Generational Combat wisdom

For Shintaro Higashi, teaching is the family business. Raised on the mats of New York City’s Kokushi Budo Institute under his father, Nobuyoshi Higashi, he went on to win two U.S. National Judo Championships and represent the United States at two World Championships. Today, he leads the dojo where he learned his craft. His experience in wrestling, sambo and Brazilian jiu-jitsu informs his approach to judo, while a master’s degree in education reflects the attention he has given to teaching it. Through his seminars and instructional videos, he shares that knowledge with students well beyond his New York roots.

Shintaro’s teaching comes alive in the details: where to place a hand, how to use an opponent’s movement, when to follow one attack with another. He gives students a clear understanding of what makes a technique work and a practical way to train it. His seminars bring that same attention to gripping, footwork and throws, with drills that emphasize efficiency and safe practice. A beginner learning to attack with confidence and an experienced competitor working through a stubborn technical problem can both find something useful in his instruction. For jiu-jitsu practitioners, his knowledge of both sports makes him especially valuable when developing their takedowns.

Seminar Curriculums

Traditional Judo

No-gi Judo

Judo for BJJ