A karate school has opened in Mathews in quarters adjacent to the Hudgins Post Office on Buckley Hall Road.

Kokorozashi Dojo is owned and operated by former Gloucester resident Jonathan Seavey of Hampton. He took occupancy of the building in January, and transformed the space into a studio complete with a spring-style floor, dressing rooms, and a waiting room for parents. The name of the dojo means “heart beneath the warrior.”

Seavey, who previously taught karate at the Mathews Family YMCA, said his goal is to teach in the same pure style that he learned in Okinawa, Japan, where in 2016 he earned both a second and third degree black belt and was named an instructor in the goju ryu shobukan karate. His YMCA team competed successfully through the Amateur Athletic Union, with 11 members named national champions, and he expects to continue that record of success.

Seavey’s fiancée, Dr. Gwendolyn Williams, said that Seavey doesn’t just teach karate movements, but that he also teaches the meaning behind each movement so that students take away more than just technique. “They take away a deeper understanding and sense of the craft,” she said.

“A lot of instructors are of the drill sergeant mindset,” explained Seavey. “I think my students become better black belts because of that deeper understanding.”

Promoting character development and overall well-being in his students are essential components of his program.

It’s also about developing higher mental acuity, said Seavey. Thus, he requires that students bring in their report cards and show him that they have the ability to perform outside the dojo, as well as inside. He said if a student’s grades “aren’t stellar,” a realistic goal for improvement is set, and the student is offered assistance and given time to work on schoolwork during karate class. Students are also encouraged to help out at home, he said, and to “be good people when everyone’s watching and when no one’s watching.”

Seavey has studied a number of different styles of karate, including zen do kai, tang soo do, shorinji-ryu (under Jerry Lemon of Gloucester), and goju ryu shobukan. He said that in 2011 he won world championships in kobudo (weapons) and team competition at the AFMA World Championship in the Dominican Republic, and that winter was inducted into the AFMA Martial Arts Hall of Fame for Athlete of the Year. The following year, he said, he served as a team captain for Team USA at the World Championship in Panama City, taking two more world titles—in the lightweight sparring division and men’s team sparring division.

Classes at Kokorozashi Dojo are held Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays from 5-8 p.m., Tuesdays and Thursdays from 5:30-8 p.m., and Saturdays from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Classes are one hour long, except for the shisa class for 4-6 year-olds, which is 30 minutes. There are classes for children aged 6-11, teenagers 12 and older, and adults of all ages and levels. There are also classes designed for competition and weapons use. Friday at 7 p.m. is an open mat class for anyone to work on whatever they need to. All classes are accepting more students. The cost is $75 a month.

For more information, visit the dojo’s Facebook page by typing Kokorozashi into the Facebook search bar.