United States Aikido Federation
The Aikido Center of Jacksonville is a member dojo of the United States Aikido Federation.Yoshimitsu Yamada Shihan
Yoshimitsu Yamada Sensei was born on February 17, 1938 in Toyko, Japan. In 1955, at the age of seventeen, he entered the Aikikai Hombu Dojo as an uchi-deshi (live-in student),
where he trained under the instruction of Morihei
Ueshiba O-Sensei, the Founder of Aikido.
Later, he became a full time instructor at
the Hombu Dojo and also taught at Japanese
universities and American military bases. In 1964, after having been
awarded yondan, the Aikikai Hombu sent Yamada Sensei to the New York World's Fair to give a
demonstration of Aikido. He remained in New York City as the chief
instructor of the New York Aikikai. Yamada Sensei
is also recognized by the Hombu Dojo as an instructor abroad, and currently holds the rank of
hachidan. Yamada
Sensei is the Chairperson of the United States Aikido Federation and is also the President of the Latin American Aikido Federation, which has dojos in South America, Central America and the
Caribbean. He is a member of the Senior Council of the International Aikido Federation (IAF) and leads the technical committee for North America.
Yamada Sensei has dedicated his
life to the teaching of Aikido throughout the world. He has authored
several books on Aikido, his latest being “Aikido Complete”, and has made
numerous training videos. Yamada Sensei travels worldwide conducting
Aikido seminars that are attended by thousands of students. He is
known for his clear and strong basic technique.
Aikikai Foundation
The United States Aikido Federation is officially recognized by the Aikikai Hombu.Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei
Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei was
born on December 14, 1883 in Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. In 1912,
O-Sensei moved to Hokkaido Prefecture and began studying Daito-ryu Aiki-Jujitsu
under grandmaster Sokaku Takeda. By all accounts, O-Sensei was a gifted
student, readily absorbing the technical aspects of the Daito-ryu. In
1919, after learning his father was ill, O-Sensei left Hokkaido to return home.
While traveling, he met Onisaburo Deguchi of the Omoto sect in Ayabe,
Kyoto. His meeting with Deguchi transformed O-Sensei - he became an ardent
supporter of Deguchi and a fervent believer in Omoto.In 1927, with encouragement from Deguchi, O-Sensei moved his family to Tokyo to teach the Way of Aiki. After teaching in several locations, O-Sensei established the Kobukan Dojo in the Ushigome district, now the site of the Aikikai Hombu Dojo. O-Sensei passed away peacefully on April 26, 1969 at the age of eighty-six.
Kisshomaru Ueshiba, Second Doshu
Kisshomaru Ueshiba was born on June 27, 1921 in Ayabe, Kyoto. In 1946 he graduated from Waseda University with a degree in economics. He began teaching Aikido in 1956, and, the following year, published the textbook "Aikido". In 1969, upon his father's passing, Kisshomaru assumed the title of Aikido Doshu. Kisshomaru himself passed away on January 4, 1999 at the age of seventy-seven.Moriteru Ueshiba, Third Doshu
Moriteru Ueshiba was born on April 2, 1951 in Tokyo, Japan. He studied economics at Meiji Gakuin University, graduating in 1976. In 1996 he became the General Director of the Hombu Dojo, and in 1999 assumed the title of Aikido Doshu.International Aikido Federation
The International Aikido Federation is a federation of Aikido organizations which are directly affiliated to the Aikikai Hombu in Japan, the ‘mother house’ of Aikido. Currently, the IAF restricts membership to only one organization per country.The United States Aikido Federation is the organization representing the United States. Moriteru Ueshiba, the Aikido Doshu, is the IAF President. Yoshimitsu Yamada Sensei, the USAF Chairperson, is a member of the IAF Senior Council.