High-ranked Non-japanese Yudansha List

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[Kami]

Hello, All!

This is the latest update in our High-ranked non-japanese yudansha list :

"AIKIBUDO :

Floquet, Alain - Aikibudo, France,8th Dan

AIKIKAI :

Alaoui, M'barek - Aikikai, Morocco, 7th Dan
Aoyagi, Robert - Aikikai, Hawaii(USA), 7th Dan
Blaize, Gerard – Aikikai, France, 7th Dan
Doran, Frank - Aikikai, California(USA), 7th Dan
Hagihara, Eddie - Aikikai, USA, 7th Dan
Hirao, Richard - Aikikai, Hawaii(USA), 7th Dan
Konigsberg, Harvey – Aikikai, (USA), 7th Dan
Kubo, Robert – Aikikai, Hawaii(USA), 7th Dan
Moriyama, Donald - Aikikai, Hawaii(USA), 7th Dan
Nadeau, Robert - Aikikai, California(USA), 7th Dan
Seagal, Steven - Aikikai, California(USA), 7th Dan
Tissier, Christian – Aikikai, France, 7th Dan
Witt, William - Aikikai, California(USA), 7th dan

ASSOCIAZIONE ITALIANA DI AIKIDO (AIA) :
Savegnago, Giampietro - Italy, AIA 7th Dan

BDAS:

Walter, Gerhardt - BDAS 7th Dan/Aikikai 5th Dan, Germany

BU IKU KAI :

Cognar, André – France, Bu Iku Kai 8th Dan
Suriano, Piero – Italy, Bu Iku Kai 7th Dan

DAÍ NIPPON BUTOKUKAI :

Roy T. Suenaka - Butokukai, USA, 8th Dan
Stobbaerts, Georges – Butokukai, Portugal, 8th Dan

DEUTSCHE AIKIDO BUND (DAB) :

Altenbrandt, Erhard - DAB, Germany, 7th Dan
Brand, Rolf - DAB, Germany, 7th Dan

FUGAKUKAI :

Caldwell, Charles - Fugakukai, Colorado(USA), 7th Dan
Copeland, Henry - Fugakukai, Alabama(USA), 8th Dan
Geis, Karl - Fugakukai, Texas (USA), 10th Dan
Jackson, Rianard - Fugakukai, Texas(USA), 7th Dan
Joe, Tim - Fugakukai, Texas(USA), 7th Dan
Norgaard, Clif - Fugakukai, Arkansas(USA), 7th Dan
Wright, Harry - Fugakukai, Alabama(USA), 7th Dan

GCERCCE :

Soulenq, Michel - GCERCCE, France, 7th Dan /Aikikai, 6th Dan

INDEPENDENT :

Allen, John - Independent, W. Virginia(USA), 7th Dan (previously belonged to the Fugakukai)

INSTITUTE OF AIKIDO :
Foster, Haydn – Institute of Aikido, England, 7th Dan

INTERNATIONAL AIKIDO ALLIANCE :
Wilkinson, L.F. - Texas(USA), IAA, 7th Dan

INTERNATIONAL MARTIAL ARTS FEDERATION (IMAF) :

Fredrix, André – Belgium, IMAF 7th Dan
Paterna, Luciano – Italy, IMAF 7th Dan

IWAMA RYU :

Corralini, Paolo - Iwama Ryu, Italy, 7th Dan
Evenas, Ulf - Sweden, Iwama Ryu, 7th Dan

JIYUSHINKAI :
Clark, Chuck - Jiyushinkai, USA, 8th Dan

KEIJUTSUKAI :

Makiyama, Thomas H. - Keijutsukai, Japan, 8th Dan (born in Hawaii)

KI-AIKIDO :

Curtis, Christopher – Ki-Aikido, Hawaii(USA), 7th Dan
Nonaka, Takashi – Ki-Aikido, Hawaii(USA), 8th Dan
Suzuki, Shinichi – Ki-Aikido, Hawaii(USA), 8th Dan

SEIDOKAN :

Chan, Stewart - Seidokan, California(USA), 7th Dan

SHINGITAI :

Jones, Gwynne - England, Shingitai, 7th Dan


SHODOKAN (TOMIKI) :

Eustace, Brian – Tomiki/England, 7th Dan BAA
Forest-Webb, Robert – Tomiki/England, 7th Dan JAA/BAA
Lawrence, William – Tomiki/England, 7th Dan BAA
Lee, Ah Loi - Tomiki, England, 7th Dan (JAA)
Waite, John – Tomiki/England, 7th JAA/BAA, 5th BJA

SHUDOKAN (Malaysia) :

Rajah, Thamby - Shudokan, Malaysia, 9th Dan

UNITED STATES MARTIAL ARTS ASSOCIATION (USMAA) :

Krenner, Walther von - USMAA, USA, 8th Dan
Periello, Lou - USMAA, USA, 8th Dan/Aikikai 5th Dan

WORLD KOBUDO FEDERATION :
Blok, Kevin - World Kobudo Federation(Aikido Section), 7th Dan/Yoshinkai 6th Dan

YOSEIKAN
Augé, Patrick - Yoseikan, USA, 7th Dan

YOSHINKAN
Parker, Amos - Yoshinkai, USA, 8th Dan
##############################

I would like to ask everybody's help in checking this list. Did anybody died? Any new 7th Dan? Comments, additions, observations ?
Best

[Sherman Byas]

I need clarification on something. I've heard that the title Shihan is given seperatly by the Aikikai. That is, a person can be a recognized 6th dan and above but still not be Shihan.

Comments Please!

[Kevin Beyer]

I don't see any ASU (Aikido Schools of Ueshiba) members on the list. Is there a reason none of them are there, or did they just forget to be mentioned? Just curious.

-Kevin

:ai: :ki: :do:

[MikeE]

INTERNATIONAL AIKIDO ASSOCIATION :
Wilkinson, L.F. - Texas(USA), IAA, 7th Dan
------------------------------------------
This is incorrect. Wilkinson is a 7th dan in the International Aikido Alliance.

Bill Sosa Sensei (6th dan) is the head of the International Aikido Association.

Just FYI from an International Aikido Association Affiliate :)

[ndiegel]

Is this just for Aikido? If not, our chief instructor, John Roseberry Shihan, holds a 9th Dan in Goju-Ryu Karate, a 7th Dan in Judo, and a 3rd Dan in Aikido.

Noah

[ollin]

Hello Kami,

I think you were asking in another board for a list of the sensei's promoted in the last Aikikai Kagami-Baraki ceremony, Did you get it?? if so, could you share it with us??

Salvador.

[akiy]

Originally posted by Kevin Beyer
I don't see any ASU (Aikido Schools of Ueshiba) members on the list. Is there a reason none of them are there, or did they just forget to be mentioned? Just curious.
I don't think there are any 7th+ dan non-Japanese instructors in ASU. If there were, they'd probably be lumped into the "Aikikai" section.

-- Jun

[JMCavazos]

Actually, Bill Sosa Sensei, as Founder & Director of International Aikido Association holds no rank. His last ranking was in the 70's with Aikikai, Shinshin Toitsu Aikido & Seidokan. There are 3 godan (5th). If you need more info contact Lynn Fabia at www.internationalaikido.com.

[Kami]

Dear friends,

Thank you all for your interest and cooperation. With your help, this list will get better and better.

To Sherman Byas : This list is about high-ranking non-japanese yudansha and not Shihan. But you are right : There’s no relation between getting a 6th Dan and being indicated a Shihan.

To Kevin Beyer : Please take a look at Jun’s e-mail. The answer is there.

To Michael Ellefson : You’re absolutely right. My mistake. It is corrected.

To Noah Diegel : Sorry, it’s just for Aikido Yudansha and believe me, it’s already a lot of work.

To Salvador Lopez : Ay, Hermano! Non, yo pergunté 3 nombres a Peter Goldsbury Sensei. La relación completa es muy grande. Algun nombre especial?

To Joe Cavazos : As you yourself has said, Bill Sosa has no rank and ours is a list of HIGH-RANKING people. And the last rank he got was godan and our list begins with 7th Dan. This means no disrespect for Bill Sosa Sensei.
Keep writing and commenting, please.
Best regards and a good keiko ;)

[JMCavazos]

Ubaldo, Boll Sosa Sensei's last ranking was 6th dan. He has at least 3 5th degree blackbelt holders under IAA. I am sorry if I didn't specify who the godans are. Sosa Sensei has decided not to have a rank as the Founder & Director. (I guess he could have given himself a 10th dan)!

[MikeE]

Joe,

You are right about Sosa Sensei technically not having rank because of founding the IAA.

His last rank conferred was Rokudan by Roderick Kobayashi Sensei when Sosa Sensei was still a top instructor for Seidokan.

You are also right about his Godans.

But, on the IAA site he still refers to himself as a Rokudan. And in his office he has his Rokudan Certificate. I may be mistaken, but knowing Sosa Sensei it is probably out of the amazingly high level of respect he holds for his instructors (Koichi Tohei, Isao Takahashi, and Roderick Kobayashi)

P.S. Joe, did I meet you at Sensei's surprise birthday party?