UPCOMING EVENTS
Upcoming
GNYNF events.
Please check our calendar for upcoming events as dates and times are subject to changes. If you have any questions please contact us…
2026 Stony Brook Sakura Matsuri
THE GREATER NEW YORK NAGINATA FEDERATION WILL BE PERFORMING AN EMBU AT THE 2026 SAKURA MATSURI FESTIVAL HELD AT STONY BROOK UNIVERSITY.
FESTIVAL| Sakura Matsuri: Cherry Blossom Festival
Sunday, April 26th at 12 PM (rain or shine)
Charles B. Wang Center
Admission:
$30 (General)
$20 (Students/Seniors)
$10 (Children ages 6–12)
Free for children ages 5 and under
Admission includes all film viewings, workshops, and theater presentations.
***If you are having issues signing up, cash payments will be accepted at the door***
Welcome spring to Long Island with the blooming of sakura (cherry blossoms), the sounds of taiko drums, and a wondrous array of Japanese cultural exhibits at the Wang Center! The Wang Center will provide many exciting activities, including Koto plays, Japanese traditional dances, martial arts demonstrations, hands-on bonsai workshops, calligraphy workshops, ikebana flower arrangement, tea workshops, manga drawing, origami paper folding, kimono dress-ups, and cosplay (costumed role-play of a Japanese manga character) for all ages. Please join us in your favorite manga character costume.
This festival is co-produced by the Japan Center at Stony Brook University and the Ryu Shu Kan Japanese Arts Center.
2026 JAPAN DAY PARADE
GNYNF is proud to be marching again in the 2026 JAPAN DAY PARADE – this ultimately leads to the Japan Day in Central Park, which was founded to build and strengthen the appreciation and awareness of cultural understanding between the local Japanese communities and New York City.
Saturday, May 9, 2026
Formation Location:
84th Street btw Columbus Ave & Central Park West
Formation Time: 1:15 - 1:45pm
Formation Notes:
Line up at placeholder closer to Columbus
Opening Ceremony starts at 12:30 p.m
Location: Central Park West between 70th street and 71st street (Grandstand Area).
Japan Parade starts at 1:00 p.m.
Route: Central Park West from 81st street to 67th street
STREET FAIR
Date: Saturday, May 9, 2026
Time: 11:00AM – 5:00PM
Location: 72nd street (Btwn Central Park W & Columbus Ave)
2026 – GNYNF 20th ANNIVERSARY SEMINAR & TAIKAI
The Greater New York Naginata Federation would like to formally invite you to celebrate our 20th anniversary at our 2026 Annual Seminar and Taikai with special guest instructors:
Toyoko NARITA Sensei (Kyoshi) – AJNF
Kayami HACHIMINE Sensei (Renshi) – AJNF
Katie ROCHE Sensei (Renshi) GNYNF
NYBA NAGINATA – LIC (Copy)
NYBA is excited to announce an additional 2-HR Naginata class – Fridays 2X per month
6:30 – 8:30 PM
Please RSVP if you plan on attending. This class is open to all NYBA, GNYNF, Columbia and Pratt Naginata members. NOTE: THERE IS NO STORAGE, STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO BRING THEIR OWN EQUIPMENT.
CLASS FEES:
NYBA MEMBERS – FREE
PRATT BUDO CLUB – FREE
KEN ZEN – $10 MAT FEE
CU NAGINATA – $10 MAT FEE
NOTE: NON-NYBA MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO SIGN THE NYBA CODE OF EITHICS AND LEGAL WAIVER BEFORE ATTENDING THESE CLASSES.
NYBA NAGINATA – LIC
NYBA is excited to announce an additional 2-HR Naginata class – Fridays 2X per month
6:30 – 8:30 PM
Please RSVP if you plan on attending. This class is open to all NYBA, GNYNF, Columbia and Pratt Naginata members. NOTE: THERE IS NO STORAGE, STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO BRING THEIR OWN EQUIPMENT.
CLASS FEES:
NYBA MEMBERS – FREE
PRATT BUDO CLUB – FREE
KEN ZEN – $10 MAT FEE
CU NAGINATA – $10 MAT FEE
NOTE: NON-NYBA MEMBERS ARE REQUIRED TO SIGN THE NYBA CODE OF EITHICS AND LEGAL WAIVER BEFORE ATTENDING THESE CLASSES.
GNYNF – SHINSA EXAM
Greater New York Naginata Federation is holding a shinsa (exam) on Sunday December 7, 2025.
TESTING DETAILS
Exam Level: Up to IKKYU (1st KYU)
TESTING FEE – $20
PAYMENT DETAILS:
Paypal: gnytreasurer@gmail.com
Venmo : @PJ-Magpayo
Zelle: treasurer@gnynf.org
All payments are due by Nov. 30
(=‘ｘ‘=)
All payments are due by Nov. 30 (=‘ｘ‘=)
Please send all applications and payment receipts to your respective dojo reps
Columbia/Pratt: Otto Herman ottoherman05@gmail.com
NYBA: Edward Kim edbkim@outlook.com
Ken-Zen: Bea Circelli beacircelli@gmail.com
Cambridge: Adriano Fernandes adrihfernandes@gmail.com
Maryland Jyoshinkai: Yuri Maeda yurijanemaeda@gmail.com
Shimbukan Mexico: Olivier Le Guen ompleguen@gmail.com
If you do not have a dojo rep, please send me your application directly – Katie Roche gnynaginata@gnynf.org
ALL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO JOIN THE USNF AND GNYNF TO HOLD OFFICIAL RANK – PLEASE FILL OUT AND SUBMIT APPLICATIONS BELOW.
PRICING:
GNYNF registration – $20 ($10 STUDENTS)
USNF registration – $45
JOINT PRACTICE
GNYNF is organizing a joint practice with CU Naginata and Pratt Naginata at Columbia University.
Please coordinate with your coaches with regards to equipment and transportation.
GNYNF – SHINSA EXAM
Greater New York Naginata Federation is holding a shinsa (exam) on Sunday October 5, 2025.
TESTING DETAILS
Exam Level: Up to IKKYU (1st KYU)
TESTING FEE – $20
PAYMENT DETAILS:
Paypal: gnytreasurer@gmail.com
Venmo : @PJ-Magpayo
Zelle: treasurer@gnynf.org
All payments are due by Sept. 30
(=‘ｘ‘=)
All payments are due by Sept. 30 (=‘ｘ‘=)
Please send all applications and payment receipts to your respective dojo reps
Columbia/Pratt: Otto Herman ottoherman05@gmail.com
NYBA: Edward Kim edbkim@outlook.com
Ken-Zen: Bea Circelli beacircelli@gmail.com
Cambridge: Adriano Fernandes adrihfernandes@gmail.com
Maryland Jyoshinkai: Yuri Maeda yurijanemaeda@gmail.com
Shimbukan Mexico: Olivier Le Guen ompleguen@gmail.com
If you do not have a dojo rep, please send me your application directly – Katie Roche gnynaginata@gnynf.org
ALL STUDENTS ARE REQUIRED TO JOIN THE USNF AND GNYNF TO HOLD OFFICIAL RANK – PLEASE FILL OUT AND SUBMIT APPLICATIONS BELOW.
PRICING:
GNYNF registration – $20 ($10 STUDENTS)
USNF registration – $45
GNYNF Nishu Prep Course
The purpose of this course is to help prepare individuals interested in taking the nishu shinpan certification held in Japan. While there is no minimum rank requirement to register, only those participants holding the rank of 3-dan and above will receive official shinpan hours that can count towards their certification (10 hours). The course will take place during a 3-day weekend in the evening (EST). Participants will receive certificates of completion upon conclusion of the course.
In order to qualify for shinpan-in recommendations, one must hold the rank of 3-dan and attend a USNF-sanctioned shinpan seminar. Attendance will be recorded in Google Classroom and will have the hours calculated towards the 20 hour minimum requirement enforced by the INF, with a max of 10 hours. 3-dan+ participants must take the written exam and receive a score no lower than 80% in order to pass the course and receive their certificate of completion. If you are 2-dan or lower, you cannot carry over your seminar hours towards your (post-3-dan) recommendation year.
Location: Virtual (Google Meet link will be sent upon confirmation of registration)
Instructor: Katie Roche, Renshi, All Japan Naginata Federation Nishu Certified Referee
Seminar Fee: $100 USD
Schedule:
Day 1 (9/4): 7:00PM - 10:00PM EST
Day 2 (9/5): 7:00PM - 10:30PM EST
Day 3 (9/6): 7:00PM - 10:30PM EST
Payment:
Payment must be made in full at time of registration. You will NOT be confirmed for registration until we receive your payment by the event registration deadline of Monday, September 1st, 2025 at 11:59pm EST. We accept the following payment methods:
● Paypal (gnytreasurer@gmail.com)
● Venmo (@PJ-Magpayo)
● Zelle (treasurer@gnynf.org)
Refunds/cancellations are not available.
Please feel free to contact us at gnynaginata@gnynf.org if you have any questions!