Shorinji Kempo, is both a Martial Art and a religion. Shorinji Kempo was registered as a religion after W.W.II when the Occupation forces banned the study of traditional Japanese Martial Arts. Shorinji Kempo consists of three main parts; goho - hard techniques, such as kicks, punches and blocks. Juho (soft techniques) , such as throws, grappling etc. Juho also includes appou (the use of pressure points. Shorinji Kempo uses 138 points). The third part is called seiho - akupressuremassage used to increase the blood-flow in your body. Seiho also includes seikotsu (bonecorrection) and kappo (methods for "waking up" people who has been knocked out, been kicked in the groin etc).

Shorinji Kempo, was founded in 1947 by a man called So Doshin. At this time the decay of moral was great, and So Doshin felt that he wanted to help people by teaching them about Buddhism that, according to So Doshin was the religion that best described how people should live, but most people did not have the peace in mind to sit still and just listen. So Doshin then decided to make people interested by teaching them some of the Martial Arts he had picked up during his visit to China. At the same time So Doshin managed to mix the training with Buddhist theory and by doing that he had created Shorinji Kempo.