Opening & Closing Class

The “opening” and “closing” of a karate class is handled differently in different dojos, some preferring just an informal standing bow. However, the following is fairly typical of “formal” dojos.

There is nothing religious about these formalities. They merely emphasize mutual respect and humility between students and instructors alike.

Typically, the highest ranking student is responsible for opening and closing class, so it’s best to learn the procedure in case all of your seniors are absent and you find yourself at the head of the line.

If you just need a reminder of what happens, and in what order, without all the explanation, scroll down to the “Cheat Sheet.”

“Opening” Class

Either the instructor, or a senior student, will tell the class to line up, either in English or by saying “Seiretsu!”

At that point, all students form a line, shoulder-to-shoulder, facing the front of the dojo, standing at attention. There are some variations here, depending on the dojo and the size of the class, but just follow along. As a beginner it’s a good bet that you’ll be on the far left of the line, so just wait for others to line up first and then join the far end of the line.

Once everyone else is lined up, the instructor will take up a position between the line and the front of the classroom, also facing the front.

The senior student then waits for the instructor to kneel down in seiza before giving the following commands:

“Seiza” - All students kneel down. If you have a condition that prevents you from kneeling, be sure to discuss it with the instructor before class.

“Mokuso” - Everyone closes their eyes and clears their minds.

“Mokuso yame” - Literally, just “stop Mokuso” - students open their eyes.

“Shomen ni rei” - All students and the instructor bow to the front of the dojo (“shomen”). This expresses our thanks for our dojo and respect for the instructors who have come before.

At this point, the senior student waits for the instructor to turn around, still kneeling, to face the line of students, before continuing.

“Sensei ni rei” - All students bow to the instructor, and the instructor returns the bow, all saying “Osu”.

The instructor will then stand before asking students to stand.

“Closing” Class

The formalities for “closing” class are almost identical to those for opening class.

When class is over, the instructor will tell students to line up. Students then line up, at attention, just as they did before class. The instructor then takes up the same position as before, between the line of students and the front of the dojo, before kneeling.

The senior student then gives the following commands:

“Seiza” - Same as before class.

“Mokuso” - Same as before class.

“Mokuso yame” - Same as before class.

“Dojo Kun” - The senior student leads the class in a recitation of the dojo kun, either in English or in Japanese. (Just do your best until you learn it yourself.)

“Shomen ni rei” - Same as before class.

At this point, the senior student waits for the instructor to turn around, still kneeling, to face the line of students, before continuing.

“Sensei ni rei” - Same as before class. In many dojos, it’s customary for students to thank the instructor in unison, either in English or Japanese. Again, just follow along.

“Senpai ni rei” - If there are other instructors present, the student line and the instructor will turn to face the line of additional instructors and all will bow.

Finally the instructor will say, “Otagai ni rei” and the everyone bows to each other, mutually. The difference between “sensei ni rei” and “otagai ni rei” is this: In the former, the students are bowing to the instructor, who returns their bow. In the latter, the students and instructor are bowing to each other, mutually. The difference is subtle, but similar to the way a junior officer salutes a senior officer in the military (starting first and holding it a bit longer) as opposed to the way officers of the same rank salute each other mutually.

Cheat Sheet

Opening Class

• Seiza
• Mokuso
• Mokuso yame
• Shomen ni rei
• Sensei ne rei

Closing Class

• Seiza
• Mokuso
• Mokuso yame
• Dojo Kun
• Shomen ni rei
• Sensei ni rei
• Sempai ni rei (optional)