East Morris Karate Academy Established 1981
Contact us 973 884 2224
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Every dojo makes its promise.

For some, it's one of competition or security.
Others stress calisthenics.
Still others offer amusement.

For us, it's practicing karate as an art form and as a Way.

And for that you need specialists.

Meet our staff...

Specialists: We believe that being a karate teacher requires more preparation, effort and commitment than is common. Simple student experience and availability are not enough.

  • Three year formal instructor development program. (Separate study track for advanced students.)
  • Required assistant instructor internship prior to appointment.
  • Continuing monthly training days. Each is focused on personal training, workshops in class & student teaching methods, and seminars on conducting operations professionally.

Specialists: We believe that being a karate teacher requires more preparation, effort and commitment than is common. Simple student experience and availability are not enough.

  • Our four class instructors
    • Have each taught for an average of over 25 years.
    • Were exclusively trained here as students.
  • Our Head instructor
    • Isshin-ryu karate practitioner since 1974.
    • Co-founder of the American Budo Kai association.

Specialists: We believe that being a karate teacher requires more preparation, effort and commitment than is common. Simple student experience and availability are not enough.

  • Must maintain a standard of conduct in keeping with traditional dojo culture - on and off the floor.
  • Must be reliable, competent and ethical in conducting dojo business and operations.

Specialists: We believe that being a karate teacher requires more preparation, effort and commitment than is common. Simple student experience and availability are not enough.

  • Regard each time they step before a class as a priviledge.
  • View each student's training challenges as also their own and one they are determined to resolve.
  • Volunteer many off-class hours consulting each other about student progress and event planning.
Learn More | Our Instructors
Our Students
Students come in all shapes, sizes, ages and for many reasons.
But, after over 40 years of teaching karate, we know two things for certain:
Any of our students, literally, can excel in the art and the Way.
You don't need great athletic ability or physique.
What it does take is effort, patience and a desire to be... more.

Men & Women (ages 18-80)


"What gives the artist real prestige
is his imitators."  Igor Stravinsky

"The ultimate aim of karate lies not in victory or defeat but in the perfection of the character of its participants."
Gichin Funikoshi, Shotokan Karate

Never get in a gunfight with someone who practices outdrawing himself.
Learn More

Teens (ages 12-17)


(To develop students who are...)
"...acceptable at a dance and invaluable in a shipwreck."
J. F. Roxburgh

Humans need to belong, to find their tribe.
For teenagers, growing beyond the family to take their place in society is a pivotal journey. A true 'dojo' is an ally.
Learn More

Children (ages 5-11)


"Children are 'pure people'."
D.A. Jenkins, Isshin-ryu Karate

Everyone feels the need to have something they're actually good at.

To respect children, be their leader not their playmate.

Every child wants to be a real hero.
What they need is a real dragon to practice on.
Learn More

Our
Program

WHAT you do is never as important as HOW and WHY.

'Karate' teaches technique. 'Karate-do' teaches a Way - to students who train for success.

Body

body
Skill
Adults & Teens
Children
"Dogs fight, tigers fight, men do kata."
 - Tatsuo Shimabuku, Isshin-ryu Karate

Martial artists have long studied karate as a way to grow, be active and have fun. For them, combat ability is a valuable result, but not their main purpose.

Does karate work in the street? Yes and no.
Yes, but, like any art, it's only as good as your skill.
So, no, 'karate' doesn't work - but you do!

Learn more

Our kids learn the same karate program that's taught to adults. Not, of course, with the same intensity. Yet, they are held to similar standards.

Is it a challenge? You bet, but, for over 40 years, it's one students have proven can be successfully met.

Learn more

Mind

mind
Knowledge & Wisdom
Adults & Teens
Children
The very definition of 'martial art' includes this aspect of training. It's also something often pretty much ignored, or worse, ridiculed.
And that's bad news for at least three reasons:

- Avoiding combat is the highest display of martial skill - and the smartest. (see Sun Tzu)
- Martial strategies work very well in solving life's non-combative problems.
- Self-defense is actually most often needed for mental or emotional protection.

Learn more

Children learn more from what they observe and do than what they merely hear.
The traditional dojo environment provides a consistent example of martial arts principles, values and standards that promote abilities such as: self-control, mental focus, critical thinking, attention to detail, teamwork...
While not specifically taught philosophies in depth, as are adult students, the children are exposed to these new perspectives through the dojo culture that is based on them.

Learn more

Spirit

spirit
Perfection of Character
Study
Practice
Participation
When you study karate, in a traditional way, you soon realize you are actually studying yourself.

Because you're learning things you've never done before,
your patience, humility, courage, attention, perseverance are all tested to correctly accomplish even the simplest tasks.

Learn more

Practice is THE most important
part of karate training.
Without practice there is no progress.
Period. And yet, practicing is hard for many people.
It tests perseverance, dedication,
discipline, honesty, sincerity.
Practice, however, is also an excellent way
to develop those same qualities!

And, once you get the hang of it, practice becomes
a most enjoyable part of training.

Learn more

Of course, good class attendance is vital. But beyond the obvious reasons, enthusiasm and attendance feed off one another.

But just attending class and dojo activities also plays an import role in a student's development. Remember, you're not a martial artist not just for what you can do, but for the person you are.
Because we observe good martial arts attitude in everything we do and wherever we go, students with good attendance have more unique opportunities to develop and practice the Eight Warrior Virtues:

Justice, courage, benevolence, politeness, honesty & sincerity, honor, loyalty, character & self-control.

Learn more

OUR ‘OLD SCHOOL’ KARATE DOJO
Form follows function. If you want to know what’s important to people, see what they hang on their walls.
Our location looks just like an Okinawan dojo, not because we decorated it that way,
but because we use it that way.

For us, ‘Old School’ means quality, integrity, proper martial spirit, community…
  • dojo

    Okinawa, Japan

  • weststdojosmall

    EAST HANOVER, NJ

"Do good karate and have fun. Always both. Just doing one or the other is not right."

- Sensei D.A. Jenkins, Isshin-ryu Karate


Work hard... of course. Enjoy ourselves? Absolutely!

Community is another difference between
being a dojo member and `going to karate school`.
(It's something like a family without the in-laws.)


Even though events are voluntary, our members rarely miss a chance to be around one another.
Perhaps it's because we can have fun while always treating everyone with the same regard 'off the floor' as on.


Here are a few of our available activities...
  • Shiai
    Shiai
    'School Show'
    See how we've grown.
  • Training Retreat
    Training Retreat
    Road Trip
    Seminars & Workshops.
  • Dojo Anniversary Festival
    Dojo Anniversary Festival
    Two Days
    BBQ. Games. Rank testing.
  • Halloween Party
    Halloween Party
    Kids & Teens Only
    Traditional Games, Costumes and Snacks
  • Generations Party
    Generations Party
    Adults Only
    Some quiet just-us-grown-ups time. Celebrating our teachers - past, present and future.
  • Last Class
    Last Class
    All Students
    Special end of year class & enkai.
  • Enkai
    Enkai
    "After Party"
    After what? For us, after just about everything.
  • Tournament
    Tournament
    Road Trip
    We said we're not crazy about them. We never said we didn't know how.
Why People Choose Us

Don't entirely trust website testimonials? Neither do we. Instead, we encourage people to talk with our members - students and parents. (Of course they'll like us - they're still here! The more important question is what do they like about us.)

We adhere to the three universal dojo principles: "All start from the bottom. Everybody works. Nothing comes free." Students meet standards, not the other way around. We correct, we insist, not punish or reprimand.
We are expert, knowledgeable and experienced in the art and about teaching it to individuals. We are professional at conducting events and dojo operations. In business, we are honest, candid and reasonable.
We are dedicated to each individual student's achievement and development. To that end, we continually seek to improve our teaching and depth of our training.
From practice comes progress. For us, it's effort that's always recognized. Rules are enforced consistently and evenly. We have no 'favorites', no 'super-stars'. No one is ever left behind.
Safety is always first. All members are valued and treated with respect. We practice courtesy and manners as the hallmarks of good martial attitude - both on and off the floor. We promote cooperation among students, not competition.
We adhere to the three universal dojo principles: "All start from the bottom. Everybody works. Nothing comes free." Students meet standards, not the other way around. We correct, we insist, not punish or reprimand.
We are expert, knowledgeable and experienced in the art and about teaching it to individuals. We are professional at conducting events and dojo operations. In business, we are honest, candid and reasonable.
We are dedicated to each individual student's achievement and development. To that end, we continually seek to improve our teaching and depth of our training.
From practice comes progress. For us, it's effort that's always recognized. Rules are enforced consistently and evenly. We have no 'favorites', no 'super-stars'. No one is ever left behind.
Safety is always first. All members are valued and treated with respect. We practice courtesy and manners as the hallmarks of good martial attitude - both on and off the floor. We promote cooperation among students, not competition.
We adhere to the three universal dojo principles: "All start from the bottom. Everybody works. Nothing comes free." Students meet standards, not the other way around. We correct, we insist, not punish or reprimand.
14-west-st-11.webp
"A journey of a thousand miles begins with a single...phone call.

For hundreds of years, to join the Shaolin Temple you first had to sit outside the gate for three days.

Until recently, a martial arts teacher's immediate response to requests for training was usually a simple, "Go away."

We are not quite that tough. All you have to do is leave a message!

We will return your call, make sure all your questions are answered, that you understand what we do and, possibly,
make an appointment to come in and take your (free) trial - and your second step.

Get In Touch

East Morris Karate Academy
14 West Street,East Hanover,
NJ 07936

emka@martialpromise.org

East Morris Karate Academy 14 West Street, East Hanover, NJ 07936

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Martial Promise, Inc. is a charitable not-for-profit 501(c)(3) educational organization.
Contact c/o:   East Morris Karate Academy 14 West Street, East Hanover, NJ 07936

Copyright 2025 © Martial Promise, Inc. All Rights Reserved.