Edwardo Pinto

Eduardo Pinto Shihan, 8th Dan, founder of the Hikari Union, is the highest-ranking and oldest practitioner of Yoshinkan-style Aikido in Latin America, and is also one of the pioneers in the practice of Aikido in our country.  He is responsible for the formation of most of the Yoshinkan-style Aikido Dojos and Instructors currently in Brazil and Latin America.  All Yoshinkan-style Aikido Instructors currently active in Brazil were trained, directly or indirectly, in this style by Eduardo Pinto Sensei.

He began his Aikido training in 1972 with Keizen Ono Sensei and Reishin Kawai Shihan, at the famous Dojo of the Brazilian Aikido Association, on Rua das Carmelitas in downtown São Paulo, where he had the opportunity to train and also be instructed by the then Shidoin Alfredo Carlos Palácios Sensei, Chiuzo Oya Sensei and Breno de Oliveira Sensei and train with colleagues such as Shishido Sensei and the Monk Tokuda of Zen Buddhism as well as with Wagner Bull and Makoto Nishida, both today Shihan and important leaders of the Aikikai in Brazil. He also trained at Takemussukai with Massanao Ueno Sensei and Breno de Oliveira Sensei, graduating with the 2nd Dan. In 1989 he founded the HIKARI DOJO in Osasco - São Paulo, today with 35 years of existence. In 1990, he started his esinstitutohikari.com.br, all in the Yoshinkan style, and in 1992, through his official affiliation with the International Yoshinkan Aikido Federation, he introduced this style to Brazil. 

His Dojo was renamed HIKARI DOJO YOSHINKAN AIKIDO, being the first Latin American Dojo to affiliate with the International Yoshinkan Aikido Federation – IYAF.  In 1992, Eduardo Pinto Sensei received his 3rd Dan Certificate from GOZO SHIODA Soke (Founder of the Yoshinkan style) on the recommendation of Fred Haynes Sensei (Canada), 8th Dan.  In 1996, he was promoted to 4th Dan by Alister Thomson Sensei 8th Dan (Canada).

In 2000, he received his 5th Dan from Kiyoyuki Terada Sensei, 10th Dan, who is the co-founder of Yoshinkan Aikido.  In 2005, he founded the Hikari Aikido Yoshinkan Union of Brazil, which brought together students and former students who formed their own training groups and Dojos, but who remained connected to and following the technical and philosophical precepts of the Hikari Dojo Aikido Yoshinkan.  In 2008, the Hikari Aikido Yoshinkan Union of Brazil was transformed into the Hikari Aikido Renshinkai Union of Brazil.  

Later, in 2012, he received the 7th Dan and the title of Shihan from Chida Saiko Shihan.