Pacific Renbukai Karate

Pacific Renbukai Karate offers traditional Japanese karate through group classes, private lesson sessions, and competition training. Students practice self defense, forms (KATA), drill sets (KIHON), KUMITE (sparring), high aerobic training for sparring competitors, pressure point attacks, power and speed training, take downs, joint locking jujitsu, and protective contact sparring (Renbukai Bogujutsu). The program also includes Women’s Only Self Defense Classes with a no men policy group.

• Ages: 5–18 years old
• Schedule: Group classes on Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Sundays, with a beginner white belt kids-only group class on Wednesdays from 2:15–3:30 p.m., plus private lesson sessions held 5 days a week via the internet
• Price: Register and pay for Summer 2026 Quarter $294

Pacific Renbukai Karate focuses on traditional Japanese karate kata of Shito Ryu, with curriculum and foundations based on Shotokan and governed by JKF Renbukai and USA Karate rules. The program offers elite training that is compliant with USA Karate/WKF KARATE rules and includes participation in local, regional, and national tournaments. Programs are available for children and classes for adults, and adults and children can practice separately or together, including options for families to practice together. The program states that no dangerous head locks or choke out submissions are allowed for children and that there is no wrestling where boundaries of safety are not respected, and it supports gender equality as men and women can train.

Pacific Renbukai Karate has been serving the Portland community since 2001 and has over 50 years of experience, with a history of instructing in Portland for over 20 years. It teaches at PPS Richmond Elementary for Japanese Immersion students only and offers citywide Women’s Only Self Defense Classes attended by teens and adults. The mission states that traditional karate offers no shortcut to success and describes traditional karate do as an athletic activity that teaches self discipline unique to the study of martial arts and budo, and that Pacific Renbukai Karate is committed to clients, community, and PDX families while adhering to Japanese traditions and excellence.

Chief Instructor Shihan Sensei Robert Ishimaru began martial arts training in 1973, holds a JKF Shihan 5th Degree Black Belt in Renbukai from the All Japan Karate Federation Renbukai, bases his curriculum and foundations on Shotokan, and studied the Chinese martial art of Wing Chung for 5 years. Japan Certified Sensei Bettina Ishimaru began training in 1984, obtained a JKF 4th Degree Black Belt from the All Japan Karate Federation Renbukai in 2022, has been teaching in SE Portland at the Japanese Immersion School for more than 24 years, studied chin na (joint locking and tendon seizing), and teaches up to 8 classes weekly in person, group, private, video, and self defense formats. Both instructors have been committed to traditional karate instruction in Portland since 2001, have over 50 years of experience as karate practitioners, represent the All-Japan Federation Renbukai since 2008, and tested in Japan for their certifications in Kanagawa Prefecture. They are USA Karate official license and Kata and Kumite referee holders as of 2025, have passed the US Center for SAFESPORT.org required training for 2024/2025, and yearly pass NCSI background national screening examinations.

Pacific Renbukai Karate is currently 2025 certified with JKF in Japan, is an official JKF member Japan Renbukai Karate Organization dojo, and is a proud member of USA Karate for 2024/2025, with prior USA Karate membership in 2021. The dojo and instructors are members of the All-Japan Karate Federation Renbukai (Kanagawa, Japan) and are Safe Sport vetted since 2021.

Last updated July 13, 2026.