OBUKAN - Key Persons


Blake Sprenger

Job Titles:
  • Instructor

Chris Tilt - President

Job Titles:
  • President
Tilt sensei started kendo under Stroud sensei at Obukan in 1995 and has also been a member at Ren Ma and Portland Kendo Clubs.

Daniel Anzai

Job Titles:
  • Assistant Instructor, Vice - President
Daniel started practicing kendo in Hawaii in 2004. He has practiced at Kenshikan Kendo Club (Honolulu, HI) and at the Kendo Club at UW (Seattle, WA).

James Onchi

Job Titles:
  • Chief
  • Instructor
  • Chief Instructor of Obukan Judo

John Hancock

John Hancock served as Obukan's current Head Instructor from 2004 to 2022. Hancock sensei started practicing Kendo in 1986 with Sakano Sensei at Mt. View Dojo in California for a few months. He then moved to Millilani Dojo with James Oka Sensei in Hawaii from 1986- 1996, and also studied Muso Shinden Ryu Iai with Akagi Sensei in 1996 and continued for several years. After moving to Oregon, he practiced at Obukan with Stroud Sensei.

Motoya Nakamura

Job Titles:
  • Chief
  • Instructor
  • Head Instructor in March of 2022
Nakamura sensei started practicing Kendo in Nagoya, Japan and continued for six years. After moving to the U.S., he practiced for six years in Virginia. In Oregon, he has been one of the instructors at Obukan and took over the mantle of Chief Instructor in March of 2022.

Robert Stroud

Job Titles:
  • Head
  • Instructor

Steven Uchida

Job Titles:
  • Instructor
Uchida sensei began his kendo journey at age 12 at Gardena Kendo Club in Gardena, California. He moved to Oregon in 1991 where he joined Obukan under Robert Stroud sensei. After co-founding RenMa Dojo in Portland, he's back at Obukan with a focus on beginners to "Train hard and have fun!"