was a Japanese

aikido Aikido ( , , , ) is a modern Japanese martial art that is split into many different styles, including Iwama Ryu, Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shuren Kai, Shodokan Aikido, Yoshinkan, Renshinkai, Aikikai and Ki Aikido. Aikido is now practiced in around 1 ...

master and the chief instructor of Aikido Yoshokai Association of North America (also called AYANA). He began his study of Aikido under Gozo Shioda in 1953 and lived at the Yoshinkan Dojo as a professional student (uchideshi) for over 12 years. In 1964 he became a Shihan. He was awarded “Menkyo Kaiden” and 8th Dan in 1982 by Gozo Shioda. While at the Yoshinkan Dojo, Kushida handled many of Shioda's affairs and taught many of the Yoshinkan instructors in place today. Following this period of intense training and instruction, Kushida was made Senior Assistant Instructor at the Yoshinkan. Between 1963 and 1973 he served as Aikido teacher to the Japanese Air Force, the Tokyo Riot Control Police, and National Railway Police. He also accompanied Shioda in demonstrations in New Zealand and

Hawaii Hawaii ( ; haw, Hawaii or ) is a state in the Western United States, located in the Pacific Ocean about from the U.S. mainland. It is the only U.S. state outside North America, the only state that is an archipelago, and the only stat ...

as well as teaching at various universities, private companies, and at the Yoshinkan. During his early years as an

uchi-deshi is a Japanese term for a live-in student/apprentice who trains under and assists a sensei on a full-time basis. The system exists in ''kabuki'', ''rakugo'', ''shogi'', '' igo'', ''aikido'', ''sumo'', ''karate'' and other modern Japanese martial ...

, he was instrumental in developing the

Yoshinkan Yoshinkan (養神館 ''Yōshinkan'' lit. "Hall of Spirit Cultivation") Aikido is a style of aikido that developed after World War II in the Yoshinkan Dojo of Gozo Shioda (1915–1994). Yoshinkan Aikido is often called the "hard" style of aikido b ...

's current pedagogical system along with

Kyoichi Inoue was a 10th dan Yoshinkan aikido master. He was an uchideshi under Yoshinkan founder Gozo Shioda, in what became the Yoshinkan senshusei course. During his early years as an uchi-deshi, he was instrumental in developing the Yoshinkan's current pe ...

in consultation with

Gozo Shioda was a Japanese master of aikido who founded the Yoshinkan style of aikido.Detroit Detroit ( , ; , ) is the largest city in the U.S. state of Michigan. It is also the largest U.S. city on the United States–Canada border, and the seat of government of Wayne County. The City of Detroit had a population of 639,111 at th ...

area. Yoshinkan Aikido received a significant boost with Kushida's arrival. He settled in Michigan and established a network of more than 50 Dojos in North America. In 1976 Kushida founded the Aikido Yoshinkai Association of North America. In 1991, Yoshinkai Aikido in Japan established a group called the International Yoshinkai Aikido Federation (IYAF). Their representatives discussed the mission, policies, and activities of IYAF with Kushida. However, Kushida did not wish to change AYANA's standards to conform with those of the IYAF. In 1991, Kushida-Sensei established his own school of Aikido, adopting the name "Aikido Yoshokai." Kushida assisted by his son Akira Kushida, taught classes at the Genyokan Dojo, AYANA's headquarters facility, located near his home in

Ann Arbor Anne, alternatively spelled Ann, is a form of the Latin female given name Anna (name), Anna. This in turn is a representation of the Hebrew Hannah (given name), Hannah, which means 'favour' or 'grace'. Related names include Annie (given name), ...

Michigan Michigan () is a state in the Great Lakes region of the upper Midwestern United States. With a population of nearly 10.12 million and an area of nearly , Michigan is the 10th-largest state by population, the 11th-largest by area, and the ...

. At the Genyokan, Kushida also conducted formal classes in Genbu Sotojutsu, a 200-year-old sword method once taught only to members of the Kushida family in Japan.

References

Sources

* Black Belt Magazine, November 1982, Aikido Yoshinkai: Power and Harmony *Aikido Journa
The official Yoshokai aikido web site
{{DEFAULTSORT:Kushida, Takashi Japanese aikidoka 1935 births 2012 deaths Japanese emigrants to the United States