Takemusu Aikido Association in the early 2000s

The Takemusu Aiki Association is a non-profit organisation aimed at promoting the Japanese Martial Art of Aikido in Australia, in particular focussing on the techniques and training method of our late headmaster, Morihiro Saito Sensei, of Iwama Dojo, Japan.

Formed in 1980, and incorporated in 1991, the Association has been based in Sydney for over 25 years, and is presided over by our chief instructor, Saburo Takayasu Sensei, 6th dan Shihan. It has played a quiet but positive role in the life of the North Sydney Police Citizen’s Youth Club, the most successful of such Youth Clubs in Sydney. The Association has also been a regular participant of the public demonstrations for the Japan Week Festival at the Sydney Opera House, Town Hall, Darling Harbour and the Queen Victoria Building, and has hosted regular seminars with special guests and visitors from Japan, particularly Morihiro Saito Sensei, the late headmaster of the Iwama Dojo.

With the passing of Saito Sensei in May 2002, it is now affiliated directly with Aiki-kai Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, Japan, but remains non-partisan, non-sectarian in it’s approach to spreading Aikido. All students of any style of Aikido or other Martial Art are welcome to join in training with us, and our members are free to experiment and train with other Aikido styles, and other Martial Arts. The Association is also happy to establish friendly working relations with other clubs and dojo’s in order to promote the Art, having participated in numerous cross-style seminars and demonstrations, as we feel this attitude is in keeping with the harmonious spirit of Aikido.

One of the Association’s charters is to enable young black belts to grow and become instructors in their own right, thus enabling the spread of Aikido to a wider section of the community, while maintaining a safe, yet practical learning environment. All PCYC instructors, and most other dojo instructors are accredited teachers, also holding senior first aid certification.