Meaning of our Kanji
志 道 館 "Shidokan"
The word "Shidokan" consists of three Kanji (Chinese characters).
Shi' (志) means will or resolution as noun, and it also means to aspire to something, as a verb.' Do' the same character as Do (道) in Kendo, literally means road, but it also means way or path along which one proceeds all one's life. 'Kan' (館) originally means a hall and is a general term for a gym.
Therefore, when all three are combined, it means "a hall for all who aspires to take the path".
Our Kokorozashi
"The heart beneath the warrior"
The Character used to symbolize Shidokan ( 志 ), is a compound Chinese character.
The Meaning:
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Where does the idea come from?
The top character by itself is 士, meaning warrior or knight. The bottom character 心, is the heart/mind/spirit. Together, they come together roughly as the heart beneath the warrior.
This idea is comparable to the katana. The design of the samurai sword features a very hard external layer with a soft core inside. The student must strive to achieve this perfect balance in both training and in life – to become a determined warrior with a kind soul. Those who choose to follow the path shall never forget this principle.