However, the circle is "open" or "unfinished" to suggest that studying Enshin and Sabaki is a continuous journey, i.e. a process and not an end that is most important.

At age 12 Ninomiya began training in a Judo class taught by a teacher at his junior high school.

After turning 14, Ninomiya did extra Judo training at the local police station gym on weekends and holidays.

During this time, Ninomiya states that he had developed strategies and ideas of his own that he was eager to implement in his training curriculum.

He also wanted to develop his own tournament format that would provide what he felt to be a “true” test of karate skills.

Most of the instructors and students of Ashihara in the US decided to follow Ninomiya into his new organization, providing a strong base for the new style Enshin Karate.

The organization has grown and now includes schools in Asia, South America, Europe, Africa, Australia, and the Middle East, as well as in the US.

The techniques or kihon of Enshin include many of the same or similar kicks, punches, strikes, blocks, and parries found in most other karate styles.

Groin and front-knee-joint kicks are taught for self-defense purposes, but, for safety reasons, aren't used in sparring (kumite) or tournament competition.

The Sabaki method aims to employ all of these strikes, block, parries, grabs, sweeps, throws, and takedowns in a way that puts the opponent on the ground as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Once on the ground, the opponent is “finished-off” or knocked-out with a strike to a vulnerable part of the body such as the neck or head (finish-off moves are simulated in Enshin training or tournament competition).

Sabaki strategy combines rhythm, timing, position, and distance to parry and counterattack in one continuous motion.

The ability to turn defense into offense by using an opponent's power and momentum against him lies at the heart of the Sabaki method.

The Sabaki Challenge is a full-contact single elimination tournament intended to fulfill Ninomiya's vision of a showcase of a "true," stand-up martial arts skills competition.