Recent developments in the 20th century such as Shorinji Kempo () practised in Japan's Sohonzan Shorinji () still maintains close ties with China's Song Shan Shaolin Temple due to historic links.

Japanese Shorinji Kempo Group financial contributions to the maintenance of the historic edifice of the Song Shan Shaolin Temple in 2003 received China's recognition.

* Shorinji Kempo

* Shorinji Kempo

Shorinji Kempo is a system for self-improvement and training ( 行: gyo or discipline ) with many similarities to Shaolin kungfu, including using the same first three kanji.

Shorinji Kempo is a system of " self-defense and training " ( 護身錬鍛: goshin-rentan ), " mental training " ( 精神修養: seishin-shūyō ) and " promoting health " ( 健康増進: kenkō-zōshin ), whose training methods are based on the concept that " spirit and body are not separable " ( 心身一如: shinshin-ichinyo ) and that it is integral to " train both body and spirit " ( 拳禅一如: kenzen ichinyo ).

Through employing a well organized technical training schedule, ( 科目表: kamoku-hyō ), Shorinji Kempo aims to " establish oneself " ( 自己確立: jiko-kakuritsu ) and to promote " mutual comfort " ( 自他共楽: jita-kyōraku ).

The philosophy and techniques of Shorinji Kempo are outlined in a handbook, ( 少林寺拳法教範: Shōrinji-kenpō-kyōhan ).

The organization of Shorinji Kempo group is divided into 5 corporate entities:

* foundation entity Shorinji Kempo Foundation Federation ( 財団法人少林寺拳法連盟: Zaidan-hōjin Shōrinji-kempō Renmei ),

* global entity World Shorinji Kempo Organization, WSKO ( 少林寺拳法世界連合: Shōrinji-kenpō Sekai Rengō ),

* intellectual property entity ( Shorinji Kempo Unity ).

source: web site of Shorinji Kempo Foundation Federation and Shorinji Kempo Kyohan written by Doshin So )

It is important to know that Shorinji Kempo derives its basic philosophy from ancient Buddhism and its basic techniques from old Chinese martial arts.

There are two sides of Shorinji Kempo which are believed to be true budō ( 武道 ) and educational system.

Doshin So as the founder of Shorinji Kempo wanted to establish not only an organization which incorporated mental and physical training but also wanted to educate Japanese people who had been completely demoralised by World War II / Pacific Rim War.

Both of these are later to become the main training methods of Shorinji Kempo.

As the part of the philosophy Shorinji Kempo aims at self-improvement for the person and world peace by creating never-bending courage, harmonious personality and compassion for others.

To help create a peaceful and ideal society, Shorinji Kempo has been insisting every person be a real leader of their respective area.

Technically, Shorinji Kempo has a whole set of defense techniques but the demonstration known as embu ( 演武 ) is the commonly demonstrated technique.

( source: a book " Hiden Shorinji Kempo " 秘伝少林寺拳法 「 光文社 」 written by Doshin So, published by Kobun-sha Kappa Books )

Practicing Shorinji Kempo technique and learning its philosophy, it is believed to have firm body like a pair of standing Vajradhara ( 金剛神: Kongō-shin or 金剛力士 Kongō-rikishi ) and never-give-up spirit like Bodhidharma ( 菩提達磨: Bodai-daruma ).

The name of Shorinji Kempo consists of Shaorin Temple, fist ( means power and techniques ) and dharma / truth.

So, he established Shorinji Kempo to take the concept of ken-zen ichinyo by following Bodhidharma and made use of techniques he learned in China.

The Chinese film titled " 少林寺 or Shaolin Temple " starring action star Jet Li ( 李 連杰 ) was shot at Shaolin Temple and supported by members of the Shorinji Kempo group.

This promotion and campaign was called as Kongō-zen undō ( Kongo-zen campaign ) and expanded Shorinji Kempo throughout Japan by his pupils.

In this regard, Shorinji Kempo is believed to be a teaching which is aiming at creating the leadership contributing to the society by establishing the character of the human beings based on healthy body and spirit.

The British Shorinji Kempo Federation has split from the WSKO following an announcement on the 3 March 2010 by the WSKO that it was dissolving the BSKF.

Tadotsu is where Shorinji Kempo ( 少林寺拳法 ) was founded in 1947 by Doshin So.

A monument of Doshin So was erected in the 50s of Showa era ( around 1975 ) representing the long term relationship of Shaolin Temple and Shorinji Kempo group.

Due to the current group president Yuuki So the daughter of Doshin So, Shorinji Kempo is very popular among women and a lot of female kenshi are joining the organization.

* The Killing Machine ( 少林寺拳法 Shorinji Kempo, leading actor: Sonny Chiba as Doshin So ) 1975, Toei Movie, Japan

Shorinji Kempo founder Doshin So ( 宗道臣, 1911 – 1980 ) was a student of Hakkoryu.

1957 established " All Japan Shorinji Kempo Federation "

1963 established " Shorinji Kempo Federation of Japan " as corporate entity

2008 established All Japan Junior HIgh School Shorinji Kempo Federation

Those kenshi practicing at branches will have these corresponding hokai after joining the training at Shorinji Kempo headquarters in Tadotsu town in Kagawa prefecture in Japan.

* Shorinji Kempo Foundation Federation ( Japan )

Although Shorinji Kempo was originally introduced in Japan in the late 1940s and 1950s through large scale programmes involving employees of major national organizations ( e. g. Japan Railways ) it subsequently became popular in many other countries and now, per the World Shorinji Kempo Organization, involves over 1. 5 million people in 33 countries.

Shorinji Kempo is not a usual budō or a kind of sports to the utmost.

As mentioned above, Shorinji Kempo incorporates zen as a mental training.

Please note that Shorinji Kempo is a gyō and it exists under Kongo Zen teaching.

The Embu of Shorinji Kempo is famous because of its speed, smoothness and the harmony of power and beauty.

Earlier in the Shorinji Kempo history, there was no regulation in performing embu.

Earlier in the Shorinji Kempo's history, Unyo-ho was called randori which was like a fighting competition.

Shorinji Kempo is practiced at 2, 900 doin ( 道院 ) and branches in 33 countries world wide.