Yoshimitsu Yamada

In 1955, Yamada Sensei was accepted in the Honbu Dojo uchi deshi program (live-in apprentice) to study directly with O Sensei, the founder of aikido. He was 18 years old with no martial arts experience. His was the pure aikido experience.

Besides O Sensei he studied under such aikido masters as Kissomaru Ueshiba, Koichi Tohei, Kisaburo Osawa, Kenji Tomiki, Hiroshi Tada and Seigo Yamaguchi, among others.

An invitation to demonstrate aikido at the 1964 World’s Fair brought Yamada Sensei to New York City. He stayed on to become chief instructor at the New York Aikikai and introduce aikido to the east coast of the US.

By 1972 he already assumed his role as aikido ambassador to the world at large, introducing his vigorous, inspiring and joyful teaching style to thousands of appreciative students on practically every continent.

With the amazing global growth of aikido since his days as uchi deshi, Yamada Sensei continues to bring the spirit and heart of aikido that he learned from O Sensei to every class he teaches, whether for beginners or advanced students. He believes that a solid foundation in aikido basics is crucial for every student’s advancement. Without uttering a word, his teaching shows that the best path to physical and spiritual development lies in sincere, positive and intensive training.