Country history

Takeshi Kimeda

(b. 22 February 1941). 9th dan Yoshinkan Aikido. Aikido instructor. He began his study of Aikido at Meiji Gakuin University under Takashi Kushida sensei. He became the captain of the university Aikido club, and at the time of his graduation he had achieved the rank of 3rd degree black belt. Taught in California and Michigan in 1964 before moving to Ontario to begin teaching YOSHINKAN AIKIDO in Canada the same year. Kimeda Sensei is the Yoshinkan’s senior instructor outside of Japan. Based in Canada, he maintains very close ties with Yoshinkan Aikido Hombu Dojo. He is the Chief Instructor of Aikido Yoshinkai Canada and teaches in Hamilton, Ontario. National Headquarters — Aikido Yoshinkan Canada

Takeshi KIMEDA is credited with introducing YOSHINKAN AIKIDO to Canada on his arrival in 1964 in Toronto, Ontario. Kimeda, presently ranked 7th dan, systematically built up a network of dojos in the Toronto, Hamilton and Windsor areas. This development was enhanced by the arrival of Mitsugoro KARASAWA, now a 6th dan, in 1970. The major Canadian Yoshinkan instructors in the greater Toronto/Hamilton area include Allister THOMPSON, Fred HAYNES, Enore GARDINIO, James STEWART, Don Hoo, Brian Budgell, Roger Plomish and Greg West. After 1975, Windsor, which is on the U. S. /Canadian border in southern Ontario, also evolved into a center of Yoshinkan Aikido, largely due to the arrival of Takashi KUSHIDA in 1973 in Detroit, Michigan across the border. The major Canadian Yoshinkan instructors in the greater Toronto/Hamilton area include Allister THOMPSON, Fred HAYNES, Enore GARDINIO, James STEWART, Don Hoo, Brian Budgell, Roger Plomish and Greg West. After 1975, Windsor, which is on the U. S. /Canadian border in southern Ontario, also evolved into a center of Yoshinkan Aikido, largely due to the arrival of Takashi KUSHIDA in 1973 in Detroit, Michigan across the border. The major Canadian instructors in the Windsor area are James and Sue JEANNETTE and Kevin and Patricia BLOK. Outside of Ontario, Yoshinkan Aikido has spread to British Columbia on the West Coast where principal instructors are Jim Kootnekoff and Keith Taylor. 

Nagano Hiromichi

(19 June 1947 to 1 December 2017). 8th dan Yoshinkan Aikido. Professional aikido instructor and official representative for YOSHINKAN AIKIDO in Germany. Extensive judo background. Member of Metropolitan Police Martial Arts Platoon from 1966-1971. Relocated to Germany in 1972 at the time of the Munich Olympic games to teach judo. Began aikido training with Asahi Katsuaki from Aikikai in 1977 in Bielefeld, Germany. Returned to Japan in 1983 as Uchi Deshi of Shimizu Kenji, Tendoryu for intensive training. Moved as Uchi Deshi to Shioda Gozo in 1985 for one and one-half more years of intensive instructor training in Yoshinkan Aikido. Returned to Munich to teach Yoshinkan Aikido and created YOSHINKAN AIKIDO DEUTSCHLAND. Aikido Yoshinkan e.V., Lothstraße 62, 80335 München. http://aikido-yoshinkan.info , Telephone +49 (89)201 22 90. Passed away on 1st December 2017 in Munich, after a yearlong battle against cancer.

Thamby Rajah

The founding father of aikido in Malaysia, Thamby Rajah Sensei began his martial arts career with the study of judo. He travelled from Malaya (as it was then known) by ship in 1957 for eleven days, arriving in Japan to seek training under Harayoshi Ichijima Sensei and Mifune Kyuso Sensei, the latter of whom was a 10th dan and one of the foremost exponents of judo at the time.

Thamby Sensei was introduced to the founder of yoshinkan aikido Soke Gozo Shioda during his time of training in Japan. Fascinated with the martial art, he studied under the watchful eye of Soke Shioda from 1959 as his student. Upon his return home to Malaysia, Thamby Rajah Sensei made history by becoming the first ever Malaysian to attain a black belt both in judo and yoshinkan aikido. He would one day attain world records for these achievements, in addition to being Malaysia’s oldest and longest-practising aikido teacher.

In Japan, Soke Shioda presented Thamby Sensei with the name “Shudokan” which Thamby Sensei crowned the founding dojo in his home town of Seremban in Malaysia.

Sonny Locke

Sonny Loke sensei began his aikido journey in 1972 with Pak Wai Phang sensei in Chung Ling High School, Penang. Sonny sensei started teaching aikido in Kuala Lumpur in 1991. In May 1995, Sonny sensei attended the 1st International Aikido Yoshinkan Instructors Gasshuku (training camp) in Tokyo, Japan. Upon his return, Sonny sensei decided to devote his life to teaching Yoshinkan Aikido full-time and established Yoshinkan Aikido Malaysia (YAM) in June 1995. YAM is affiliated with the Aikido Yoshinkai Foundation in Tokyo, Japan.

Since 1995, Sonny sensei has received instruction solely from Takeno Takafumi Kancho, for over 20 years, and is the first foreign instructor to be affiliated directly to Takeno Kancho.

Francis Ramasamy

Shihan Francis Ramasamy was born in Penang, Malaysia in 1939. Francis was David Eayrs (Founder of Kenshinkai), first Yoshinkan Aikido instructor. Members of Kenshinkai visited Francis in Penang for intensive training courses every four years, starting in 1988. Francis had accumulated an impressive martial arts history, including training in Thai Muay Thai (Thai Boxing); Kodokan Judo 2nd Dan; Kendo 2nd Dan; and Shinden Fudo Ryu Kodachi Iai Shimpo 6th Dan. In addition, Francis held the rank of 7th Dan in Yoshinkan Aikido and had studied Aikido for over 50 years.  Founded the Mushinkan Academy in 1965 which continues to this day, with the instructor being Sensei Francis Ramasamy's son - Franciscus Nithya.

David Eayrs (1939 -2023)

David Eayrs began the study of Yoshinkan Aikido in late 1962 under the tuition of Francis Ramasamy Sensei.  Two years prior to this the late Edwin Stratton Sensei left Malaysia to return to the UK after studying Yoshinkan Aikido under the tuition of Thamby Rajah Sensei, the founder and head of The Shudokan Institute of Aikido.

David Eayrs returned to the UK in 1966, leaving the Army in 1967, which is when he opened his first dojo. Shortly after this, following the submission of a film of his techniques to Kancho Gozo Shioda via his Sensei, Francis Ramasamy Sensei, David was awarded the rank of Shodan by Kancho Gozo Shioda with a letter from him congratulating him on his success and correct Yoshinkan techniques and encouraging David to develop and expand Yoshinkan Aikido in the UK. This was long before the formation of the I.Y.A.F.