Early Beginnings (1982)
1980’s Emergence: Sugiyama and Tanioka
In 1982, naginata first arrived in New York when a young Japanese woman named Sugiyama, shodan, was trying to find naginata in NYC and went to a few kendo dojos. It is believed that she first approached Daniel T. Ebihara Sensei from Ken-Zen Institute to see if there was naginata there, then went to NYC Kendo Club and began training a group of interested kendo-ka. Despite her beginner status, she helped cultivate a small but passionate group. John Prough, one of GNYNF’s co-founders was amongst the interested swordsmen who studied under Ms. Sugiyama. Soon after, Tanioka Sensei, one of the rare male practitioners of naginata at the time, joined the group and brought further expertise with his 5-dan wife.
Unfortunately, Sugiyama later moved to Australia to obtain a PhD. in Computer Art, Tanioka Sensei’s wife returned to Japan to take her Renshi exam, and then Tanioka Sensei followed soon after. With all three instructors gone, the early New York Naginata Club dissolved.
“This killed the NY Naginata Club.”
For a long time (throughout the remainder of the 80’s and most of the 90’s), there was no organized naginata club. John Prough would take out the naginata once in a while and practice some swings as a way to not forget what he learned within that year of formal training. He never saw his original three sensei again, and even till this day, they have not been found.
The Yamauchi Era (1999-2012)
After a period of dormancy, naginata returned to NYC thanks to John Prough, who was encouraged by USNF President Tanaka Sensei to re-establish a club. Prough started a naginata study group on White Street. Following the 1999 USNF seminar in Long Island, Prough invited Sachiko Yamauchi Sensei, a Kyoshi-ranked teacher from Shikoku, Japan, to help revive the art. She agreed to travel and teach in New York for extended stays at her own expense.
Together, they officially led the New York Naginata Club, laying the groundwork for a new generation of practice. This marked the true rebirth of naginata in NYC, with regular practice sessions and renewed energy. Prough and Yamauchi Sensei eventually married, thus securing a qualified instructor in the Greater New York area.
Then, the Greater New York Naginata Federation was born
Beginning in 2000, Yamauchi Sensei’s influence extended far beyond her New York dojos. She served as a technical advisor to both the East Coast Naginata Federation and the Canadian Naginata Federation, guiding emerging clubs and shaping curriculum, instructor training, and technical standards. Under her mentorship high school programs like Kearny High School launched their first high school naginata club outside of Japan. She also helped mentor university clubs, including two of the historic Seven Sisters schools Bryn Mawr and Mount Holyoke, where they gained structure, leadership, and training direction. Her and John continued to work hard at keeping naginata in NYC strong with her small yet dedicated students. She grew GNYNF to be the biggest federation in the country during the later 2000’s and also served as the United States Naginata Federation President until her passing in January of 2012.
Yamauchi Sensei’s legacy lives on in these educational programs, reflecting her lifelong commitment to cultivating excellence and accessibility in atarashii naginata.