Archive for 01. 2016

Aikido For All

Yoshinkan aikido’s Shihan Tsutomu Chida

Written by Enrica Cheung, Paul Chapman & Ben Stone

Tsutomu Chida, 8th Dan Shihan, is well known to devotees of Yoshinkan aikido, and well respected by in-the-know aikidoka the world over. To celebrate the 30th anniversary of Shihan Joe Thambu establishing Yoshinkan in Australia, Shihan Chida visited Melbourne to instruct a series of seminars, and impart some of his hard-won aikido wisdom to Blitz.

Chida Sensei, could you please tell us a little about how you started aikido, and some of the history behind your aikido career?

When I started aikido, around 1969, it was not well known or popular. On my way to school, I would sometimes walk by a local aikido school, so one day I joined. At first I kept going just because I didn’t want to give up easily. However, at some point I became captivated by its charms [and have kept going ever since]. (more…)