Been a member of this Dojo for three years and it has changed my life. It's an amazing, and diverse, community that revolves around physical wellness, discipline, and camaraderie. You will be pushed, but it is safe for anyone to join no matter the experience level. There are adult classes every day: karate, kick boxing, or jiu jitsu; and kids classes for as young as 4 years old. Sensei Seijo and Sensei Joy and all the Senpais including Ciprian and Jose are amazing teachers of Kyokushin and mentors that go above and beyond to invest in each student's development. Legit love it here, it's become a second home and a second family. And I'm in the best shape of my life as an add on. read more

As a parent and student, I'd like to share my journey with martial arts. Three years ago, my family embarked on this incredible adventure at Imazaki Dojo, and it's been nothing short of life-changing. My kids had different goals. My 4yo needed to learn focus, while my 9yo needed to boost self-confidence. The dojo provided a safe and fun environment where they could work towards these goals with dedicated senseis and senpais. Seeing the positive impact they had on my kids, I decided to join as an adult student. I've found a welcoming and supportive community that's committed to helping each other grow. It's been a wonderful outlet for my mental health and well-being. Together, we've trained our minds and bodies, building strength and resilience through hard work and dedication. It's been amazing watching my kids blossom under the guidance of Sensei Seijo and Sensei Joy. I wholeheartedly recommend that anyone give them a try! read more

I'm so grateful Thank you imazaki dojo. The culture, the community, the leadership & investment of our kids is a rewarding experience everyone should have an opportunity to be apart of read more

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Everything about this Dojo is Professional, The Senseis, Senpais, and Students are courteous kind and will work with You in order to attain Your goals! read more

I liked the place, but the teachers were rude to us, We went there a couple weeks ago just to see and get the idea of how they teach. From the first encounter we felt unwelcome and we left read more

I tried out several places for BJJ and although all were totally exceptional, I think I just liked the environment and coaching from Coach Thor at this dojo. Everyone is super friendly and I've learned a lot at this dojo. Although BJJ is tough, Coach Thor and my classmates have truly made it a fun experience and I keep coming back! If you want to learn martial arts and get a good sweat on, Coach Thor and Sensei Seijo Imazaki can get you started! read more

I use to train with the folks down at Imazaki Dojo until I shifted my focus on my career in Eastern medicine. They are very high energy and focused on character building. Sensei Imazaki is a great coach and mentor in regards both to Kyokushin and character development! I highly recommend their program if you have a family are looking to build character and realistic fighting skills for the whole family. Beware, their training is tough! read more

My sons have been taking classes here for over two years. Sensei Seijo and Sensei Joy are an amazing team. Sensei Seijo instills discipline and Sensei Joy always has a smile in her face and she puts the kids at ease. They're an amazing combination. I can already see the impact in my older son. With every class, he gains confidence and displays more disclipline. I highly recommend Imazaki Dojo. read more

Imazaki Dojo - Just a little Sunday beach karate. - Martial Arts Near Me - Chicago, Illinois

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I am an experienced martial artist, having practiced TKD, Wing Chun, and Kickboxing in previous days, and I've been continuing my martial arts training at Imazaki Dojo for almost a year now. Many fitness kickboxing and MMA gyms abound nowadays, but there are few places that teach quality, traditional martial arts, which still pack a punch. Imazaki Dojo is such a place. Kyokushin Karate is the hardest form of Karate, and Sensei Seijo teaches it with great resolve and thoughtfulness. His students' development in fight IQ and growth in martial arts skill over time are noticeable. Furthermore, instructors from several important partner organizations also teach at the school regularly, so Muay Thai, BJJ, and Yoga training are also available. read more

The Imazaki Dojo rocks! I first met Seijo in June and have worked with him ever since. Not only Seijo is an awesome Karate teacher, he also volunteered his time as one of our guest speakers for my summer internship program at Columbia College Chicago. Seijo is such an inspiration for the students and they all loved him. :) My husband and I joined Imazaki Dojo in November and we absolutely love it! We met great people at the Dojo. Seijo is very passionate about karate and teaching. He teaches us techniques and discipline, plus it's wonderful to be able to learn new things at the dojo. Seijo is great at working with people with different skill levels. No matter if you are a new comer, or if you are skilled in karate, Seijo makes sure that you will be benefited from his classes. I am so happy that we are able to work with Seijo and I am planning to learn from him until I advance to the black belt! :) read more

The north side may win on points, but the south side hits harder! Imazaki is a newer dojo in this city, with a young energetic staff, committed to personalized attention. The fact that Sensei Seijo and Sensei Joy have made these arts available to Chicago's south side is greatly appreciated. The children's programs are a positive environment that teaches safety, self-discipline, confidence, and agility to boys and girls of all ages and skill levels. Adult programs are tailored to the modern demands of marshal artistry in the 21st century that applies these traditional, centuries old eastern arts to the demands of today. Whether you are a new mother wanting to get back in shape, or an older man who wants to lose a few pounds, or an aspiring MMA fighter or boxer, Imazaki has programs that will meet your needs, from traditional, spar and kata heavy programs in Karate, to yoga and meditation, to Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu. read more

My father trained until he was a black belt in Karate 'way back in the 70's' in Minnesota when I was a kid. Later, my son trained until he was a black belt while growing up in suburban Chicago, (I got in a little bit of training too, but was only a white belt). Now I have found my way to Imazaki Dojo. I owe Sensei Seijo an enormous debt of gratitude. Imazaki Dojo has everything anyone could hope for in a quest to study Karate. Osu! read more

Seijo is a great instructor, the facility is very clean with ample seating. This dojo has helped my son stay away from things that can hurt him. Its helped him be kind to his family and friends. Homework and my chores without being asked - maybe.... Absolutely the most kid friendly place for karate. Thank you!!! read more

I signed my 6 years old son up to kids karate one and a half year ago, and I cannot say enough about Dojo. Martin has learned what it means to earn a new belt through the hard work. Sensei Seijo is pretty strict but with a soft touch which is very good for kids. I noticed that my son became more confident and strong. Moreover, this class helps him to improve balance and coordination skills. read more

My son has been taking karate at the Imazaki dojo since he was 3 (he's now almost 7) and he LOVES it. Sensei Seijo teaches the kids respect and discipline in addition to karate skills, and he also makes it fun. I have seen such positive growth in my son; it's amazing to watch. And I've taken adult classes for over a year, and Sensei's teaching skills are just as good for adults. I highly recommend Imazaki Dojo as a place not only to learn Kyokushin karate and improve your confidence and athletic abilities, but also to join a strong and supportive community, full of like-minded kids and adults who believe in hard work, dedication and fun. read more

BEST BEST BEST!!!! I love this place and everything I am learning. Thank you Sensei! OSU!!!

My 3.5 year old daughter has been attending classes for a few months. Sensei Seijo has been wonderful about helping her with confidence. She has always been a strong and adventurous child but in a quiet manner. He encourages her to shout it out in class. I feel lucky to have found such a caring and talented instructor! read more

I joined the Dojo back in March, it was the best decision I have made! I learned a lot and made great friends. Seijo, is great teacher, he is so patient, encouraging and passionate about his students. I love this place! I recommend it to everyone. The yoga is great too here, I attend Brian's classes. He is so great. I started with no shoulder mobility and now I am able to move my shoulders and have better posture. read more

My daughter is on her 3rd round of classes and she is doing awesome! She looks forward to class each week, that's not happen before with any other classes she had taken. I think they do a great job and work really well worth the kids, she is learning a lot and repays the end of class mantra at home all the time. Very happyand will be keeping her in classes for a long time! read more

Our friend recommended to try a class and are so happy we did. Our 5 yr old son was going somewhere else on the weekends and during the week started going here. He likes it so much that wants to go 3 times a week to this school! I think he likes the fact that they implement games in their teaching and make it much more fun to learn. At the end of each class Sensei Seijo does his oath where kids promise to implement karate to good work and do their homework without being asked. Our son now always asks for his homework way before it's due and asks not to tell the teacher when he is being naughty. We love the influence of Sensei Seijo :) Our 3 yr old daughter started classes too and is still a bit shy but I see the little girls her age that started a bit sooner and were just as shy are more confident and not so shy anymore. Also our Japanese is getting better with each class :) They use their karate vocabulary through out the class. Osu! A happy Mom. read more

My husband has been saying for years that our high energy daughter should enroll in some form of martial arts. In July of 2013 we were walking down 16th street and saw kids taking a karate class. Sempai Joy came outside and told us all about the program. She was warm and welcoming. We went home and immediately registered our daughter. She has now been taking karate classes once a week for 4 months and LOVES every minute of it. Although she still struggles with self control, the Imazaki Dojo is a place where she can calmly build discipline and self confidence. I would recommend this Dojo to anyone with children in the neighborhood. read more

If you're fortunate in life you come across someone who is completely into what they do. But the true "find" is when that person is also into teaching it. That is the sensei at this Dojo. My son was taking classes and having a good time--getting the moves down, learning discipline, etc--so I thought I'd give it a try as a mixup to my exercise routine. I was never interested in "kicking ass" or becoming a tough guy. Turns out (fortunately) that is not at all what it's about. It's about learning something new, working to master it, being mentally engaged while getting a really good workout. Also, the adults here are completely supportive and always interested in helping each other. A great "find" for sure. read more