Established in 2002, Enso is a vibrant and diverse community of karate practitioners and families based in downtown Chicago. Students of all ages come to train and gain the benefits from traditional martial arts and its core values of discipline, respect, self-improvement, and self-control.
As one of the largest martial arts schools in Chicago, Enso welcomes new students, experienced practitioners, and visitors.
Led by husband and wife duo, Sensei Jay Nacu and Sensei Denise Nacu, Enso provides a nurturing place for students of all ages and levels to learn and grow through the study of martial arts. When they met on the training floor in 1996, they could not have known that karate would help bring them together and eventually form an organization that would bring Shotokan karate to hundreds of adults and youth.
Today, Sensei Jay and Sensei Denise lead a strong and dedicated team of instructors, assistants, and staff who have great passion for karate and a desire to share it. They have learned that students of all ages, even the youngest, can experience the fun, enjoyment, depth, and challenge of the martial arts.
Enso is a Japanese word signifying a circle and has no single, fixed meaning. It symbolizes a moment when the mind is free enough to simply let the body or spirit create. The brushed ink of the circle shows the expressive movement of the spirit in time. The enso circle also symbolizes strength, enlightenment, harmony, elegance, and the universe. For us, the enso represents our commitment to personal growth by providing quality programs that emphasize discipline, dedicated practice, and balance of body, mind and spirit.
Students of all ages and backgrounds train at Enso. We have had three beautiful dojo locations in the Chicago Loop, which is a central location attracting students from all over the city. Most hail from the Loop, South Loop, West Loop, Little Italy, Bridgeport, and Hyde Park areas. We also have a dojo location in the western suburb of Oak Park, where students from Oak Park, Berwyn, Forest Park and other nearby suburbs train together. Students from our Chicago and Oak Park locations often have a chance to train together during tournaments, seminars, belt exams, and our community activities.
At the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, we transformed into an innovative Online Dojo hub, where our students continued to train and connect. We are now offering a schedule of in-person and online classes, in addition to a range of other training opportunities such as belt exams, tournaments, pop-up training events, social events, guest instructors from around the world, and more.
Interested in learning more? Just contact us to schedule a visit so that we can meet and you can have an opportunity to ask questions. Ready to enroll? Online registration is available. We look forward to meeting you!
Our 20th Anniversary Celebration!July 18, 2022 - 9:10 am
Enso Karate athletes hit the National and World stageJuly 18, 2022 - 8:18 am
Enso Elite Tournament Team brings home 30 medals from 2022 AAU Karate Regional ChampionshipsApril 30, 2022 - 11:47 am
Online belt exams at EnsoJanuary 29, 2022 - 6:57 am