Dojo Information
Location of Practice
222 N Rampart St, New Orleans, LA 70112
A NOAC membership is required. If you are a kendoka visiting New Orleans, please contact us so that we know to expect you!
Class Schedule
Sunday, 1:30-3pm: Beginner
Sunday, 3-4:30pm: Intermediate/Advanced
Wednesday, 7-8:45pm: Intermediate/Advanced
Joining the New Orleans Kendo Club
Beginners are invited to join any time of the year and are encouraged to try a few classes before committing to gear to see if kendo is a good fit for your goals. Per the New Orleans Athletic Club guidelines, we accept NOAC members 16 years of age and above.
Training with the NOKC
Kendo is a global sport and community, and the NOKC is a registered dojo with the All US Kendo Federation (AUSKF) and the Southwest Kendo and Iaido Federation (SWKIF). When teaching kendo, our instructors balance correct training, proper kendo etiquette, fun, and safety that are recognized by these federations.
Our instructors travel to AUSKF and SWKIF events to compete and earn ranking certification. NOKC practitioners are encouraged to join competitions and tests to earn their own ranks, and many travel to these events together.
Jake Dupre, 4dan
Lead Instructor
Ian Adams, 3dan
Assistant Instructor
Terry Wang, 2dan
Assistant Instructor
Robbin Arcega, 2kyu
Club Manager
History of NOKC
We are the New Orleans Kendo Club (NOKC), the only the place to practice Kendo in Louisiana.
The NOKC was founded in January of 1991, by Shigeru Koyama-sensei (5dan), who was a kendo from Kagoshima prefecture in Japan. The club was then passed on to Frank A. Anselmo (4dan), who was an original member of the club and one of the first students of Koyama-sensei. Anselmo-sensei continued to teach until the club was closed due to COVID-19 in 2020.
The club was passed on to Jake Dupre-sensei (4dan), the current president of the club.
As of 2022, the NOKC practices at the New Orleans Athletic Club (NOAC) located at the edge of the French Quarter.
The Kaeru Logo
Kaeru (カエル) is the Japanese word for "frog". It can also be read as 帰る, which means "to return", or 変える, which means "to change". As a club in New Orleans, a city known for its resilience and ability to change, the frog represents a kendoka's individual journey of growth as they continue to train. And of course, we're in a swamp with many frogs!
Frogs are also known for their ability to procure prey without hunting. The concept of patience to strike is natural for them. Our kendo reflexes hope to reflect the seemingly passive, but truly active, nature of the frog.
The three stripes represent the three senseis NOKC has had. The shape of the frog is reminiscent of the New Orleans fleur-de-lis.
Thank you to our NOKC alumni, Ahmad Abdulla (1dan) for the concept of the frog, and current club manager Robbin Arcega for designing the logo.
