Interview with Longtime Naginata Practitioner Eric Montes: Naginata in the United States and Japan

Eric Montes first became aware of naginata when he was training in karate but did not have a chance to start the weapon’s work until returning to San Francisco Bay Area in 1990. He entered the dojo under Miyako Tanaka, learning Tendo Ryu. Montes had the opportunity to study naginata in Japan at the Shubukan … Continue reading Interview with Longtime Naginata Practitioner Eric Montes: Naginata in the United States and Japan

Interview with Naginata Practitioner Ellery Engala: Sachiko Yamauchi Prough and Naginata in the United States

Ellery Engala first started wielding the sword, both in kendo and in iaido, before finding and enrolling himself into his first naginata class. When he did in 2001, Engala began to learn from Sachiko Yamauchi Prough, who was instrumental in establishing both the Canadian Naginata Federation and the East Coast Naginata Federation. When she passed … Continue reading Interview with Naginata Practitioner Ellery Engala: Sachiko Yamauchi Prough and Naginata in the United States

Katie Roche wanted to find out what naginata was as a child after hearing her grandmother talk about her time in the art. After some time and breaking up with her high school boyfriend, she enrolled herself into naginata, studying first under Sachiko Yamauchi. When she relocated for undergraduate studies at Mount Holyoke College and … Continue reading Interview with GNYNF President Katie Roche: Naginata Adventures and Implementing Technology, Part II