Shinzen (神前) means Place of God. The first kanji 神 “shin” means ‘God’ and the second 前 “zen” means ‘in front of’. “Shinzen” is the place where there is a spirit of god. In martial arts, Shinzen refers to the spiritually honored front wall of the dōjō — a place where the divine is acknowledged and training is dedicated. The Shinzen is the heart of the dojo — the space that honors the spirit of the art, its deities, and its founders. It reminds every practitioner that training is not only physical — it is a form of reverence and self-purification.
The gods represented by Shinzen in the dojo are two gods of martial arts: Kashima daimyojin (鹿島大明神) deity of martial valor, enshrined at Kashima Jingū in Ibaraki Prefecture, traditionally associated with Kashima Shintō-ryū, and Katori daimyojin (香取大明神) guardian deity of swordsmanship, enshrined at Katori Jingū in Chiba Prefecture, patron of Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū. Together, they are considered the patron kami of Japanese martial arts (Budō). You might see these two names (written vertically) hanging on the wall in “Shinzen”. It is thought that these gods/spirits will protect you from danger through the training and help you improve your skills. Some dojos also include framed portraits of founders — not as an element of Shintō worship, but as a gesture of respect toward the lineage.
Areas of the dojo include the Shōmen (正面), the “front face” or the front wall or most honored direction of the dojo; Shinzen (神前), meaning “place of the gods,” which is the sacred area within the shōmen, often containing a kamidana; Jōza (上座) or “upper seat” which is the side where senior members or teachers sit; Geza (下座) or “lower seat,” the side where junior students line up; and Iriguchi (入口), the entrance, where students bow when entering or leaving.
Thus the Shinzen sits at the shōmen, often centered above the kamidana (神棚) — a miniature household Shintō shrine.
A kamidana (神棚), meaning “Shelf of the Gods,” is the small wooden shrine often placed within the Shinzen. It typically holds: a mirror (鏡 / kagami) — symbolizing self-reflection and purity; offerings (rice, salt, sake, water, evergreen branches); possibly a shide (zigzag paper streamers) to mark sacred presence; and sometimes calligraphy or photos of lineage masters.
The Shinzen is not about religious worship — it represents: respect for tradition and the “way” (dō); acknowledgment of lineage — those who came before; cultivation of mindfulness — bowing toward the Shinzen before/after training reminds practitioners to leave ego behind.
