Japanese American Budokan — Local services in New York

I had originally intended to trial lessons at different dojos or with different sensei, but JAB was “a click” into place. I left my first class feeling elated; the focus, field of vision, and cycles of rest/intensity was completely different from what I’ve experienced in any other sport/competitive activity. Here I am 3-months later, still hooked, and falling deeper into the study of martial arts.

I tend to learn better when I can draw from other sports/daily movements/bodily sensations. Karate + Judo + Yoga + Monthly Seminars = a steady diet of complementary, interrelated movement patterns. Dedication to cross-training and guest lecturers creates the sense that possibility is infinite.

Ryu-sensei is an absolute karate and history nerd, which means he can go deep when students ask questions! But beyond technical and subject mastery, Ryu-sensei brings a lot of sensitivity, intelligence, and creativity to teaching. He is observant, open minded, and responsive to each students' goals, requests, and anxieties. His teaching style blends ad hoc instruction and formal lesson planning, which allows for more agility in tailoring each class to who/how many people show up.

The JAB members themselves are probably the best part of the dojo. I was worried at first, like do I need to speak Japanese to go here? NOPE. Leave those anxieties at home folks. It's a culturally blended space that lives up to its motto: traditional values for modern life.

Let's face it: everyone weighs the tradeoffs of cost, value, and time. Monthly unlimited may seem pricey at first, but boutique fitness studios, high-end gyms, or cross fit boxes are comparably priced. Price per class drops from $40 to under $20 per class if you can make it 3x a week. People who are incentivized to come multiple times a week will see the benefit of scale-up. People who come 1x a week are getting high quality instruction at a reasonable price point, with the value-add...

An unbelievable experience, practicing martial arts at Japanese American Budokan. One year ago, I searched for a dojo in NYC to resume my martial arts training - I had not practiced Karate in 30 years. I found this dojo and I am so grateful that I ended up here.

Ryu Sensei is a phenomenal, world-class athlete, instructor, and mentor. Classes are very engaging, accessible, and vary from being focused on details of movement to intense cardio and conditioning. The perfect opportunity to push beyond your own limits but also go at the pace that you are most comfortable with. Each session has a unique structure in terms of content, and as you progress you can see and feel the improvements in fundamentals, as you do more than just simple repetition of moves.

I can not speak highly enough of the community that this dojo has brought together. One of my hesitations initially was walking in to start training with a group of people I do not know. I was warmly welcomed and have made so many great friends. It is a vibe of encouragement and hard work that we all share in the dojo, especially when training for promotion and tournaments (which are challenging but really fun!)

I started out wanting to see if I could still do Karate and make it routine, and one year later not only have I gained the confidence that I can do it and have made it routine, but I feel like I want to do it more and more each week. If you're interested in martial arts, this...

I’ve been at JA Budokan Shotokan Karate for about 4-5 months now. From my experiences, Ryu Sensei has created a truly special, supporting, and welcoming community of karate practitioners. Everyone treats each other like a family. We all come from different backgrounds and interest, but we all feel united when practicing karate.

Ryu Sensei does not hold back when it comes to teaching. There is no giving you “just enough” to get you to the next belt or level. He gives you the complete picture when it comes to executing a technique, and he helps you to build the framework in getting you to executing a technique perfectly. He draws upon his vast knowledge in history, physics, cooking, and music to draw analogies to karate that are easy to remember. He also invests himself fully in the growth of his students and holds his students accountable. He is also great with kids! He is able to match the energy of any child and keeps him/her/they engaged for the entire length of a class.

I’ve been to and currently attend dojos for other arts in NYC. I can say without a doubt, but shamefully admit, that the one dojo I look forward to attending and prioritize is JA Budokan. I honestly believe you cannot get such high level of Shotokan karate instruction anywhere else in NYC! They also provide classes in Judo and Yoga as well! I have no regrets in becoming a member here. Come try a trial class! I am sure you will feel...