SHIHAN TAKESHI SAITO is a 6th degree black belt of World Oyama Karate. He spent 5 years at the former headquarters dojo in New York City as an “Uchi-deshi” to Soshu Oyama, teaching classes and studying under his direct supervision. He moved to San Francisco to spread World Oyama Karate to the West Coast. Shihan Saito opened the San Francisco dojo in September 2001.
San Francisco:
SENSEI JILL KENT – Osu! I am Sensei Jill Kent. I am a fourth degree black belt at World Oyama Karate SF. I started studying karate under Shihan Saito in 2006. When I started, I never imagined I would become a sensei (teacher) but I love teaching, especially the kids who are so open, funny and intense. World Oyama Karate has been an amazing journey for me and for my growth as a karate student and teacher. Osu!
SENSEI CHIP NAKAMURA – Sensei Chip began training with Shihan Saito in 2005 and has instructed since 2008 at the San Francisco dojo. He is a third degree black belt.
SENSEI TAKA IWAMOTO– I trained under Shihan Saito and am currently a 4th degree black belt at World Oyama Karate. I always think that sweating is the best way to forget about the various stresses in life. Would you like to shout out loud (kiai), move your body and sweat together? Just Sweat!
San Mateo:
SENSEI MIKE ZUNG – Always fascinated with martial arts, I started training at World Oyama Karate in early 1999. After four years of training, I tested and earned my Shodan in 2003. In early 2005, I began training under Shihan Saito and shortly thereafter, I began teaching classes regularly. In 2007, Shihan Saito recommended me for testing to promote to Ni Dan.
In 2008, I competed in the Senior Heavyweight division of the American Cup hosted by Honbu Dojo in Birmingham, AL. I lost by decision in overtime, but I got the bug for tournament fighting. The next year, while continuing to teach classes, I also expanded my training to focus and prepare to fight in the Senior Heavyweight division of the Fighters Cup hosted by the San Francisco dojo. This is a special division for all of us heavyweight seniors at the San Francisco area dojos. We fight for the Steve “Shacho” Finer Memorial Cup. Steve was one of our first students and he loved to fight. He passed away in an unfortunate accident in 2006. In the tournament, I had to fight through the bracket but made it to the finals to win by decision in 2010. Now, every year, the winner of the senior division gets to have the Memorial Cup to take back to his dojo for the year. I continued to train and teach with the added focus of tournament fighting. I competed in the next six Fighters Cup tournaments, winning six of the seven Fighters Cup tournaments I entered.
In 2015, I tested and was promoted to 3rd dan. After seven years of continued training under Shihan Saito, I tested and was promoted to 4th dan in 2022. I continue to train and teach regularly at the San Mateo dojo. OSU!
SENSEI MIKE BELLO – Born in 1957 in the former Soviet Union, grew up in Leningrad, now St. Petersburg, Russia, I was not an athletic kid but did a bit of rowing in my mid teens and some boxing in college. I got fascinated and intrigued by karate which was brought to Leningrad in mid seventies. It was forbidden by authorities but there were underground dojos. I tried it, liked it but could not pursue it at that time.
I emigrated with my family into the US in 1994. My son Antony started taking karate lessons at the Seido dojo in Palo Alto. I came by to pick him up one day, saw the bags and got excited. As a joke I said to Sensei that maybe I could join it too. She said “go ahead, we have an adult group”. I hesitated because I had serious lower back problems, but joined anyway at the age of 45. The lower back problems cured themselves and I got a green belt in 2005.
The Seido dojo closed, but I was lucky to find Oyama Karate and joined the San Jose dojo. I started participating in the tournaments in 2007 and was knocked down in my first fight. In 2008 I did better and won two fights. In 2009 I won the Fighter’s Cup in the heavyweight Senior Division. I participated in two more Fighter’s Cup tournaments but was not able to win it again. I joined San Mateo dojo in 2019 and practiced karate online during pandemic time. I was awarded my sho-dan in 2011, ni-dan in 2016, san-dan in 2021 and in 2022 I was honored with a Sensei title.
SENSEI DEREK YEUNG – Osu! I hold a second-degree black belt in World Oyama Karate. My training commenced under Shihan Saito in 2011 and I have been instructing since 2017. Throughout this journey, I have developed great strength, both physically and mentally. Osu!
