New Jersey, Kearny

[DanielH]

I know I already accidently posted this in the "Kendo" section but I only got one reply there and I hope posting it again here isn't a problem.

http://kendo-usa.org/statedojolist.htm#NJ lists these.

New Jersey

HongMooKwan Kumdo Academy
532 10th St
Palisades Pk, NJ

Fort Lee Kyudokan Dojo
Cresskill, NJ

Japanese Swordsmanship Society
Community Education & Recreation Center (CERC)
Jersey City, New Jersey

Zen Kendogun of Princeton
Princeton, NJ

Shidogakuin Hakushikan
Lakeview Road

Shidogakuin Rutgers Kendo Club
Rutgers University
New Brunswick, NJ

If I remeber correctly AUSKF (sp) lists only these too... My problem is: the one in Jersey City is the closest but they don't actually teach kendo and even so its still at least a 30 minute drive if there is no traffic, which there always is.
Now I'm applying to a community college and then hoping to transfer to Rutgers (Kendo Club) after the two years but that means I would have to wait another three years before I can even begin...

So - does anyone know of ANY other schools in New Jersey? I can't find anymore.

[Kaoru]

Hi!

Well I just went and searched, and I came up with the same ones you did. Sorry about that!

Just so you know, expect to drive at least some distance to get to a dojo. Mine is 2hrs. 20min. away, and that's just going to the dojo. Heck, going to practice twice a month is even good. Good luck!

Kaoru

[DanielH]

I found a school that is about half-an-hour away from my house, parents misunderstood me and thought it was somewhere else far away but I passed by there yesterday. I'm seriously considering going there but would like to know if its any good. It costs about 100 - 126 $ a month so I'd like to know what other people have to say about it, any comments would be much appreciated.

The school is called "HongMooKwan Kumdo Academy", their website is www.Kumdo4US.com

Thanks

[Shazzanzzz]

I found a school that is about half-an-hour away from my house, parents misunderstood me and thought it was somewhere else far away but I passed by there yesterday. I'm seriously considering going there but would like to know if its any good. It costs about 100 - 126 $ a month so I'd like to know what other people have to say about it, any comments would be much appreciated.

The school is called "HongMooKwan Kumdo Academy", their website is www.Kumdo4US.com

Thanks

it's on the expensive side compared to most kendo clubs, but, they have practice everyday, so, it's worth the money if you can afford it and do go at least 2,3 times a week.

[DanielH]

Ah, I think I was told to go on mondays, wednesdays, and fridays only... I'm almost completely positive. Hmm... I think the guy I talked to didn't like me :/

oh... hmm... one last thing, I guess I should wait until I actually get there but it seems to me that most people there (from what I saw in pictures) are of Asian decent... I'm hispanic/portuguese and well... I feel as though they might not be as "friendly" as me because it looks like I'll be one of the few/only non-Asians there besides on of the teachers... what do you think?

[Shazzanzzz]

Ah, I think I was told to go on mondays, wednesdays, and fridays only... I'm almost completely positive. Hmm... I think the guy I talked to didn't like me :/

oh... hmm... one last thing, I guess I should wait until I actually get there but it seems to me that most people there (from what I saw in pictures) are of Asian decent... I'm hispanic/portuguese and well... I feel as though they might not be as "friendly" as me because it looks like I'll be one of the few/only non-Asians there besides on of the teachers... what do you think?

kumdo dojangs sometimes are almost 95% korean, and they all just speak korean to each other. You probably would feel left out at first, but, if you practice hard and get to know the people there, it should be fine.

[DanielH]

I thought that... wasn't sure... oh well, I'm in it not to be social (much) but to learn... still, wouldn't be to bad to make some new friends :P

[Neil Gendzwill]

Don't worry about the race thing, just train - I'm sure it will be fine. The head instructor is Mark Grivas, he's a well-known US-born kendoka with a very successful competition career. Sounds expensive but I'm sure the instruction is good.

[kawa]

Where in New Jersey? South, Mid or North Jersey?

[DanielH]

Probably upper mid Jersey.

[sminki]

Don't worry about the race thing, just train - I'm sure it will be fine. The head instructor is Mark Grivas, he's a well-known US-born kendoka with a very successful competition career. Sounds expensive but I'm sure the instruction is good.

Grivas sensei has opened a kendo dojo in eastern Long Island so I don't think he's really at HMK anymore.

[kawa]

If you are near Rutgers University

(1 hr North of you)
Fort Lee Kyudokan Dojo
Cresskill, NJ
Tel#212 679-1230
NOTE: Very nice peoples up there, many 4 dan and above students
$65 per month

(20 mins South of you)
Chinese Princeton School
Princeton
Tel#856 986-0732
NOTE: nice people but no high ranking Sensei teaching (1,2,3 dans mostly)
$100 per year!! only

(25 mins South of you)
Princeton University
Princeton
--as far as I know, for students only
Vistor welcome @ $10 donation per visit + $5 Gym Fee

(15 mins North of you)
Shidogakuin
Edison
Tel# (908)757-4964
NOTE: very small dojo. 25ft X 25ft, no high ranking Sensei teaching (1-3 kyu and few 1 dan students)
$55 per month

[Old Warrior]

Master Seong (7th Dan) has schools in S. Brunswick and Closter. He and Master Lee are fine teachers. The web site is at: http://kendoacademy.com/kendoacademy/index.html

As to the race prejudice stuff - nonsense. I have received as much respect as one could hope for, being the only adult (I'm 55) in a class of Asian American teenagers. My classmates are polite, friendly and respectful and I was told that Master Seong insisted that they were to include me in conversation. It is slightly annoying to have everything spoken in Korean, but Masters Seong and Lee are working hard on their English. Until then, I just drag a classmate over to translate. More often then not, the Master sends someone over to explain what he just said. All in all, its been an enlightening experience, becoming immersed in their culture and I have found it most enjoyable.

[slidercrank]

If you are near Rutgers University

(20 mins South of you)
Chinese Princeton School

(25 mins South of you)
Princeton University

(15 mins North of you)
Shidogakuin
Edison
Princeton University kendo club is open to all. Non-students need to pay a little fee to enter and use the gym. I think the sensei that used to teach at the Chinese Princeton school is now teadching at the university club only, so that the Chinese Princeton school has now become mostly a peer practice group.

Shidogakuin Edison dojo and Rutgers kendo club both are a part of the Shidogakuin organization. Kato sensei is the head sensei of the organization and he is 7th dan kyoshi in both kendo and iaido, a very rare combination of teaching qualification in the United States, I believe. I generally find students from Shidogakuin to have pretty good kendo fundamentals.

Kyudokan dojo in Fort Lee, NJ has also a good reputation. I think Ishizuka sensei teaches there? I'm not sure.

As Old_Warrior stated, Song Moo Kwan has opened a new branch school on Rt. 18 in East Brunswick, NJ, very close to exit 9 of NJ Turnpike. The head sensei of Song Moo Kwan, Grand Master Seong, is 7th dan kyosa (Korean equivalent of the Japanese word "kyoshi") in kendo. He seems to have a very high reputation amongst the Korean kendo/kumdo students I have spoken to.

There are some other Korean kumdo schools (such as Hong Moo Kwan) in the Fort Lee area. In general, all Korean kumdo schools have some common attributes. Their student bodies are more homogeniously Korean, whereas the Japanese kendo dojos in NJ tend to have a more ethnically diverse student body. This is not meant either as a positive or a negative. It's just the way things are. Korean schools only open at locations where there are large Korean communities. Japanese kendo dojos seem to pop up at random geographic locations as far as I can tell. In any case there is no large, concentrated Japanese communities in NJ. As a result of the community-based nature of Korean kumdo schools, they have their dedicated practice locations; they offer practice sessions multiple times a day on multiple days; and they charge a high fee. Japanese dojos rent places 1 or 2 times a week, practice for longer time each practice, and charge lower fees.

I think this is pretty much the state of kendo/kumdo in New Jersey. For specific, up-to-date information on practice sessions and fees, you should of course call or email the contact persons.