We are the Nordic Kempo Federation, an independent federation that is part of the International Kempo Federation, and our mission is to increase interest in the combat sport of Kempo within the Nordic countries (Sweden, Denmark, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Greenland, Åland, Faroe Islands) and Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania.
To help our existing national federations, be helpful in starting up national federations where there are no ones and arrange competitions, seminars and instructor/referee courses.

Every year we arrange the Nordic Open Kempo Championships on the last weekend of September in Sweden.

Very welcome
/Martin Jönsson Shihan
Nordic IKF Director

History of Kempo

Kempo is one of the oldest budo sports and has its origins in the Chinese Chuan Fá. During the 1800s, spin-offs spread to the Japanese mainland and to Hawaii. From there on to the rest of the world. Despite the same origin, you can clearly see the difference if Kempon continued to develop in, for example, China, Japan or Hawaii.

Kempon was also one of the first systems to organize mix-fights where you mix punches, kicks, throws and ground fights. Master Sawayama Muneomi and Nippon Kempo were behind this back in the 30's.

For more information about the history, visit the International Kempo Federation's website:

Kempo History – INTERNATIONAL KEMPO FEDERATION