Dojo in Poland is not a myth – it is a real thing and we got the honors to visit them. My heart sank when I heard that this place is made for the Japanese martial arts and not for tourists to have a great weekend. Since we are not into martial arts it is hard to not get upset – why don’t they just make this place into the worlds best spa and yoga place?!

Dojo in Stara Wies, Poland

If this place did not allow tourists to visit, we would not be able to write about this place. However, after speaking with the manager, Michal Koski, I got the information that they do allow tourists to come here and take a walk. If you are not a martial art you might not be able to spend a few days here but this place is magical and well worth a visit.

For five zloty you are allowed into this magical place and walk around and meditate or just enjoy this tranquil place. To get here you will need a car because this place is literary in the middle of nowhere. The Dojo in Poland is like entering a village in Japan. All the houses and the surroundings are made in true Japanese style. So much that this place is all about presence.

To be and to be present are two different things. Being present in someone’s life is a gift. A priceless one.

Fun facts about the Dojo in Poland

• The dojo opened in 2009.
• It was Sensei Hidetaka Nishiyama that held the groundbreaking ceremony.
• It is the largest centre of Japanese martial arts in the world, being 60 acres.
• There is a lot of focus on presence here- you can feel it as soon as you arrive.
• Thousands of people come here each year to practice their martial arts.
• The wife of the world known polish soccer player Lewandowskis wife come here often and arranges fitness camps.
• It took six years = over 2 000 days to establish the Dojo in Poland.

Tranquility and harmony at the Dojo in Poland

The Dojo center is more than the houses. The landscape and the surroundings are all a part of the experience. The Japanese design and space makes this place perfect for the quiet and peaceful visit. People come here to train several martial arts but they also come here to restore calmness and find themselves.

The whole complex has 20 buildings and is hosting guests that come here. You can’t make a reservation if you are not here to practice martial arts – like I said before, this is not a place for tourists. But if you want to explore different martial arts, you are more than welcome. The Dojo itself is the most important building and this is where all the practices happen.

Our visit to the Dojo in Poland

We got a guided tour around this place and I think that we all would love to stay here for a few days. Not for the martial arts but I would love, love, love to do some yoga here! There is a pool with hydro massage here and a sauna. According to me, this means that this place would make a perfect spa and yoga center. And there was a split second when I felt that we needed to start practicing karate, just to be able to come back here.

All the houses are built with Japanese materials. Even the walkways that winds around the property have wood details from Japan. We got to go inside one of the houses that they rent out during training days. It was incredible! The table was super low and you sit on the floor (on a chair without legs) while eating. The beds were placed on Japanese mats so you sleep “almost on the floor”. Talk about Feng Shui and getting rid of all crap and clutter in your life! This place is simple but oh so amazing.

Making this Dojo a paradise

If I was practicing martial arts, this would be the place for me. I had (like 15 years ago) a period when I used to practice Kempo with a close friend of mine. However, unfortunately, the school that we were a part of was not serious at all. All they wanted was for us to pay more and more money and we were not allowed to practice if we didn’t pay more. So, for me – the martial arts are a bit clouded and I gave that up.

But I’m thinking that if enough people ask about yoga retreats, they might listen and arrange that. Come on – martial arts and yoga are not that far away from each other right?! If they arrange that – I’m the first attendant there!!!

Information about the Dojo in Poland

Address: Stara Wies, 97-570 Przedborz, Poland.
Phone number: +48447470740.
Entrance fee: 5 zloty.