A dojo is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. Karatekas hone their skills at the dōjōs. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to conduct training, examinations and other related encounters.
The concept of a dōjō as a martial arts training place is a Western concept; in Japan, any physical training facility, including professional wrestling schools, may be called dōjō because of its close martial arts roots.