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Simon lived in Australia for 20 years where he started learning Kendo at the Sydney Kendo club. Introduced to Naginata by Daniel and Masako Strenger Sensei he later moved to Nagoya, Japan with his wife Ewa Mienkowska. Simon has been training Jukendo primarily under Terada Sensei since 2015 in Kasugai.

Terada Sensei has trained in jukendo for over 50 years and has won numerous awards in the art. He is 8 Dan Hanshi and resides in Nagoya. He’s an incredibly gentle and patient teacher who seems to have attracted all the foreigners to him.

Jukendo Hanshi 8th dan
Tankendo Hanshi 8th danAll Japan Jukendo Federation, director
Competitive Skills Enhancement Committee
Twice winner of All Japan Jukendo Yusho Championship
One time winner of National Sports Festival Jukendo Division
Runner-up All Japan Jukendo Championship

Emily isn’t sure how Simon talked her into doing all this. She currently studies naginata, Toda Ha buko ryu and fell in love with jukendo during a recent training visit to Japan. She lives in Australia and is quite possibly mad.

Ewa was introduced to Naginata while living in Australia after meeting Simon Larsen. In 2015 a 3 month stay in Japan introduced the couple to Jukendo. 2 months after leaving Japan the decision was made to move back to train Jukendo seriously. On freezing mornings they still argue over whose stupid idea that decision was.

It can be said that Klara has an exceptional luck of being in the right place at the right time, as she was first acquainted with the arts of stabbing people with sticks when Simon and Ewa were in Poland, in 2016. Oddly enough, not long after that she found herself coming to Nagoya for three months to train jukendo every single day. And they say love at first sight (stab) isn’t true.

Łukasz has been training kendo since he was 18 years old. Despite the fact that he is a true born citizen of Lublin, he now lives in Białystok, and that’s where he met Ewa and Simon – and jukendo. Even though kendo won his heart a good while ago, he took the challenge of coming to Japan to train jukendo under Terada sensei for several months. There, his unpronounceable name has been briefly changed to Akira.

Currently instructs atarashi naginata one day a week at the Aichi Ken Budokan and spends most of his free time traveling to various naginata related seminars. He started training in Tendo-ryu naginata after seeing some teachers (Mitamura-sensei, Sawada-Sensei and Yoshida-sensei practicing for the Kyoto Taikai and asking if he could learn the art. He studied under Yoshida Sadako Sensei until her passing.

He kindly agreed to help Jukendo World because there are too many hours in the day and sleep is for the lazy. Holds the rank of almost fancy person.

Chloe is currently living in Japan. She’s all about naginata, but after being introduced to jukendo by Simon and Ewa, she discovered that thrusting people was also a great deal of fun.

C’est moi, c’est moi, ’tis I.

I’ve never lost
In battle or game;
I’m simply the best by far.
When swords are crossed
‘Tis always the same:
One blow and au revoir!
C’est moi! C’est moi! So adm’rably fit!
A French Prometheus unbound.