Sō Dōshin (born Michiomi Nakano) was a Japanese soldier and martial artist, best known for founding Shorinji Kempo and establishing the doctrine of Kongo Zen. Born in 1911 in Okayama Prefecture, Sō’s early life was marked by hardship, losing his father at a young age and later his mother, which led to his relocation to Manchuria to live with his grandfather, a member of the Black Dragon Society and an expert in martial arts. Sō began his training in kendo, sōjutsu, and jūjutsu under his grandfather’s guidance. Returning to Japan as a teenager, he later enlisted in the military and continued his martial training in China, where he studied various styles of quan fa under Chinese masters. After witnessing the devastation of the Soviet invasion in Manchuria during WWII, Sō returned to Japan in 1946, deeply impacted by the need to restore national pride and morality. In 1947, he founded Shorinji Kempo, synthesizing his martial knowledge into a system aimed at fostering both physical and moral strength. Sō was married three times and had three daughters, remaining with his third wife until his death on May 12, 1980. His legacy lives on through the World Shorinji Kempo Organization, with his martial art practiced in over 30 countries worldwide.