Background
Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Yamada became interested in aikido through his father"s cousin, Tadashi Abe, who trained at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo and was a friend of Koichi Tohei.
山田嘉光
Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Yamada became interested in aikido through his father"s cousin, Tadashi Abe, who trained at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo and was a friend of Koichi Tohei.
He is ranked 8th dan in the Aikikai and is the chief instructor at the dojo New York Aikikai. He entered Hombu Dojo as an uchi deshi in 1955 at the age of 17. His exposure to westerners and ability to speak English made him a natural choice to teach to American soldiers.
He first came to the United States in 1964 to do an aikido demonstration at the 1964 World"s Fair in New New York
In 1966 Yamada and his family hosted Virginia Mayhew, an aikido practitioner from New New York Although the original New York Aikikai was founded in 1961 and led by Yasuo Ohara, when Yamada moved to New York he assumed control and moved the dojo from its 18th Street local to its present location.
In 1966 some of the burden was relieved when he invited Mitsunari Kanai to take over the small group in Boston. Over time Yamada"s students have grown to have students of their own, and have risen to ranks as high as 7th daughter
In 1988 Yamada invited Seiichi Sugano to join the dojo, making it one of the few dojo outside Japan with two 8th dan shihan in residence.
In 2004 the New York Aikikai celebrated its 40th anniversary with a summer camp at Colgate university with many shihan and Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba in attendance. Yamada continues to keep an active teaching and travelling schedule, holding seminars in the United States as well as Latin America, Russia, France, Germany and other points around the world. In France, he teaches at the summer seminar at Louisiana Colle-sur-Loup which was organized by his senpai, Nobuyoshi Tamura, and at the summer seminar in Lesneven.
Both seminars also feature Malcolm Tiki Shewan.
In Germany, Yamada teaches a summer seminar at Bernau am Chiemsee. Yamada is well known for his clear and strong basic technique.
Beyond his technical ability, he also possesses a gift for passing on his knowledge. His students have become some of the most well-known and high-ranking aikidoka in the Americas.
He teaches seminars all over the world where thousands of students attend his classes.
Yamada is president of the United States Aikido Federation and chairman of the Latin America Aikido Federation. In January 2011, Yamada accepted an invitation to become the patron of Aiki Kai Australia. He is the author of the book Aikido Complete, and has made multiple aikido training tapes, including the "Power and the Basics" series, which outlines the requirements for rank testing of all levels.
In February 2010 Yoshimitsu Yamada founded Aikido Sansuikai International during a seminar in Dominican Republic.
Aikido Sansuikai International is an organization recognized by Aikikai Hombu Dojo and has affiliated dojos from Latin America and Europe. "We must keep the spirit of budo no matter how we practice."
He has been quoted as advising some students at a seminar that "Aikido is the way of harmony - but not too much harmony".
Quotations:
"We must keep the spirit of budo no matter how we practice."
He has been quoted as advising some students at a seminar that "Aikido is the way of harmony - but not too much harmony".