History of Yoshinkan Aikido

Soke Gozo Shioda was born in Shinjuku, Tokyo in 1915. His father, Shoda Seiichi was a prominent paediatrician and medical academic. It was Shioda Seiichi who encouraged his son to take up various form of exercise. As a consequence Gozo Shioda practiced kendo, gymnastics and Judo as a youth. It was in the art of judo where Shioda excelled, attaining the level of third dan by the time he had reached his mid-teens.

A turning point in Shioda Sensei's life came at age 18, when his father sent him to the Kobukan to study under Ueshiba Sensei, a man rumoured to be 'invincible'. On his first visit to the Kobukan, Shioda Sensei was invited by O'Sensei to use his Judo skills against him. Skeptical of his opponent ability, Gozo Shioda launched an attack only to find himself flying through the air head first. A dazed and bewildered Gozo Shioda was awed by what had taken place. The very next day, May 24, 1932, the young Shioda joined the Kobukan and commenced his Aikido career under the guidance of Ueshiba Sensei. Gozo Shioda left the Kobukan in 1941 upon the completion of his university studies.

After the Second World War, which had resulted in the subsequent banning of all martial arts in Japan , Shioda Sensei performed his first public demonstration in 1954. In the presence of a 15.000 strong crowd, Shioda Sensei was awarded the grand prize for best demonstration. Within a year Soke Gozo Shioda was heading his own Aikido dojo, the Yoshinkan, named after his fathers original dojo. In 1961 Ueshiba Sensei awarded Soke Gozo Shioda the rank of 9 th Dan. Shioda Sensei's outstanding contribution to the promotion of Aikido and Japanese Martial Arts in general was further acknowledge when in 1984 the International Martial Arts Federation awarded him the rank of 10 th Dan along with the title of Meijin (Grandmaster).

Yoshinkan Aikido has a reputation as a strong style, concerned with the practicality and efficiency of its techniques. As a consequence, Yoshinkan Aikido is taught to the Tokyo women's police force and to an elite group of riot police. The riot police course has been running for well over thirty five years. 'Yoshinkan', or 'house of cultivating the spirit' is made up of three words- yo meaning cultivating, shin meaning spirit and kan meaning house.

Soke Shioda Gozo died in 1994, leaving an organization which now stretches all over Japan , the Americas , Europe, Australia , New Zealand and South East Asia . Soke Gozo Shioda was convinced that through the silent language of Aikido, all differences between peoples and cultures would disappear making peace and a harmonious co-existence a reality rather than an ideal.

Contact and Information

Aikido Shudokan Indonesia

Postal Address:
Jl. Buah Batu no. 296
Bandung, Jawa Barat
Indonesia

E-mail Address:
aikido_shudokan_indonesia@yahoo.com

Contact Person:
Sensei Mark A. Hadiarja
Telepon: +62-812-2012333
Fax: +62-22-7311938

Dojo Address

Aikido Shudokan Indonesia

Dojo Dago
Jl.Prabudimuntur no. 4
Bandung
Jawa Barat
Indonesia

Dojo Surya Sumantri
Jl. Surya Sumantri no. 18
Bandung
Jawa Barat
Indonesia