08/31/2026
*** A New Chapter for Our Dojo ***
Written by Patrick Suen
Back in 2019, our dojo was established in Canada after a call with Hatakenaka Atsumi Sensei, where I asked to use the name Tokushikai in honour of the community she’s created and led in Japan for over 2-decades, and to help spread her lineage of Muso Jikiden Eishin Ryu in Canada.
As our group continues to grow and make an impact outside Japan, the name Tokushikai is no longer just synonymous with the dojo based in Tokyo.
While this has its benefits in terms of global awareness, it also leaves our relationship unclear: are we a Canadian branch of the Japanese dojo – a subsidiary of the hombu, or are we two distinct communities connected by the same teacher and tradition?
Through thoughtful conversations over this summer in Ottawa with Hatakenaka Sensei and Kei Sensei, and Japan with Ono Sensei, we have arrived at a clearer and more meaningful understanding:
Our dojos are siblings—each led by a student of Hatakenaka Sensei, each carrying her teachings forward, and each responsible for shaping its path for the next generation.
We are independent, but deeply connected; distinct, but part of the same lineage.
To reflect this relationship, Tokushikai Canada will be transitioning to a new name: [ Tokubōkai — 篤望会 ]
This is not a step away from Tokushikai or from our shared history. It is an opportunity to clarify who we are, strengthen the foundation of our relationship, and create new possibilities for exchange, friendship and mutual growth between our communities.
We are grateful for the encouragement and support of Hatakenaka Sensei, Kei Sensei, and Ono Sensei.
*** The Meaning of Tokubōkai — 篤望会 ***
Our new name reflects both where we come from and what we aspire to become.
[ 篤 — Toku ] speaks to sincerity, devotion and an earnest heart. It preserves a meaningful connection with Tokushikai and the spirit inherited from Hatakenaka Sensei.
[ 望 — Bō ] speaks to hope, aspiration and looking toward the future. It represents our belief in unrealized potential—in ourselves, in one another and in what our community can create together.
Bō is also the second character in 希望 — kibō, meaning hope. The first character, 希 — ki, is used in our daughter’s name, 篤希 — Atsuki
This creates an especially personal connection: a sense of hope formed between our family and the name of the dojo. It reflects what this community has become to us—not simply a school where martial arts are taught, but a place of belonging, shared growth and family.
Together, Tokubōkai expresses the aspiration:
“篤い心をもって未来を望む”
(Tokui kokoro wo motte, mirai wo nozomu)
With an earnest heart, we look toward the future.
The name reflects the journey we want to continue: honouring what we have received, practising with sincerity, and helping each person discover possibilities they may not yet see within themselves.
