John Gage Sensei

John Gage Sensei Nihon Jujutsu
John Gage Sensei Jujutsu Throw
Gage Sensei Judo Throw

John Gage Sensei is one of the world's foremost non-Japanese leaders in traditional, heritage martial arts. He is the current head of the Nihon Jujutsu system founded by the late Sato Shizuya Sensei, Nihon Jujutsu Meijin 10th Dan (1929 - 2011) and the former Program Director at the US Embassy Judo Club in Tokyo, Japan. A lifelong passion for history, and things from faraway places, particularly the arts and culture of Japan, began at an early age for Gage Sensei. He started studying aikido at age seventeen and judo at nineteen.

In 1986, he moved to Japan to dedicate himself to the study of traditional Japanese martial arts. Upon arriving in Tokyo, Japan in 1986, Gage-Sensei joined the US Embassy Judo Club, under the direction of Sato Shizuya Sensei. He also studied extensively at the Aikido Yoshinkan Honbu Dojo, under the direction of the famed Shioda Gozo Sensei (1915 – 1994), Aikido Meijin 10th Dan.

Gage-Sensei spent many years honing his understanding of the Japanese martial arts. He joined the All Japan Judo Federation, coached judo at Japanese Junior high schools, traveled around the world as an assistant to Sato Sensei at martial arts seminars in Europe and North America, and participated in countless martial arts exhibitions, and competitions in Japan. In 2015, Gage-Sensei returned to Ann Arbor and joined JMAC as one of our Senior Instructors.

  • Senior Instructor: Japanese Martial Arts Center: Japanese Martial Arts Center
  • Director: Kokusai Budoin, International Martial Arts Federation: Kokusai Budoin, IMAF
  • Shihan: Kokusai Budoin, IMAF Nihon Jujutsu Division
  • Director: International Nihon Jujutsu Association (日本柔術保存会・会長): Nihon Jujutsu
  • 7th Dan, Kyoshi Nihon Jujutsu
  • 4th Dan, Renshi Judo (IMAF)
  • 3rd Dan, Judo (AJJF)
  • 2nd Dan, Shodokan Aikido Federation
  • Director: Embassy Judo Club, Tokyo, Japan (2011 – 2015)
  • Secretary, International Section (1987 – 2011):  Kokusai Budoin, IMAF
  • Member: All Japan Judo Federation
  • Member: Kisuikan Dojo Tokyo, Japan
  • Former Member, Yoshinkan Honbu Dojo, Tokyo Japan (1987 – 1994)
  • Former Member, All Japan Karate-do Federation, Tokyo, Japan (1998 – 2001)
  • Sato Shizuya, Founder Nihon Jujutsu (1929 - 2011): Biography
  • Shioda Gozo, Founder Yoshinkan Aikido: Biography

John B. Gage: Biography