 | |
| Sport | Aikido |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | International |
| Abbreviation | IAF |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Japan |
| Official website | |
| www | |
International Aikido Federation (IAF) is a world governing body for the sport of Aikido.
| | |
| Sport | Aikido |
|---|---|
| Jurisdiction | International |
| Abbreviation | IAF |
| Founded | 1976 |
| Headquarters | Tokyo, Japan |
| Official website | |
| www | |
International Aikido Federation (IAF) is a world governing body for the sport of Aikido.
The International Aikido Federation was formed in 1976 to serve as a primary global aikido organisation. It is an umbrella organisation with member organisations from more than 80 nations (for example, the All-Japan Aikido Federation is one member). All full members must be recognised by the Hombu and all associate members must be validated by the Hombu, so the IAF exclusively represents the Aikikai.
The IAF is a nominally democratic organisation but special roles are given to the Aikido Doshu and a council of senior instructors, to safeguard the "technical and moral" integrity of aikido.
The IAF currently admits only one member organisation per country and gives each full member an equal vote (it was modeled on the UN; it does not necessarily give every Aikikai student equal representation). [1]
The IAF also organises International Aikido Congresses every four years, facilitating direct training between aikido students of different countries, sharing instruction by the world's most senior aikido instructors, and also providing a channel for official communication with the Hombu.
The membership of the IAF has grown to 87 member countries in April 2024, of which 13 are associate members without voting power.
The IAF publishes a list of member nations and organisations. [2]
Peter Goldsbury is also a Professor of comparative mythology at Hiroshima [3] and he has published a large body of aikido articles over his many years of practice. [4] In early 2016, Peter Goldsbury announced his retirement and he officially stepped down following the elections that took place during the 12th IAF Congress held in September 2016 in the city of Takasaki (Gunma Prefecture, Japan). [5] [6]
Kei Izawa previously served as the IAF's General Secretary and he has also translated in English the biography of Morihei Ueshiba written by his son, Kisshomaru Ueshiba. [7] Kei Izawa currently still serves as the Vice-Chairman of the IAF.
Every four years, the IAF holds a Congress in Japan where delegations from all member countries gather for a week of practice under the direction of numerous high ranked instructors, both Japanese and foreign. Along with the seminar are held directing committee meetings, liaison meetings as well as elections.
The last congress where delegates attended in person took place in the city of Takasaki (Gunma) in September 2016. [8] No Congress was held in 2020 due the Covid-19 Pandemic. But on 13 October 2021 a virtual congress was held online during which new elections took place. Notwithstanding the pandemic, momentum in growth was thereby regained and accelerated.
The next congress is scheduled to take place from 30 September to 6 October 2024 in Tokyo, Japan. The IAF General Assembly, during which new elections is set to take place, shall be held on 30 September and 1 October 2024. The official delegates from member countries shall be able to participate either online or in person. The accompanying International Aikido Seminar - which is open for participation by all aikido practitioners worldwide - shall be conducted from 2 to 6 October 2024. As this is the 14th congress to be organized by the IAF, the combined event is called the IAF 14th Summit.
The IAF represents Aikido in the global sports arena where it introduces this non-competitive martial art to the sporting world by participating in events only through demonstrations.
The IAF demonstrated aikido at several chapters of the World Games as organized by the International World Games Association (IWGA).
The IAF also demonstrated aikido at all the chapters of the World Combat Games of SportAccord that took place in China (2010), Russia (2013) [9] and in Saudi Arabia (2023), respectively.
Morihei Ueshiba was a Japanese martial artist and founder of the martial art of aikido. He is often referred to as "the founder" Kaiso (開祖) or Ōsensei (大先生/翁先生), "Great Teacher".
The Aikikai is the original school of Aikido. It is centered on the Aikikai Foundation in Japan, and its figurehead is the Doshu. It is represented globally through the International Aikido Federation.
Moriteru Ueshiba is a Japanese master of aikido. He is a grandson of Morihei Ueshiba, founder of aikido, and son of Kisshomaru Ueshiba. Ueshiba is the third and current Doshu of the Aikikai.
Morihiro Saito was a teacher of the Japanese martial art of aikido, with many students around the world. Saito's practice of aikido spanned 56 years, from the age of 18, when he first met aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba, until his death in 2002.
Kisshomaru Ueshiba was a prominent Japanese master of aikido. He was the son of Morihei Ueshiba, founder of aikido, and became the international leader of aikido after his father's death.
Christian Tissier is one of the best known European aikido teachers, who pioneered the art in France. He started his Aikido training in 1962 as a child in Jean-Claude Tavernier's Dojo in Paris, following the style of Hiroo Mochizuki. He soon went on to train under Mutsuro Nakazono and was awarded by him the 2nd dan before leaving for Tokyo in 1969. He came to the Aikikai Hombu Dojo as an 18-year-old, and trained there for seven years. Among the teachers that have inspired him are Seigo Yamaguchi, Kisaburo Osawa and the second doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba. While living in Tokyo, he also trained in Kenjutsu under Minoru Inaba at the Shiseikan and in Kickboxing at the Mejiro Gym. He also worked as a model and taught French language at a school and Institut Franco-japonais de Tokyo.
The Iwama Dōjō is a dōjō built by the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, who lived there from 1942 until his death in 1969. It is located in the former town of Iwama and became an important historical location for the development of aikido and "a Mecca to the aikido community." This dojo is also where Morihiro Saito, one of the founder's closest students, learned and taught aikido from 1946 until 2002 developing what is often referred to as the Iwama Style.
Koichi Tohei was a 10th Dan aikidoka and founder of the Ki Society and its style of aikido, officially Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido, but commonly known as Ki-Aikido.
Robert Nadeau is an American aikido teacher holding the rank of 8th dan and master teacher(Shihan) in the Aikikai. Nadeau began training in martial arts at the age of 16 and began studying Aikido with American instructor Robert Tan.
Mitsugi Saotome is a Japanese aikido teacher currently living in the United States. He was a direct disciple of the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba.
Akira Tohei was a Japanese aikido teacher. He held the rank of 8th dan in the Aikikai.
Hiroshi Tada is a Japanese aikido teacher holding the rank of 9th dan in the Aikikai.
Morito Suganuma is a Japanese aikido teacher holding the rank of 8th dan in the Aikikai.
Kisaburo Osawa was an influential aikido teacher who taught for many years at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo and was a close advisor to Kisshomaru Ueshiba.
Though the art of aikido is characteristically different from other Japanese martial arts, it has a variety of identifiable styles within the family of organizations descending from the teachings of Morihei Ueshiba.
The Aikido Schools of Ueshiba (ASU) is a not-for-profit Aikido organization founded by Mitsugi Saotome Shihan upon moving from Japan to the United States in 1975. It is a federation of about 110 Dojos throughout North America.
Hiroshi Isoyama is a Japanese teacher of the martial art of aikido. He began training in the Iwama Dojo at the age of 12 as a direct student of the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba in June 1949. He currently holds the rank of 8th dan shihan in the Aikikai and is that organization's Technical Councillor. Isoyama was made the acting head of the Iwama dojo on behalf of Ueshiba Moriteru following the passing of Morihiro Saito. He currently remains as Executive Advisor and senior instructor of that dojo.
Munenori Kawai (1931-2010) was an 8th dan aikido practitioner and acupuncturist, who held the roles of President of the South American Aikido Federation and Vice-President of the International Aikido Federation. He was responsible for the introduction of aikido to Brazil in 1963.
Alan Ruddock was an Irish Martial Arts pioneer, teacher and writer. He introduced both Aikido & Karate to Ireland and was the founder of the Aiki no Michi and its interpretation of Aikido. Ruddock was one of the few western Aikido practitioners and only Irish national who studied directly under the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba ("O-Sensei").
Stanley A. Pranin was an American martial artist, founding publisher, and editor-in-chief of Aikido Journal. Pranin, a researcher and archivist of aikido, has written and published several books and many articles about aikido, Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu, and Morihei Ueshiba and was an influential figure in the aikido world.
