Initially, dōjō were adjunct to temples and were formal training places for any of the Japanese arts ending in "-dō", from the Chinese Dao, meaning "way" or "path".

[2] In the Western world, the term dōjō (when related to physical activity) is used exclusively for Japanese martial arts such as aikidō, jūdō, karate-dō, etc.

In many styles it is traditional to conduct a ritual cleaning (sōji; 掃除) of the dōjō at the beginning and/or end of each training session.

In some cases, the instructional staff may choose to help the students clean, as a sign of modesty, setting a personal example.

Many traditional dōjō follow a prescribed pattern with shomen (正面; "front") and various entrances that are used based on student and instructor rank laid out precisely.

Other artifacts may be displayed throughout the dōjō, such as kanban (看板; signboard) that authorize the school in a style or strategy, and items such as taiko drums or armor (Ō-yoroi).

A honbu dōjō (本部道場) is the central training facility and administrative headquarters of a particular martial arts style.