Mdm. Sumako Azuma

Azuma Ryu style is under the direction of Sumako Azuma and Kikusue Azuma. Together they have more than 45 years of teaching experience, and they seek to preserve and promote Japanese culture in the United States through the art of Nihon Buyo.

Sumako Azuma sensei was born in Tokyo but was raised in Southern California. Her mother, Sumako Azuma I, a dance instructor, and grandmother, Setsu Okawa, a tea ceremony instructor, surrounded her with Japanese language and culture as a child. She showed tremendous talent in dance at a young age, and studied in Japan for many summers under the Soke (Grand Master) of the Azuma school, Tokuho Azuma. At age 14, she was awarded the natori (master) degree as a direct student of Mme. Tokuho Azuma.

After the untimely death of her mother a few years later, young Sumako returned to Japan for one year and was a live-in student under the Soke. She received her shihan (instructor’s) degree at 19, and honored her mother’s legacy by returning to Southern California and continuing her mother’s dance school. She also earned the senmombu (specialty instructor’s) degree, and was honored as a “Woman of the Year” by the Downtown chapter of the JACL. Sumako currently balances teaching with her full-time job as a corporate insurance broker for Marsh & McLennan Companies.

Mdm. Kikusue Azuma

Kikusue Azuma sensei was born and raised in Los Angeles. She earned degrees in math and computer science and worked for 11 years as a software engineer, but eventually realized that teaching was her passion. She studied Nihon Buyo for many years under Sumako Azuma sensei, earning her natori and shihan degrees from the Azuma School headquarters in Tokyo. She became the first foreign-born-and-raised shihan of the Azuma School. After receiving her shihan degree, she started teaching dance classes in Ventura County. She currently has more than 50 students from Ventura, Los Angeles and Orange counties. She is married, has three children and is also a math teacher and tutor.

Sumako sensei, Kikusue sensei and their students have performed both at professional venues—the Greek Theater, Hollywood Bowl and Universal Amphitheater—and at benefit performances for community and nonprofit organizations. Although they still teach the Japanese dance classics, they have broken new ground artistically, reaching out to the Sansei (third generation), Yonsei (fourth generation) and Gosei (fifth generation) by blending traditional Japanese dance techniques with modern influences. Through their efforts, the U.S. Azuma School continues to grow and perpetuate Japanese culture through the art of Japanese dance.