About Roger Wehrhahn Shihan

Roger Wehrhahn Shihan began his training in 1969 in Kearny, NJ with an excitement and enthusiasm that has now spanned almost three and a half decades. His studies began under the tutelage of Richard Pegram Sensei, a 6th dan in Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate Do. Sensei Pegram was known for his insistence on exact detail and the precise execution of the basics, kata and the drills of Okinawan Goju-ryu Karate. Soon he became Wehrhahn’s mentor and began instructing him in the secrets of Goju-ryu Karate. Later, Wehrhahn Shihan began training with Thomas Mulligan Sensei, an extraordinary martial artist who assisted with instruction at Sensei Pegram’s dojo. Sensei Mulligan was known for his kicking and sparring ability. Through this balanced blend of kata, basics, drills and kumite, Wehrhahn Shihan developed a deep appreciation and understanding of Karate-do.

In1980, Wehrhahn Shihan began training in the arts of Ken Jutsu and Iai. Through a series of focused seminars and training sessions with various masters of several different sword ryus, Wehrhahn Shihan developed an appreciation for Iai and a thirst for a disciplined form of sword training.

In 1984 he received an invitation to attend a summer-long series of seminars from the Japanese Swordsmanship Society of New York. The society had been sponsoring Grand Master Mitsuzuka Takeshi annually to teach in the U.S. Wehrhahn Shihan accepted and began his formal training under Grand Master Mitsuzuka Takeshi. At the end of  the summer, Mitsuzuka Sensei issued an open invitation to everyone who had attended the seminar to come to Japan and to train at his dojo. Wehrhahn Shihan decided to go, and by  September of the same year was in Tokyo, Japan studying Iaido at the hombu dojo. It was then that the lifelong relationship of teacher and student was forged.

Throughout the years Wehrhahn Shihan has been fortunate to have Grand Master Mitsuzuka stay with him at his home on his annual visits the United States. Mitsuzuka Sensei stays anywhere from two to ten weeks per year depending on his schedule and duties in Japan. Wehrhahn Shihan still travels to Japan on a regular basis to continue his own instruction and to bring his students to train at Mitsuzuka Sensei’s dojo.

Wehrhahn Shihan holds the rank of 6th dan in Muso Shinden Ryu Iaido in the San Shin Kai, 5th dan Okinawan Goju Ryu, 4th dan Kobayashi Shorin Ryu and 4th dan Ryukyu Kobudo. In addition, Shihan Wehrhahn has also studied Kyokushin Kai Karate Do, Moo Do Kwan Tae Kwon Do, Aiki-jujutsu and Hakko Ryu Ju Jutsu.