Akaishi Dojo is a member of the Shodokan Aikido Federation headquartered in Osaka, Japan.

Nettles sensei holds a  6th dan  from the Japan Aikido Association headquartered in Tokyo, Japan.  For 22 years Nettles sensei was the Tomiki Aikido Association (formally the Japan Aikido Association/USA) president, and for 15 years was the organizations technical director.  Nettles sensei retired from the Tomiki Aikido Association in 2013 and now teaches Aikido as an affiliated Shodokan Aikido Federation dojo.

Introduction to Aikido

Aikido has a rich heritage as one of the most important and dynamic expressions of Japan’s long martial arts tradition. Aikido is a graceful and sophisticated Japanese martial art founded by Morihei Ueshiba around the turn of the century. Aikido is almost purely defensive; it teaches no kicks or punches and has relatively few aggressive moves.

The central themes of Aikido are to learn to defend without vengeance, to forgive your enemies and to harmonize with any attack. By using the attacker’s momentum, the Aikidoist takes the attacker’s balance, controls his force, and ultimately neutralizes the attack. Aikido’s lessons of physical and mental self-discipline can be applied throughout one’s lifetime. The unique blending of form, utility, and ethics is responsible for Aikido’s popularity today.

Aikido is an excellent form of both physical and mental exercise. It is considered a “soft” art because of the lack of kicks and punches. Aikido is ideal for just about everyone, from teens to grandparents; it is especially attractive to women because it does not require the tremendous amount of strength required by other martial arts. Competition is not required to advance in Shodoan Aikido, but it does help sharpen your skills and a chance to practice what you have learned with other Aikidoka.

What is Shodokan Aikido?

Aikido is a budo that developed from old jujitsu styles particularly Daitoryu Aikijujitsu (Daito-ryu jujutsu).

Shodokan Aikido was developed by Professor Kenji Tomiki (1900-1979) with the hope of using Aikido to promote life-long physical education worldwide, striving to combine the competitive excitement of Judo with the spiritual serenity of traditional Aikido. Kenji Tomiki was perhaps more suited than anyone else in history to combine the disciplines of Judo and Aikido; during the 1920’s and 1930’s he studied intensively with both Jigoro Kano, the founder of modern Judo, and with Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido.

Competition

The role of the tournament in Shodokan Aikido is to provide a forum where everyone can demonstrate his/her Aikido skills and to come together in friendship and harmony to learn from fellow Aikidoka. Because of this fundamental principal and the core recognition that both kata (choreographed moves) and randori (sparring) are essential, while simultaneously realizing that some people may prefer one over the other at any given time, a Shodokan Aikido tournament is comprised of both