Covina Kendo Dojo

About   Joining   Etiquette   Instructor   News   Gallery

Covina Kendo Dojo Instructors


Kato Sensei Sakaue Sensei Tew Sensei Kinjo Sensei Chang Sensei Kim Sensei Owaki Sensei Ma Sensei Lee Sensei Yu Sensei
Tomoji Kato Sensei

Senior Instructor: Tomoji Kato ( 加藤知二 )


  • Place of origin: Tokyo, Japan

  • Rank: Kyoshi (教士) 7-Dan
  • When started kendo: Started at 33 in San Fernando Valley Dojo with Miyahara (宮原) Sensei
  • Special technique/waza: "Perhaps Kote waza is my best, and I like Men waza."
  • Favorite words for kendo / Important advice for Kenshi members: 一心 (Isshin); To concentrate the mind on one thing.
Masataka Sakaue Sensei

Senior Instructor: Masataka Sakaue ( 坂上正隆 )


  • Place of origin: Kagoshima, Japan

  • Rank:Renshi (錬士) 7-Dan
  • When started kendo: Started at 22
  • Special technique/waza: "Men waza is my favorite."
  • Favorite words for kendo / Important advice for Kenshi members:礼儀 (Reigi); Courtesy / 剣道は、礼に始まり、礼に終わる。(Kendo wa, rei ni hajimari, rei ni owaru.); "Kendo begins and ends with rei."
Saeko Tew Sensei

Instructor: Saeko Tew ( トウー龍見冴子 )


  • Place of origin: Kyoto, Japan

  • Rank: Renshi (錬士) 6-Dan
  • When started kendo: Started at 13
  • Special technique/waza: "Keep it secret."
  • Favorite words for kendo / Important advice for Kenshi members:"Do your best."
Katsuhide Kinjo Sensei

Instructor: Katsuhide Kinjo ( 金城勝秀 )


  • Place of origin: Okinawa, Japan

  • Rank: 5-Dan
  • When started kendo: Started at 35
  • Special technique/waza: "It was Men waza, and now is Kote waza."
  • Favorite words for kendo / Important advice for Kenshi members:Continue / "Keiko (稽古; Practice) is important."
Scott Chang Sensei

Head Instructor: Scott Chang


  • Place of origin: San Jose, CA

  • Rank: 5-Dan
  • When started kendo: Started when I was in college, in 1998.
  • Special technique/waza: I don’t really have one, but I use men waza the most.
  • Favorite words for kendo / Important advice for Kenshi members: “Ko Ken Chi Ai”. It has the meaning of “friendship through the exchange of swords”. In order to elevate your kendo, it’s important to develop friendships wherever you go. It lets you develop a connection, especially with other people from other places, and lets you get to know their kendo. This is very important because it always takes at least 2 people to have keiko. When a group can work together and have a good practice, it lets everyone raise their technique.
Steven Kim Sensei

Instructor: Steven Kim


  • Place of origin: Seoul, Korea

  • Rank: 5-Dan
  • When started kendo: Started in 1997
  • Special technique/waza: None
  • Favorite words for kendo / Important advice for Kenshi members: “I develop my kendo today, kendo develops me tomorrow.”
George Owaki Sensei

Instructor: George Owaki ( 大脇丈二 )


  • Place of origin: Glendora, CA

  • Rank: 4-Dan
  • When started kendo: Started at 6 in Covina Kendo Dojo.
  • Special technique/waza: Unknown yet.
  • Favorite words for kendo / Important advice for Kenshi members:"There is a phrase 'Practice never lies', but if you do not use your head during practice it will lie easily." - Yu Darvish
Jeason Ma Sensei

Instructor: Jeason Ma ( 马铎/馬鐸 (Duo Ma) )


  • Place of origin: Liaoning, China

  • Rank: 4-Dan
  • When started kendo: Started at 21 in Beijing, China.
  • Special technique/waza: "Men Kaeshi Dou (面返し胴)"
  • Favorite words for kendo / Important advice for Kenshi members:"吃得苦中苦 方成人上人 (chih dé kǔ jhong kǔ, fang chan rén shàng rén); "To succeed the best, you must work through the hardest training."
Dexter Lee Sensei

Instructor: Dexter T.K. Lee ( 李天麒 )


  • Rank: 4-Dan
  • When started kendo: Fall 2002
  • Special technique/waza: "I have no real special technique to speak of, I’m just attempting special application of techniques that we already know."
  • Favorite words for kendo / Important advice for Kenshi members:"Everybody can teach us something. Our senseis and senpais can help elevate and refine our kendo, but don’t overlook the things that can be learned from our peers and beginners. A different perspective transcends rank."
Mike Yu Sensei

Instructor: Hsu C. Yu, aka Mike Yu  ( 余旭正 )


  • Place of origin: Taiwan

  • Rank: 4-Dan
  • When started kendo: 2009 @ Covina
  • Special technique/waza: "Don't really have one.  Throw everything I know at opponent and see what sticked :-)"
  • Favorite words for kendo / Important advice for Kenshi members:"残心 / 正心正剣.  Learn how to put aside the fear of getting hit first so you can focus on making that perfect strike."
c