My girls have been learning/training with Instructor Ed for 2 years and love every minute spent in…read morehis school. Modesty, Courtesy and Integrity as well as additional fundamentals in Karate are taught daily. Classes, tournaments and friendship with others in their classes make each class that much better. Instructor Ed teaches so much more than these kids even grasp today, but will remember as adults. Of course my hope is my children never need their karate training to come into play in a real life experience, but I know with what they have learned and continue to learn with Instructor Ed, they will be ok. Thanks Ed for keeping these kids on track and moving forward to achieve their goal of Black Belt.

Love instructor Ed.. My son always looks forward to going for karate class. He is great with kids..read more

As someone who studied karate in Japan for several years, I appreciate traditional martial arts…read moreinstruction. Stiles Sensei is a traditional Shotokan master. His classes are a good workout, fun and his depth of understanding of techniques and ability to communicate is unsurpassed in my experience. He teaches adults only. Join us.

If you are looking for a Shotokan Karate dojo in the Bay Area, you will be well served to train at…read morethe JKA of San Francisco. T.J Stiles is a truly excellent instructor - a fifth degree black belt, with over 20 years of teaching experience, he comes directly from the Mori Sensei lineage of JKA and practices the traditional Japanese Karate Do. He is very technical and explains technique, body movement and application extremely well and really helps you identify and overcome your weaknesses and bad habits. I have tried other dojos in SF, but this has been the best by far in terms of serious practice, proper technique and true karate spirit! I highly recommend.

We were drawn to this place due to their commitment "the warrior's path be devoted to creating a…read morejust and peaceful self and society." I emailed with the director, Professor Sonya Richardson, who thoroughly answered my questions about their teaching techniques and welcomed us to observe a class. When I entered Hand-to-Hand I was greeted as a new person with such warmth by multiple teachers/Sifus. Women, men, gender non-binary people are actively welcomed in this space. It is clearly a special place of community.

This business will take your money and disappear. I signed up for an online class and they never…read moresent me the link, but took the demanded donation. I have emailed them several times about this with no response. I have also called countless times and no one answered. I am extremely disappointed in this company's professionalism. This is a terribly run business.

I love this place so much. I had been trying to find a karate class for my son for a few years. The…read moreother places in the area are super expensive or they expect the kids to get it right on the first try and if they don't, they won't let them stay in the class. My son has been in the class since November of 2021. We've missed several classes due to illness, COVID, personal issues, etc and they have always been super understanding and patient. Other classes will kick you out if you miss any days or miss too many days. Shotokan does not do that. They are super family friendly and my son absolutely loves the class, the teachers, and the other kids.

What a Workout! It's nice to be back at this DoJo. Peaceful Power!…read moreThat was a Blast! It seems as though you can get traditional training and leave the MCdojos behind with SKA, thanks Sensei! A great family feel here! My core feels tight,....

I have been going to Berkeley Isshinryu for over seven years now, so I figured I should finally…read morewrite a review! Because you don't do something for seven years if you don't love it. BIK is a small, laid-back dojo made up of a diverse group of practitioners from many different Isshin-ryu "strands" and in some cases completely different styles of karate or other martial arts altogether -- everyone is welcome here, and over the years the dojo has benefited from getting lots of different perspectives on the style and martial arts in general. We work hard and take our training seriously, but everyone is primarily there to have fun while also learning martial arts & staying in shape. Many of us also hang out & socialize outside of class as well, and there are regularly post-class pizza & beer trips for birthdays, promotions, etc. Because of the small size of the class, everyone gets plenty of attention, both as part of the group and during individual work time. The instructors are positive and friendly, and provide helpful and constructive feedback in an encouraging way. Again, although we work hard, this is not a super-aggressive, testosterone-driven dojo, so beginners or people who are less excited about the combat aspect of martial arts don't usually end up feeling intimidated or uncomfortable (and people who *are* looking for a super-agro school don't tend to stick around for long). We usually start with 10-15 minutes of stretches & light calisthenics, then spend the rest of class on some combination of basic techniques, kata study, pad work, partner work, self-defense, or sparring. (Students begin sparring only when the instructors think they are ready, and with plenty of supervision; also, no one is ever required to spar -- or do anything else, really -- if they don't want to.) The intensity of the workout is more or less self-selecting; if you want to be sweaty & panting by the end, there are usually opportunities to work hard enough to make that happen. If you want an easier, gentler workout, you can always dial it back to whatever you're comfortable with & ready for. Highly recommend! Again, I wouldn't still be here after seven years if I didn't think both the class and the people were awesome. :)

Here is my husband:…read more I've been practicing with this dojo for almost a year now and I can't get enough, I love it. I started karate to get in better shape and this class has significantly improved my conditioning as well as redefined my sense of well-being. The first hour of class generally incorporates a range of stretching, challenging calisthenics, and empty hand techniques intermingled with a social atmosphere and chance to let the workday tensions unwind. The second hour of the class focuses on your forms (katas) as well as two person combination techniques, striking the pads, sparring, and numerous other applications. The instructors have great experience and work well with students of all skill levels. I was an Isshinryu orphan from the east coast and the transition into this dojo was very welcoming.

We LOVE Studio Naga! My 4 year old started training here a few weeks ago and it's been an extremely…read morepositive experience. The teachers are exceptional at what they do-- paying attention can be challenging for a 4 year old, but my kiddo has been able to navigate his training with ease and confidence thanks to his two incredible teachers. Every instructor I've met clearly loves their students and their discipline. And the community they've built is honestly inspiring. Although we're still relatively new here, we've felt instantly welcomed, without any undue pressure to participate in the studio-organized events (like community service projects or potlucks. Although we've found we've wanted to participate in everything because we just love everyone!). A few specific things that stood out to me soon after we joined: - I have a name that's pretty hard to pronounce and remember, yet since we've joined, every instructor I've met has remembered me and my family and greeted us by name. A little thing that means a lot. :) - On Juneteenth they hosted a circle where all the students sat together to learn about the holiday's history, and discuss how to be supportive community members. I noticed that the younger voices in the circle were listened to and respected just the same as the older ones. Then everyone split up to pick up trash in a local park, and they reconvened for popsicles and games. In an environment like this, it's no surprise to me that many folks who join Studio Naga as young children continue to train here well into adulthood. - Their value of empowering students to support and teach each other is very evident. I noticed that even after just a couple classes my son started patiently teaching his younger sister very much in the style of his Studio Naga teachers. Amazing. Said 4 year old just walked by and asked what I was typing about. I told him, and asked if he wanted to add anything. Here's what he said, word for word: "I love my martial arts class sooo much! I wish I could go there all day. I really love Studio Naga. I do love it, and I hope you can come here, so if you want to email then tap on email and then the email will send it! Bye! Done." TLDR: send your kiddos here (or attend trainings yourself!) if you want an empowering learning experience in a strong community.

Studio Naga is a diamond - they treat everyone as a total individual and with great respect. Not…read moreonly do they teach excellent self-defense skills, but they do so while also building strong community. It's truly a multi-generational environment. We've had two kids train here, and it's been amazing for each of them to be supported and trained in such a welcoming and diverse setting. Highly recommend, and they also make it easy to just check them out

I will start off by saying this is the most practical application of self-defense I have seen…read more Anyone can learn this discipline. It's pure self-defense and the training is based on balance and using your natural physiological and psychological response to fear and stress. Through training, students learn to use these responses in a powerful and explosive way. While it can appear rough, and frankly, it is in many ways, the staff and students alike are mindful and caring in the way they implement the tools they're teaching/learning. I sought out a practical school for my son to learn to defend himself and this is a perfect fit for him. Knowing that my son is entering his teenage years with the correct mindset about the reality of violence is priceless. The school is kid-friendly, but it's best if your child is able to focus for over an hour for it to really be a benefit for all. I'm a big fan of International Academy of Wing Chun!

My friend persuaded me to try it out, so I emailed them and they were really nice about letting us…read moredrop by and take a free class. It's very meditative, and they really care about being in the proper form and stance. Everyone there is really dedicated to the martial art, and believe in its benefits. Personally it wasn't my thing so I didn't go back (I was expecting more cardio/activity, and there IS a lot of standing around learning the form and all that). That being said, if you DO like it I think it's a small, intimate atmosphere that will provide lots of one-on-one help. If you're considering it, I would drop by and give it a try.

I didn't have any martial arts experience when I walked into this dojo over a year ago. I signed up…read morefor the Intro Class series, which was $50 and included 4 special classes and a "gi" or uniform, and discounted dues if you register (a great bargain). The instructors talked about the history and philosophy of Aikido, started teaching the basics (stance, footwork, blending exercises), and gradually built things up into a full technique. The atmosphere was very welcoming. I remember feeling a slight panic when everyone started to pair up on my first day, but then a smiling black belt came sliding into view and coached me through all the steps. It was the people (and the cool moves) that kept me coming back. I didn't think I'd be able to roll, but now I'm doing dozens of them each day. I'm not very good at dancing, and am terrible with my feet, but now it seems I have some basic footwork patterns etched into muscle memory. At first, I was overwhelmed with all the strange sounding Japanese names, but now I have a very clear catalog in my head of the different attacks, blends, techniques, and variations. I credit a lot of this to the beginners or "basics" classes held on Thursday evenings and Sunday mornings. They are incredibly valuable for the new student. Now I find that I'm really taking advantage of what the dojo has to offer. It's a lot, and it's affordable! Unlike other dojos, the Sensei here are all volunteers, people with a passion. You get to learn from 6 or more instructors, of very high rank, with decades of experience. In addition to the beginner or basics classes, there are regular classes (can be quite intense), a special "ukemi" class (rolling, falling, and how to stay safe when you receive a technique), and classes on weapons: the "bokken" (wooden sword) and "jo" (short staff). If you really want to dive in, there are a total of 10 classes each week. Students at the dojo train hard, but they also like to have fun. It's not unusual to grab lunch or dinner after class, and there's a movie night once a month, where a martial art movie is projected onto the wall. There are also a number of potlucks to celebrate special occasions. So if you're looking to develop yourself (physically and mentally), learn techniques that can be applied in a self-defense situation, and connect with a great community, this is the place to be. But be forewarned, you might end up spending the next 20 years trying to master the subtlest of nuances!

I trained here from 1990 to 1994 and it is a testament to the quality of Aikido and instruction…read morethat most of the teachers and several of the students continue to be here for the last 20+ years; and more since they were here many, many years before I started. Enduring and endearing people. There is no other dojo that I would recommend more highly.