On this page we have profiled those senior Yoshinkan teachers that we feel closest to. I have studied under, travelled with, taken lots of ukemi and assisted them in conducting aikido seminars in Japan and around the world. I owe each of these teachers a lot for the perserverence, time and effort they have put into teaching me. I hope I can honor these men and the late Shioda Gozo Soke by supporting the growth of Yoshinkan aikido in our local area and passing on their teachings as best I can.
Darren Friend, Chief Instructor AYNSW.
Kyoichi Inoue Kancho (1935-2017)
- 1935 born in Hokkaido.
- 1955 enrolled at the Yoshinkan dojo on November 1st
- 1970 following a request from the Metropolitan Police Office, was assigned to teach aikido to the Womens police and Riot Squad members at the Metropolitan Police School.
- 1996 Retired from Metropolitan Police.
- 1996 Returned to head Yoshinkan Honbu dojo. Assigned the title of Dojocho by Aikido Yoshinkai.
- 2002 Awarded the rank of Hanshi and assigned title of Kancho by Aikido Yoshinkai.
- 2008 Retired from official duties with AYF
Takeno Takafumi Shihan
- Born November 7th 1947 Yamanashi Prefecture
- 1968 Joined Yoshinakn honbu as an uchideshi
- 1978 Yoshinkan honbu shihan, and honorary shihan of the Tokyo Metropolitan Police aikido dojo.
- 1988 Established Yamanashi Yoshinkan, Kancho.
- 1992 Received 8th dan from Shioda Gozo sensei.
- 1996 Received a special award from the International Budo Federation for distinguished services to budo.
- 1996 Received a special award from Aikido Yoshinkai for distinguished services to the organization.
- 2007 appointed as the Saikou Komon (Supreme Advisor) to Aikido Yoshinkan Honbu Dojo
- 2008 received 9th dan Yoshinkan Aikido
Chida Tsutomu Shihan
- Born October 4th 1950 in Kanagawa Prefecture.
- 1969 began training at Yoshinkan honbu Dojo.
- 1974 traveled to New Zealand
- 1979 accompanied Gozo Shioda to the United Kingdom and France.
- Currently Chief Instructor Renshinkai