Our Logo
We wanted the Tesshin logo to be more than a mark.
It is a belief system — reduced to its essence.
Tesshin (鐵心) translates literally to iron heart.
Its meaning runs deeper: iron will.
The will to be disciplined.
The will to uphold the standard.
The will to push past the body when it's exhausted.
That idea sits at the center of everything we do — and is why our logo takes the form it does.
心 — The Heart
At its core, the logo is an abstract interpretation of the character 心 (xin) — heart.
Not the heart as emotion, but as center.
The seat of resolve.
The place where intention, discipline, and will are forged.
In grappling, the heart is tested constantly. When strength fades. When technique breaks down. When you are pinned, pressured, and outmatched — what remains is heart. The decision to stay present. To breathe. To endure. To fight intentionally amidst desperation.
An iron heart does not give up.
It may falter,
But it surpasses.
圓相 — The Broken Circle
The form draws inspiration from the 圓相 (Ensō) — the incomplete circle painted in a single, deliberate stroke in Zen calligraphy.
The Ensō represents:
- Discipline and practice
- Imperfection and impermanence
- Flow, presence, and restraint
- The acceptance that nothing is ever finished
The circle is left open because excellence is not static.
It is pursued, never possessed.
In Jiu-Jitsu, this truth is unavoidable. There is no final mastery. No completed game. Every answer creates new questions. Every level exposes new weaknesses. The moment you believe you are finished is the moment you stop growing.
The open circle reflects the grappler’s path — endless refinement through repetition.
墨畫 — The Stroke
The logo is hand-painted in Sumi-e style — an art form rooted in restraint, clarity, and intent.
In Sumi-e, there are no corrections.
Each stroke is final.
Each movement must be controlled, deliberate, and honest.
We see it as a perfect mirror to grappling.
Every movement has consequence.
Every mistake is exposed.
There is no hiding from inefficiency.
Sumi-e demands years of repetition to make something appear simple. Jiu-Jitsu demands the same. What looks effortless is earned through discipline, failure, and countless unseen hours on the mat.
鐵心 — The Iron Will
All of these elements converge into a single idea.
Not loud. Not flashy. Not performative.
Quiet strength.
Daily discipline.
Unbreakable resolve.
The Tesshin logo represents the mentality of those who show up when it’s hard. Who train through pain and discomfort. Who seek out pressure as an opportunity for growth, rather than an obstacle to avoid.
It stands for the grappler who understands that true strength is forged on the inside and refined every day — through consistency, humility, and restraint.
Our mark is not decoration, but a symbol of our philosophy.
To stay disciplined.
To remain present.
To keep refining.
- TESSHIN.
