!

My 7-​year old daughter had been practicing a form of Enshin Karate in Japan for just six months when we had the opportunity to visit SF and Tomiyama-sensei’s dojo.
He and his students warmly welcomed us, invited my daughter to join in the session, and even lent her a spare dogi! Shy but excited, my daughter willingly took up the challenge!
She had a wonderful experience, enjoying the fast-​paced but extremely fun session with lots of smiles from everyone. She particularly enjoyed the muscle-​strengthening exercises like jumping off chairs and lifting weights (She’s only 7!). But her favorite was the «obi-​tori» session!
Later, she said she was really surprised that karate could be so much «fun» and challenging (not that she was saying her karate in Japan wasn’t fun)!
We were only visiting, but now my daughter wants to move to SF just so she can practice karate there again! :) She liked it that much!
Definitely one of the most highly energetic sessions I’ve ever seen!
Thanks so much Tomiyama-​sensei and his students!

I cannot recommend this dojo highly enough. Studying with Tomiyama Sensei has helped my son in all aspects of his life. My son has been a member of the dojo since he was five. He is nine now and will be trying for his black belt this year. He goes four days a week and looks forward to every class. Sensei is patient and very kind with children. The dojo is in the heart of Japantown and is active in the community. They provide an exhibition at the Cherry Blossom Festival each year.
Sensei imparts the philosophy of the fighting spirit and that responsibility that comes with ability. Enshin Karate is a way of life.
You don’t get that at dojo in the box.

I have been practicing karate on and off at the Enshin Karate SF Dojo for over a year. I primarily go to the Fighters Training Class on Monday nights (7:10−9:00pm).
Here’s an overview of the Fighters Training Class:
We start with stretching, then a cardio warm up, then punching exercises with pads and partners, then kicking exercises, then strength training, and wrap up with a cool-​down stretch.
This class is intense and makes for an incredible work out. I’m usually sore for at least 2 days. Sensei Tomiyama does an excellent job of varying the stretches and exercises so the class always feels new. Even though the Fighters Training class is recommended for «advanced» students beginners are welcomed and Sensei gives them alternate/​easier exercises until they get up to speed. Attendance varies and can be anywhere from 3 to 8 students.
Sensei Tomiyama is an amazing motivator/​coach/​role model/​trainer. He is great at giving personal pointers and making sure everyone is using proper technique. He is excellent with kids and adults alike. I have watched him teach classes for kids. They listen to him and treat him with respect and admiration.
One of my favorite parts about going to the classes is interacting with the other students. Everyone is very friendly and helpful. The people who come to these classes are good people. I’ve made some great friends.
Overall, I highly recommend checking this place out. Feel free to sit in and watch a class (there are chairs set-​up off to the side where the parents sit). I believe Sensei teaches classes on Monday, Wednesday, and Friday evenings, and on Saturday afternoons — I’ll see about posting a schedule. Enjoy!

i’ve always been a half way decent fighter throughout my training, but i never really stood out. i trained a little bit at enshin sf in preparation for a full contact tournament coming up in may of 08. i had been kind of out of practice. tomiyama sensei gave me one key piece of advice to help me out during my training. i carried that advice into the tournament and fought better than i have ever fought in my life. and this is after i had been training karate for 7 years!
he has amazing sense and insight to people’s ability. he’s an incredible fighter that i can only aspire to be half of what he is some day. i really appreciate him letting me train at his school and treating me like i’ve been a student/​friend there all along, especially since i don’t really have a dojo to call home anymore.
OSU!

Tomiyama Sensei is truly a wonderful person, as well as a superb instructor. My daughter was getting ready for class in June 2008, and hurt her arm doing cartwheels on the mat before class (such a 5-​year-​old!). Tomiyama Sensei called to inform me, and Nora was treated with such loving care until I was able to get there to pick her up. Turned out she had fractured her arm! Tomiyama Sensei called us a few times over the summer to see how she was, and even sent her a get well card. I feel so lucky to have such a kind-​hearted yet strong role model in my daughter’s life.

I have been training at SF Enshin Karate branch for the past 2 years under the instruction of Sensei Tomiyama. I had practiced Enshin Karate for 3 years in Portland before I moved to the Bay Area. Having briefly studied a few other forms of martial arts in my youth I definitely wanted to stick with Enshin Karate given its (in my opinion) real world practicality. I live in Point Richmond so 3 times a week I make the approximately 45 mi round trip to go to the dojo and it’s always worth it.
Sensei Tomiyama has practiced various forms of martial arts most of his life and his training and knowledge combined with his personality makes for excellent instruction. He runs a somewhat strict but well balanced dojo with a good feeling of traditionalism that really helps me forget the stresses of daily life and focus on my training. You will also find more than just the traditional martial arts training here. The classes are very focused on good fitness, strength training and conditioning. I personally feel like Sensei Tomiyama has helped me get in to the best shape of my life. In the adult classes we have students of all ages from the late teens to some who are over fifty. This is a great dojo with a great instructor that I would highly recommend to anyone.

I started practicing karate at this dojo about 3 years ago, and the time has gone by so quickly I can hardly believe it. I have made some great friends here and I think it really speaks to the quality of Sensei Tomiyama– not just as an instructor, but as a guy who lives the philosophy that he teaches– that really talented and compassionate people come to practice here.
I can also probably say that I’m in the best shape of my life since joining, and that no two classes are ever the same. I could go on and on, but let me just end by saying that if you are considering learning an authentic martial art taught by a dedicated practitioner, you could do yourself no harm dropping by the dojo to try out a class and see what its all about.

I trained at Tomiyama Sensei’s dojo around 2001, and enjoyed it immensely. This is a rare opportunity to learn full contact karate from a serious but good-​humored Japanese instructor. Instruction ranges from «classic» kata instruction to calisthenics to bagwork to full-​contact sparring sessions. Tomiyama sensei has an eclectic background, with a background in Judo as well as Karate. I don’t practice there now, to my shame, due to usual excuses of work commitments and general laziness. However, it’s an excellent place of study to anyone wanting to learn _​real_​karate. Cannot recommend highly enough.