Where are the oldest aikido dojos in the world?
 

Lately I've visited the NY Aikikai dojo. It was established in the 1960s and operates in the same location for many years.
It made me wonder what are the oldest, continuously operating, aikido dojos in the world and where are they located?
I can think of four such dojos In Japan:
* the Aikikai hombu dojo in Tokyo
* the Iwama (Ibaraki) dojo
* the Kumano Juku dojo in Shingu, where Michio Hikitsuchi sensei used to teach.
* Gessoji dojo in Tokyo, where Hiroshi Tada sensei still teaches.

What other old aikido dojos do you know?

Re: Where are the oldest aikido dojos in the world?
 

I don't know if these count, as they moved early in their existence, but the organisations are still training. I guess they don't seem so old compared to Hombu and Iwama.

1954 - Sunadomari Sensei's original Manseikan dojo in Kumamoto.
Unfortunately it appears to have been torn down (Google Street View showed it still standing in 2015, but not later). That was opened in 1954.

1968 - Australian National University Aikido Club, Australia, founded by the first student of Sugano Sensei. Moved once to the new sports centre dojo (constructed by knocking out the dividing wall between two squash courts). The dojo was rebuilt during major building renovations about 20 years ago into a proper facility.

1970 - Fukuoka Dojo, Japan. Though due to the dojo moving once, Takasago dojo here is actually older. The current Fukuoka dojo is in a 100 year old building.

Re: Where are the oldest aikido dojos in the world?
 

1976 Seattle School of Aikido.
still in the same location

Re: Where are the oldest aikido dojos in the world?
 

The hut-dojo in Uxbridge, UK, should be one of the oldest.
They began in the early 1950s.
In Münster, Germany, is a Dojo that exists since 1970 in the same place and building, it was founded by Katsuaki Asai and his early students.

Re: Where are the oldest aikido dojos in the world?
 

Ren Shin Kan in (now) Dudley in the UK - couple of changes of venue since it was started in 1968 by the late William Smith Shihan in 1968 now headed by Gordon Jones and Philip Smith both 7th Dan Shihan; which make sit unique in the UK.
https://rskaikido.com/

Re: Where are the oldest aikido dojos in the world?
 

The Hut Dojo from the early 1950s - The original dojo is still the same venue after approx. 65 years, originally named after Kenshiro Abbe Sensei " Abbe School of Judo " - later after the introduction of Aikido in 1955 and later Karate, it became the " The Abbe School of Budo ". In those early days the tatami was graced by such greats as Sensei's Kenshiro Abbe - Matsutaro Otani - Tommi Otani - Masahilo Nakazono - Masamichi Noro - H Kobyashi - Kazuo Chiba - Mutsuki Harada - Ken Williams - Bill Woods and so many other notables.
Henry Elllis
Co author of " Positive Aikido "
British Aikido History
http://britishaikido.blogspot.com

Re: Where are the oldest aikido dojos in the world?
 

The first shibu dojo (branch dojo) of the Aikikai is Kuwamori Dojo, from 1951.

Previous to this, there were a number of 'independent dojo set up by Ueshiba's disciples - I don't have dates, but you would have Kobayashi Hirokazu, Tanaka Bansen, Iwama, Shingu, Takaoka's dojo maybe Iwata Ikkusai . . .

Re: Where are the oldest aikido dojos in the world?
 

Sugino dôjô ...

Re: Where are the oldest aikido dojos in the world?
 

Sugino Dojo was considered the 2nd shibu (branch) dojo of the Aikikai. Older prewar dojo were considered independent dojo. As an aikido dojo, I believe Sugino Dojo started in 1952 or 1953

Ellis Amdur

Re: Where are the oldest aikido dojos in the world?
 

The aikikai have maintained a dojo in Shirataki village in Hokkaido, Japan for years now. This was on or near the site where Ueashiba Morihei first trained under Sokaku Takeda, and Aikido can be said to have began. Surely this is the oldest Aikido Dojo. At least, it is on the oldest aikido site.

Re: Where are the oldest aikido dojos in the world?
 

Until a recently I'd been working on a research project locating old dojos. I have obtained a fairly large list of Budo Senyokai branch dojo locations from 1932 to 1933 that I've compiled from issues of their hard to find monthly newsletter "Budo". Along with the prefectures and addresses there are listings for dojo cho for each branch. I was planning to do a comparison of earliest known Aikikai branch dojos, but regular life got in the way and so onto the back burner that went.

The one that jumps out to me was Budo Senyokai shibu dojo 39, located in Iwama machi. Stan Pranin mentioned somewhere in his vast research that there was a Senyokai dojo in Iwama in the 1930s, but I don't think he had information on their shibu dojo number system. I now have four or five issues of "Budo", and each issue published a list of newly added branches and their dojo chos. I believe that it went up to at least 120 or so branches.

Somewhere along the line "Budo" ceased publication and was replaced by another monthly called "Kobu". I've tracked down three issues of that, but I don't recall offhand if they had a shibu dojo system like the Budo Senyokai. It seems possible that some of these locations may still be standing today.

Re: Where are the oldest aikido dojos in the world?
 

This is a great project!
I recommend writing to Inagaki Sensei at the Ibaraki Shibu Dojo (Iwama) to ask about the Budo Senyokai Shibu Dojo (no. 39) in Iwama machi. Please follow up on this lead!

In aiki,
Ethan Weisgard

Re: Where are the oldest aikido dojos in the world?
 

Scott - I cannot help jumping in, hopefully not sidetracking the thread - is there any actually useful training information in the Budo Senyokai newsletters?

Ellis Amdur

Re: Where are the oldest aikido dojos in the world?
 

Ethan, I like that idea an I shall pile that onto my stack of tasks.

Ellis, There are a few articles written by Ueshiba that appear to be of the classic simile ridden "Rah Rah Teikoku!" variety. There are others who are more versed at interpreting that stuff, the best I can tease out with my meager translating skills is something like "Him Ueshiba. Big Medicine!". With that in mind I've come to realize that I should just post the originals up and let the professionals have at it. It's almost time for me to head to work, so later this evening I'll get on that and post some dropbox links.

Re: Where are the oldest aikido dojos in the world?
 

Okay then, took some time to get images centered but here are four issues of “Budo" (technically three since one doesn’t bear the name Budo but is a Senyokai annual bulletin thingamajig.) I’ve got a copy of a reprint of two other issues lying around somewhere, I’ll see if I can scare it up later and bring the total up to 6 recovered issues. There’s also an organizational charter, definitely for the bean counters and completists, but again, later on that. One of the issues of Kobu is in delicate shape so I’ll have to figure out how to get that one scanned.

Keep an eye out for issue 3 where Mahatma Ghandi pens a column. Seriously. Would I kid you guys?
Scott

https://www.dropbox.com/s/2xpcqqvhg6...n%201.pdf?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/kg9hsa8fil...e%205.pdf?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/px8kqh0s34...e%204.pdf?dl=0

https://www.dropbox.com/s/a2j7m5f0rz...03%20.pdf?dl=0