Naginata is my main field of expertise, which gave me a window of opportunities to explore different aspects of culture, tradition, learning, and physical fitness. My life became more rich after starting naginata and I love sharing it with others.
I wouldn’t be where I am today if it weren’t for naginata.
What is Naginata?
Naginata is a competitive, Japanese martial art, specializing in the wielding of the Japanese halberd, traditionally practiced by women of the samurai class.
After first hearing the word ‘naginata’ from my maternal grandmother, curious me did a quick internet search on it to see if there were any dojos in the NYC for me to try out. At that time, I couldn’t find any.
Years later, as a high schooler, after experiencing a painful heartbreak from my boyfriend, I wanted to try something new as a way to heal myself, so I once again started my search for naginata. My search engine skills got better, so I was able to find a dojo in SoHo with a Japanese sensei. I tried it out, not expecting anything, and was very intrigued by it.
Fun fact is that my sensei recalled me coming into the dojo chewing gum and bluntly saying, “I wanna try naginata” and got a bad impression of me (ha ha). Her husband told her, “That’s normal for a New Yorker” and then opened her mind a bit. I personally do not remember chewing gum ha ha.
Ever since then, I was able to travel, get immersed in a culture that was outside of the one I was exposed to at home. I kept going with naginata simply because I never got bored of it; there’s always so many new waza (techniques) and possibilities that naginata has that I didn’t get to experience with other martial arts, and having women figureheads (which was very rare at the time in martial arts), inspired and gave me confidence. My life path, after picking up that 7.2′ stick, went in a very specific route with a lot of rich adventures that I hope others can experience as well.
Teaching & Coaching
I was first put into a teaching position when I went away to college and had to start a naginata club on my own. Ever since then, I have learned to adapt to learning styles of students of all ages, athletic ability, and various different backgrounds. Upon guidance from my advisor at Columbia, I pioneered a naginata teaching method for children with Cerebal Palsy and was able to teach naginata in a short-term summer camp!
Competitive Accolades
World Naginata Championships
Women’s Team Shiai:
- Silver: 2007, 2011, 2024
- Position: Senpo (2007), Chuken (2011), Senpo (2024)
Engi-Kyogi:
- Bronze: 2024
Zen Nihon no Kata:
- Silver: 2024
Represented the U.S. on the Women’s Team in 2019 in the position of chuken.
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