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Aikido Seminar in Melbourne

Aikido Seminars

We believe you should take every opportunity to train with the many top instructors who make themselves available through seminars and workshops all over the world. Seminars provide an opportunity to learn new ideas and train with other students of Aikido.

Below is a list of forthcoming seminars that we will be attending. If you are organising a seminar and would like us to promote it here and hopefully attend then please contact us with all the relevant details.

Soke Stratton Memorial Seminar

Host: Shudokan Barnstaple Location: North Devon Leisure Centre, Seven Brethren Bank, Barnstaple, Devon, EX31 2AP. Dates: Saturday 13th March 2010 (09:30 - 16:00) Website: More information Contact: shudokandevon@googlemail.com Seminar to celebrate the life of Edwin Stratton Sensei (17th July 1936 - 9th March 2000). This year’s seminar will be the tenth of its kind since he passed away.

Meeting of Minds - Terry Harrison sensei & Richard Portsmouth sensei

Host: Traditional Ueshiba School of Aikido, Sendokai Aikido Yoshinkan UK Location: High Wycombe Judo Centre. Date: 17th April 2010 (09.00 - 17.30) Website: Sendokai Contact: sendokan@btinternet.com Sensei Terry Harrison (5th Dan) is chief instructor of Sen Do Kai group. He began training in Yoshinkan Aikido in 1978 and has trained under the guidance of many of the highest ranking Yoshinkan instructors. He has also practiced a variety of martial arts.

Chida Sensei Seminar - Australia

Host: Aikido Shudokan Location: Melbourne, Australia Dates: 24th - 26th April 2010 Website: More information Contact: admin@aikidoshudokan.com Over the ANZAC Day Long Weekend in April 2010, Chida Tsutomu Shihan will be visiting Australia for the first time in over 12 years. Chida Shihan was a top uchi-deshi of the Founder of Yoshinkan Aikido and can claim the longest career at Yoshinkan headquarters. After the Founder’s passing, his support of the Yoshinkan continued for 13 years. In late 2007 he retired from the Yoshinkan, and soon after founded Aikido Renshinkai. Chida Shihan’s seminars are sought after world-wide. It is his life’s calling to accurately transmit the techniques of Shioda Gozo Sensei to the next generation of Aikido students and teachers. Aikido Renshinkai website.

Joe Thambu Shihan - European Seminars, May 2010

Location and dates: More details to follow shortly 1st & 2nd - UK seminar 6th - German Seminar 8th - 9th Dutch Seminar 11th - Czech Republic seminar 15th & 16th - Polish Seminar Contact: andy@aikidoshoshinkan.com

Sensei Thambu, the chief instructor of the Shudokan, Melbourne, Australia, has been a student of Aikido for over 35 years. In this time, he has had the opportunity to train under many great Instructors - Soke Gozo Shioda, the founder of Yoshinkan Aikido, Sensei Thamby Rajah, the father of Yoshinkan Aikido in Malaysia, Sensei Don Draeger, Soke Toshishiro Obata, the founder of Shinkendo and a student also of Soke Gozo Shioda and Shihan Tetsuro Nariyama, (Chief Instructor of Tomiki Aikido), all world-renowned Martial Artists.

In 1996, Blitz martial arts magazine, recognised his ability and achievements by awarding him the Blitz Aikido Instructor of the Year. He is also a much sought after instructor in the security industry combining his martial training and security experience in a very unique manner.

2010 marks Sensei Joe’s thirtieth year of having brought Yoshinkan Aikido to Australia, and teaching men, women and children, he continues to spread the art with recent visits to Malaysia, Canada, United States, Europe and Japan. In early 2008 he was also awarded the rank of seventh dan black belt by the Aikido Yoshinkai Foundation and bestowed with the title of “Shihan” later that year.

Aikido Shudokan website.

Yasuhisa Shioda Soke - Germany

Host: Nagano Sensei Location: Munich Germany Dates: 14th - 16th May 2010 Website: More information Contact: admin@aikido-yoshinkan.de Born 15 November,1952. Yasuhisa Shioda started practicing Aikido at the age of thirteen, training every day. He graduated in 1976 from the Economics Department of Chuo University in Tokyo. As a member of the Yoshinkan Aikido Dojo, he continued to undergo Aikido training with his father and helped spread Aikido by teaching it in universities, to police departments, and various organizations. Starting in 1984, he spent three years in England and helped establish the basis for the spread of aikido overseas. After returning to Japan, he concentrated on teaching young people, especially nursery school children , originating a unique instruction method that encouraged them to develop their character through the practice of Aikido. He also teaches at various community centers. After his fathers death in 1994, in order to spread his father’s legacy throughout the world, he has been teaching Aikido and has also become an author. On 14 June 2007 Yasuhisa Shioda was elected to be the new Yoshinkan Kancho. • The third son of Soke Gozo Shioda • He spreads Yoshinkan widely many organizations, universities, the police, etc with his father Gozo Shioda. • From 1984 he spent 3 years in England, and helped establish the basis for the spread of Aikido overseas. • He established the International Yoshinkan Aikido Federation (IYAF) together with his father Gozo Shioda in 1990. Aikido Yoshinkai website.

Yasuhisa Shioda Soke - UK

Host: Terry Harrison Sensei, Sendokai Location: Tatsumaki Dojo Slough, England Dates: 22nd May 2010 Website: More information Contact: sendokan@btinternet.com KANCHO SHIODA will also be teaching at various locations / Dojo between the 19th and 21st May 2010 Born 15 November,1952. Yasuhisa Shioda started practicing Aikido at the age of thirteen, training every day. He graduated in 1976 from the Economics Department of Chuo University in Tokyo. As a member of the Yoshinkan Aikido Dojo, he continued to undergo Aikido training with his father and helped spread Aikido by teaching it in universities, to police departments, and various organizations. Starting in 1984, he spent three years in England and helped establish the basis for the spread of aikido overseas. After returning to Japan, he concentrated on teaching young people, especially nursery school children , originating a unique instruction method that encouraged them to develop their character through the practice of Aikido. He also teaches at various community centers. After his fathers death in 1994, in order to spread his father’s legacy throughout the world, he has been teaching Aikido and has also become an author. On 14 June 2007 Yasuhisa Shioda was elected to be the new Yoshinkan Kancho. • The third son of Soke Gozo Shioda • He spreads Yoshinkan widely many organizations, universities, the police, etc with his father Gozo Shioda. • From 1984 he spent 3 years in England, and helped establish the basis for the spread of Aikido overseas. • He established the International Yoshinkan Aikido Federation (IYAF) together with his father Gozo Shioda in 1990. Aikido Yoshinkai website.

Chida Sensei Seminar - Ukraine

Host: Kiyokan Location: Kiev, Ukraine Dates: 21st - 23rd May 2010 Website: http://www.kiyokandodojo.com Contact: kiyokandojo@gmail.com Chida-Shihan was an uchideshi of Gozo Shioda-Sensei from 1971 and has had the longest career at the Yoshinkan Aikido Honbu. Even after the passing of Gozo Shioda-Sensei in 1994, Chida-Shihan continued his support for 13 years until December of 2007 when he retired from the Yoshinkan Honbu. Later in April of 2008, it came about that he decided to move on from the Yoshinkan organization and established the Renshinkai. His demonstrations and clinics are much sought-after and have been flourishing throughout Japan and the world. It has been his calling to pass on accurately to the next generation the Aikido that he received from Gozo Shioda-Sensei; accordingly he continues to contribute to the expansion of Aikido. Profile sourced from Aikido Renshinkai website.

Toshiro Obata Kaiso Seminar

Host: Shepherd Sensei - UK Shibucho Location: Milton Keynes Dates: 22, 23 and 24 May 2010 Website: http://www.shinkendo.org.uk/ Contact: byron.shepherd@shinkendo.org.uk For those of you unfamiliar with Obata Kaiso, he was a live in student under Gozo Shioda Sensei for 7 years. He later achieved a Menkyo (Master Certificate) in Toyama Ryu from Nakamura Sensei, who was considered in his day a living Icon in Japan. Obata Kaiso is today considered one of the best martial artist’s alive and is highly regarded by many practitioners. This is the first time Obata Kaiso will be coming to England and the seminar promises to be highly successful for all those who attend. Unfortunately the seminar is being capped at 40 students so to avoid disappointment please express your interest at the earliest opportunity. Obata Sensei heads two organisations - Aikibujutsu Tanren Kenkyukai and The International Shinkendo Federation. The daily timetable for the seminar will be split between the two styles - 3 hours Aikido and 3 hours Shinkendo. The split will be an AM and PM split. Some of Obata Kaiso’s techniques appear on Thambu Shihan’s DVDs and are highly regarded by Thambu Sensei. Anyone who has been to a seminar with Thambu Shihan will be familiar with his frequent references to Obata Sensei. As this is the first time Obata Kaiso will be coming to England the seminar will offer a unique unmissable chance to train with him and experience his teachings. Full profile of Obata Kaiso can be viewed here.

Ito Sensei – Ukraine

Host: Kiyokan dojo Location: Kiev, Ukraine. Dates: 8th to 10th October 2010. Website: More information Contact: kiyokandojo@gmail.com Kenji Ito Sensei (5th dan) is chief instructor of Aikido Gekkouryu.

Inoue Hanshi Seminar - Germany

Host: Nagano Sensei Location: Munich Germany Dates: 29th - 31st October 2010 Website: More information Contact: admin@aikido-yoshinkan.de Born on the island of Hokkaido in 1935, Inoue Kyoichi entered the Yoshinkan (Tsukudo Hachiman dojo) in 1955. He enrolled together with Kushida Takashi. Training became a fulltime obsession and Inoue Sensei was very soon an uchi-deshi to Shioda Gozo Kancho. Soon after Inoue Sensei was made an instructor and has ever since been a pillar of the Yoshinkan. Under the supervision of Shioda Gozo Kancho, Inoue Sensei and Kushida Sensei formulated the Kihon Dosa and systemised the teaching of Yoshinkan Aikido. This forms the basis of practice in every Yoshinkan dojo around the world. In 1970, in response to a request by the Tokyo Metropolitan Police, Inoue Sensei was sent to the Police Department as the chief Aikido Instructor. A post he held till 1996. In this time Inoue Sensei moulded numerous Police instructors who carry on his legacy to this date. During this time Inoue Sensei was one of the main examiners at the Hombu dojo. Upon his retirement from the police department in 1996, Inoue Sensei returned to the Hombu dojo as Dojo-cho (head of dojo). Inoue Sensei has taught and demonstrated his Aikido the world over and has been featured in countless magazines, T.V. shows books and DVDs. In 2002, Inoue Sensei had the title of Hanshi conferred upon him and was formally made Yoshinkan Kancho. Inoue Sensei is a teacher of rare quality. He is the epitome of a Budo teacher and is highly regarded in the Martial Arts world as one who has truly mastered his art. Inoue Hanshi, 9th Dan Yoshinkan Aikido, retired as Kancho in 2007 and since then has been invited to teach at seminar all over the world. Shinwakan Dojo website.

DEN Master’s Clinic - Inoue Hanshi, Chida Shihan & Takashima Sensei

Host: Seishinkan Malta Location: Malta. Dates: November 20th, 21st, 22nd 2010. Website: More information Contact: stakashima2002@yahoo.co.jp Chida Tsutomu, born 4th October 1950, is a direct student of Yoshinkan founder Gozo Shioda. He studied with Gozo Shioda for a period of 25 years and continued his support for the Yoshinkan 13 years after his death. In late 2007 he retired from the Yoshinkan and founded Aikido Renshinkai. Chida Shihan’s seminars are highly sought after worldwide. Inoue Kyoichi was born in Hokkaido, on 10th Sept 1935 and is one of the most senior students of late Gozo Shioda Kancho. He was aikido instructor to the Tokyo Metropolitan police and riot squads and later became 2nd Kancho (director) of Yoshinkan. Along with Kushida Takahashi, Inoue Sensei was instrumental in the formulation of the Kihon Dosa under the supervision of Gozo Shioda Kancho. In April 2009 he was awarded 10th dan by the International Budo Federation and is now Kancho of the Aikido Shinwakan organisation. Saburo Takashima Sensei graduated from 7th Yoshinkan International Instructor Course at Hombu Dojo (central school). He is now a 5th dan instructor with Aikido Renshinkai. This is the second seminar of its kind and a fantastic opportunity to train in Europe with some of the world’s most highly respected Aikido instructors.

Yoshinkan Aikido Gozo Shioda Memorial Festival 2010

Host: Yoshinkan Hombu dojo. Location: Japan. Dates: tbc Website: More information Contact: ayfs@carol.ocn.ne.jp Details to be confirmed.