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Shorinji Kempo was founded in Japan in 1947 by a Japanese named So Doshin 宗 道臣. We often call him Kaiso, which means founder. You can read more about Shorinji Kempo’s history here.
Shorinji Kempo has three main objectives of its training, these are goshin rentan 護身練胆 (ability in self-defence), seishin shūyō 精神修養 (mental development) and kenko sōshin 健康増進 (improved health). It also has two main objectives of the training, jiko kakuritsu 自己確立 (to build up one’s own self) and jita kyōraku 自他共楽 (mutual happiness for oneself and others). You can read more about what Shorinji Kempo is here.
Shorinji Kempo is not only fighting techniques, but focuses on the training of both body and mind. The two most important characteristics is ken zen ichinyo 拳禅一如 (unity of body and mind), which describes the method of training and riki ai funi 力愛不二 (strength and love in harmony) that describes the proper way to act and to live. You can read more about Shorinji Kempo’s characteristics here.
The technical side is composed of three main parts. These are:
Gōhō 剛法, or hard methods, which include punches, kicks, blocks, etc.
Jūhō 柔法, or soft methods, which involves techniques when an opponent grabs one and performing releases, take-downs, throws, pins, etc.
Seihō 整法, roughly means correcting methods and techniques to build up the body. In essence, it means acupressure massage and simpler form of bone correction (primarily the spine).
The actual training in Shorinji Kempo can be divided into four equally important elements. These are kihon 基本, hōkei 法形, embu 演武 and randori 乱捕り. You can read more about Shorinji Kempo’s techniques here.