SABURO TAKASHIMA

Saburo Takashima (born 1973) began his aikido training in Yoshinkan Aikido in December 1996. He entered the Senshusei course in April 1997 (under chief foreign instructor Darren Friend sensei). After completion of Senshusei, in May 1998 Takashima sensei was invited to become uchi deshi (live in student) at the Yoshinkan Hombu Dojo, under kancho Kiyoichi Inoue sensei and dojocho Tsutomu Chida sensei. He remained in the position until May 2006, when Inoue sensei resigned as kancho of Yoshinkan and Takashima sensei left with him.

 

In 2009, Takashima sensei was invited to form a new aikido organization – Sengenkan - with the support of Mr. Takayama, the owner of building that formerly housed the Yoshinkan Hombu Dojo. Takashima sensei became, and remains, the chief instructor of Sengenkan at this prestigious Ochiai (Tokyo) location.

 

Takashima sensei obtained his shodan in 1997 during his participation in the Senshusei course. He was awarded his 2 dan when he became uchi deshi in 1998. He received his 5 dan from Chida sensei of Renshinkai in 2008 and his 6 dan and shihan title from Inoue sensei and Sengenkan chairman Mr. Yamada in 2011. He received his 7 dan in 2019 from Sengenkan chairman Mr. Yamada.

 

Takashima sensei has been an energetic leader in teaching aikido worldwide and in bringing international members to Japan and elsewhere. He has travelled to numerous countries, including USA, Canada, Russia, Ukraine, Germany, Poland, Czech Republic, UK, France, and Malta. He has taught in his own right and has acted as assistant instructor and translator for Kiyoichi Inoue sensei and Tsutomu Chida sensei.

 

He has organized several major international seminars that brought together numerous practitioners from around the world. These seminars, under his own “Den” (meaning “master”) brand, have been held in Kuala Lumpur (2009), Malta (2010), Yalta (2011), and Tokyo (2012). He also held an aikido training seminar and demonstration as part of his wedding in Tokyo in October 2015.

​​