Unlike my usual confident posts, this is more a cry for help. For months now I have been trying to achieve a clear understanding of how a kendojo should be laid out and the correct terminology to use to describe the component areas. I have asked a number of senior sensei and the AJKF but I am still far from a definitive answer.
Let me start by telling you what I believe I know: A dojo has a high side and a low side (kamiza and shimoza). Instructors and higher grades sit on the high side and students sit on the low side. Usually, but not always, both sides line up in ascending order, often starting with the lower grades on both sides nearest the door, so that the most senior student faces the most senior instructor. Some people refer to the end of the dojo where the highest grades are placed as kami no kami and the lower end of the dojo as shimo no shimo.
So far so good! But there are numerous exceptions to the rule. For example – in the Shudokan in Osaka (if my memory is still reliable), the entrance is in the centre, between kendo and judo areas. It is on this side where senior instructors sit, with the highest grade nearest to the door. In some other dojo instructors sit in pyramid structure with the senior grade in the centre and the next senior to his right and the next to his left and so on. In other dojo the students line up in reverse order of seniority to the teachers. Honoured guests and sometimes senior grades who are not classed as teachers in a particular dojo may sit along an end wall, (I have seen this arrangement at either end of the dojo).
In Japanese dojo there is often a Shinto shrine or altar against the kamiza wall. I have seen these in various positions, sometimes even in kami no kami.
The terminology too varies from place to place. Shomen-ni- rei is normally used as the instruction to bow to kamiza. This literally means bow to the front and the term shomen is used as a substitute for kamiza outside of Japan. The reason given is that kamiza has a religious connotation that may cause discomfort to members of monotheistic religions. On looking up kamiza in various dictionaries, including my Brinkley 1896 edition, the meaning is given as (as Joseki or Joza), which simply means higher seat.
So forgive me for this long winded declaration of ignorance. The answers I have received so far have been diluted with “but it depends on” or “case by case” or “it’s some kind of feng shui thing”.
If anyone can add any light to the topic, I would welcome your input.
PS. I just heard the sad news that Jaime Fennessy sensei of the Australian Kendo Remei passed away. A great bloke and an inspiration to kendoka around the World. He will be missed.
kendoinfo.net 
Well Geoff,
I’m coursing a Anthropology Master degree (I don’t know how is the correct terminology) and studying kendo (here in Brazil, in São Paulo city). I’m about to do fieldwork, but the spatial organization of the kendo (and the dojo) is one of my questions. If I discover I tell you…
I already know, that are dojo which don’t even has a kamiza… (I trained in one like this)… And there is a japanese sensei in the dojo…
In my dojo (in Curitiba, Brazil) Shinzen-ni-mukatte rei (i don’t know how to write it) is normally used as the command to bow to kamiza….
First, the question has to be asked – are you in a dojo with a kamiza, or simply a room or gym without one. This is an important disctinction to make. If you dont have a kamiza, then making distictions may be irrelevant.
The kamiza sits in the center of the room facing south. To its left is the joseki, and the right the shimozeki.
(left and right are reversed if you are looking towards the kamiza)
The joseki, on the east side, is the side that the sun rises from and is the YO (or sun) in IN-YO (yin/yang) theory. It is the side that the uchidachi should be standing when performing kata.
The shimozeki is on the left side of the kamiza. It is in the west, the side that the sun sets, so is YO (shadow).
This IN-YO configuration can be seen in tradional arts as well as sumo and wedding ceremonies.
I’m not sure of the exact history of its use in Japanese dojo, but it seems to have been defined in the 1915 enthronment of the Emperor, perhaps picked up by the butokukai at that point.
Anyway, following the above rules its pretty simple to get people sat in the correct location. The higher graded person should sit on the east side, or the left as looked FROM the kamiza. Assuming you have a kamiza of course. In buildings nowadays the doors are random… in general the kamiza should be as far from the door as possible, though its not always possible.
In general, the ‘grade’ order should be by age, but things nowadays are all mixed…..
These rules – including the age one – are meant to be embedded in Japanese culture and in a way are… but people are forgetting them. As for budo, people (in Japan specifically) who only learned kendo in a gym or sports center often fail to understand the subtleties involved….. Rather than ask high-ranked people, you might want to ask people involved in active budo research, like university budo or history people, because rank itself is no indication of knowledge itself.
Anyway, that was the quick and messy reply for you, I hope its useful!
Oh – shudokan!!! That dojo is owned by Osaka city, and not the renmei. The problem with that place is the changing rooms are in the back, behind the kamiza, where they should be in the front. Apart from that (and the fact that the divided floor space is swapped every 1/2 year between kendo and judo) the layout pretty much conforms to the above.
– George
kenshi247.net
kendo-book.com
Thank you George. I should have asked you in the first place. One quick question, you have used YO twice for sun and shade – which is which?
Geoff
Hi Geoff sensei,
Great post as always.
While I wouldn’t presume to shed any light on the dojo arrangement, I can at least provide some insight into the aspect of kamiza vs joseki/shomen. I believe this is because of a mistranslation.
As you know the word ‘kami’ can have many meanings and with it, different assigned kanji without a change to the pronunciation (or at least not a significant one).
I believe the ‘kamiza’ has therefore been misinterpreted on more than one occasion as 神座 (literally – god seat) whereas the correct kanji would be, as you said 上座 (meaning upper/higher seat) which also makes sense in terms of the opposite ‘shimoza’ being 下座 (lower seat).
Therefore, in the interest of political correctness (it may have been too early for the political correctness gone mad era), it is given the more generic term so as not to offend.
I don’t have much evidence to support this theory, but I believe I have read translations that led me to believe that ‘kamiza’ was a ‘holy’ seat rather than just one of respect.
Nick
I agree with you on this Nick!
I have been told that there is a distinction between the following:
* Shomen = the “front” end of the room
* Kamiza = high seat = seat of the privileged
* Kamidana = god seat = the Shinto altar in a room
What I learned is that every room has a kamiza, but not every room has a kamidana.
Is this helpful? It’s a example of dojo architectural project.
http://www.dillonlin.net/?p=140
Hello Geoff
Happy New Year again, as we didn’t talk since last year.
The Dojo Layout is a fascinating post, probably there is more than one
answer and all are correct.
It would be great if you could share another take with the answers.
I practiced many times at the Tokyo Police Keishicho (not sure if the
spelling is correct).
Any how there are two entrances at the Dojo on the left and right side of
Kamiza.
As you probably know it is a quite large Dojo.
Interesting that Senseis seat to the right and left to Kamiza, and I
couldn’t ever figure out the correct Sensei seating.
For example you have Kamiza in the middle, to the right side of Kamiza seat
the Hachi Dan Hanshu follow down by Kyoshi etc.
To the left of Kamiza another set of Hachi Dan Hanshu follow by Kyoshi.
It seems that there are a mirror of each other, both Hachi Dan Hanshu at
each side of Kamiza and both at equal distance from both entrances on each
side of Kamiza as well.
Really a fascinating subject, hope that you get to the bottom of this.
Thank you again for the great work sharing with us
Cheers
Gabriel
I asked about the unusual seating plan of a dojo I visited in Japan only to be met with a confused look and told it was simply the easiest way to fit everyone in. I must remember to look for the obvious first.
What a great read, as well as the comments. It is nice to see that these small subtleties are still being questioned, explored, and explained to a western audience. Thought typically seen as insignificant, it is the small things that bring great meaning to the art that we do (20/80).
Where I practice, there are two doors on one side, make placement interesting. I find myself just avoiding doors in general because I find myself turn and bowing whenever I get near one haha
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The real challenge is figuring out the oval dojo in Liverpool!
where should the bathrooms and the office, and the lobby be in relaton to the dojo? obviously you do not put bathrooms behind the kamiza, but if you are to have them, do you really want them in the front of your business?
[…] Primera entrada del blog por Salmon-sensei sobre este tema: https://kendoinfo.wordpress.com/2012/01/22/dojo-layout/ […]
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