SEISHINKAN Karate on Main

Karate on main is a wonderful, traditional dojo. The interior is beautiful, the sort of place where no one minds working hard.
Sensei is very knowledgeable and experienced. If you are looking for great, traditional Okinawan Goju-​Ryu Karate-​do training and a new family, Seishinkan is the new home for you!

My husband and I had been looking for a traditional karate dojo since moving to Portland six years ago and we were delighted to discover ‘Karate on Main’. Sensei Ellis is a wonderful instructor with the ability to push his students toward excellence using kindness, humor and a tough, no-​nonsense attitude.
Our 8-​year old son has shown marked improvements in behavior and attention since starting karate and my husband and I are getting into amazing shape! However, this practice is not just about physical training, emphasis is also placed on the development of mind, spirit and character.
I continue to be inspired by Sensei Ellis and the other wonderful instructors and I highly recommend this dojo to anyone interested in learning the art of Goju-​Ryu karate.

When I first came to Portland, it was with a background in Shaolin Kung Fu as a student, and I really didn’t have an interest in Karate at all. I came to check this dojo on the recommendation of a friend, and had signed up by the end of the week. This is a dojo in the traditional style; there is a deep respect for the art and for your progress that is difficult to find in most modern dojos. It is treated as a journey, not a sport. And while you do not have to be a buddhist, or religious at all to get the maximum benefit, the workouts and the practice are deeply calming while also making you physically powerful.
Sensei Ellis is no joke, either. His master is Higaonna Morio (google this name), the leader of the International Okinawan Goju-​Ru Federation, whose master was also the head of the art, and so on up the line to the founders of Karate. This is one of those rare places where the art has been absolutely preserved, and there is no more authentic place in Portland to learn from. There are cheaper dojos, and more convenient dojos, but I dare say that after looking long and hard there are not BETTER dojos.
This is a bad place to go if you are looking to get into MMA or sport karate, and an excellent place to go if you are looking to get deep into the martial arts and change yourself.

A great place for anyone looking to start a martial arts resume from scratch. Great for kids as well.