Honolulu, Hawaii – Oahu
Hiroshi Kato Sensei (1935-2012) Hiroshi Kato was born in Tokyo on March 24th 1935, and entered Aikikai Hombu Dojo in 1954 at the age of 18. In 1975 he formed an informal practice group at the Suginami Ward Koenji Gymnasium near his home, and in April 1987 he established the Suginami Aikikai (杉並合気会) dojo in the Suginami Ward of Tokyo, Japan as a branch dojo of the … Continue reading Interview with Aikido Shihan Hiroshi Kato – Part 1
Tsuneo Ando in Gekkan Hiden Magazine Tsuneo Ando (安藤毎夫) started Aikido as a university student with the Aikikai’s Taisuke Kudo Sensei. After a brief experience with the Yoshinkan he trained under Sadao Takaoka Sensei in Wakayama, birthplace of Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba. A change in his employment situation and a call to his university Sempai Tsutomu Chida (former Dojo-cho at Yoshinkan Hombu Dojo) led him … Continue reading Talking to Tsuneo Ando Part 2 – Aikido and World Peace
Gozo Shioda with Tsuneo Ando, Yoshinkan Hombu Dojo Tsuneo Ando (安藤毎夫) spent 14 years as uchi deshi to Gozo Shioda, the founder of Yoshinkan Aikido, and is said to closely resemble him in terms of size, speed and style. Born in 1956 in Nihama City, in Ehime Prefecture on the island of Shikoku, he first encountered Aikido after joining the Tokushima University Aikido Club. After graduation … Continue reading Talking to Tsuneo Ando Part 1 – the Gozo Shioda that Nobody Knew
Kanshu Sunadomari (砂泊 諴秀) in front of Ueshiba Dojo – 1954 Kanshu Sunadomari’s family had close ties to Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba through their belief in the Omoto-kyo religion. His older brother, Kanemoto Sunadomari (砂泊兼基), was one of the early students of O-Sensei and the author of the first biography of the Aikido Founder ever published. His sister, Fukiko Sunadomari (砂泊扶妃子), served for many years as … Continue reading Interview with Aikido Shihan Kanshu Sunadomari – Part 2
Kanshu Sunadomari and Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei around 1960 Born into a family of Omoto-kyo believers in Kagoshima Prefecture in 1923, Kanshu Sunadomari (砂泊 諴秀) became an uchi-deshi to Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei shortly before World War II. Returning to Kyushu after the war he gave the first public demonstration of Aikido there in 1953, and opened the Manseikan Aikido dojo in Kumamoto … Continue reading Interview with Aikido Shihan Kanshu Sunadomari – Part 1