Who we are.
AN AIKIKAI AIKIDO DOJO UNDER THE DIRECTION OF KOBAYASHI DOJOS, JAPAN
Ten Chi Kan means place of heaven and earth, a name given to the dojo by Kobayashi Yasuo Sensei. Tenchikan Dojo Bristol practices Aikikai Aikido and is a member of the British Aikido Board, the official governing body of UK Aikido.
We are under the technical direction of Aikido Kobayashi Dojos, Japan. Kobayashi dojos can trace its lineage directly to the founder of Aikido via Kobayashi Hiroaki (Dojo-Cho) the current head of Kobayashi dojos to his father Kobayashi Yasuo (So-Shihan) to O-Sensei.
Through our close relationship to Kobayashi dojos we hold annual Yudansha black belt examinations presided over by Kobayashi Hiroaki Shihan.
These examinations are then registered at Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, Japan and certificates signed by Doshu the grandson of the founder of Aikido Ueshiba Moriteru.
Tenchikan Dojo is based in St George, Bristol and has classes every Monday & Thursday evening. Each practice endeavours to keep as to the style and content of the classes at Kobayashi Dojos in Japan.
Each practice follows a similar structure covering basics, standing and kneeling techniques and Aikido weapons.
INSTRUCTOR
FIND OUT MORE ABOUT THE INSTRUCTOR.
Jeff started Aikido back in 1995 whilst at University.
Already with a background in Judo during his younger years he took to Aikido straight away.
During his degree he not only studied Aikido but also Wing Chun Kung Fu and Judo. But Aikido was his main focus.
Practicing several times a week for 4 years he obtained his black belt in 1998 and 2nd degree black belt in 2000.
Upon graduation Jeff moved to London and continued his Aikido study. It was at this time he first encountered Hiroaki Kobayashi. After this experience Jeff's passion for Aikido grew.
In 2001 Jeff fulfilled his ambition of travelling to Japan to study Aikido. He spent three months as a live-in student known as an uchi-deshi in Japanese. This immersive experience consisted of living and sleeping in the dojo and practicing Aikido everyday plus many dojo chores. However he enjoyed this experience so much he returned a couple more times over the years and in 2005 took his (nidan) 2nd degree black belt test at (Hombu Dojo) the world Aikido headquarters in Tokyo.
SHODAN (1st Dan Aikikai) July 2003
NIDAN (2nd Dan Aikikai) November 2005
SANDAN (3rd Dan Aikikai) August 2008
YONDAN (4th Dan Aikikai) August 2012
GODAN (5th Dan Aikikai) January 2018
ROKUDAN (6th Dan Aikikai) January 2024
CLASS STRUCTURE
WARM UP
The first part of the class consists of stretches that prepare the body for practice. The warm up is the same every class and develops flexibility and condition
BREAK FALLS (UKEMI)
Knowing how to fall correctly and receive a technique safely is an important part of Aikido practice. We teach a range of breakfalls and rolls.
BASIC EXERCISES (AIKI-TAISO)
The foundation of Aikido; a range of exercises that forms the core of all techniques including ikkyo-undo and funakogi-undo. Plus a range of body movement exercise (tai-sabaki)
TECHNIQUES (KIHON - HENKA)
The teaching style is to select one attack per class and teach defences from that attack. This can vary if a particular concept is being focused on. Depending on the class basics, intermediate or advanced variants may be taught.
WEAPONS (AIKI-KEN - AIKI-JO)
Kobayashi dojos focuses on weapons training with a wooden sword and wooden staff to help develop the understanding of the unarmed techniques and the importance of correct distance. Each month a particular weapon is focused on.
FREE PRACTICE (JIYU)
We possible a small period of free practice is given to allow students to personally develop their own techniques.
ABOUT KOBAYASHI DOJOS
KOBAYASHI DOJOS
Aikido Kobayashi Dojo is an organization founded by Kobayashi Yasuo dojocyo (head of the dojo) in April 1969 at Gakuen-Higashi-cyo in Kodaira-city. With the ideal of spreading aikido to many, Kobayashi Sensei strives to instruct aikido to many. Also, the uchi deshi (live-in training) program fosters many aikido instructors.
Kobayashi Dojo's activity is not limited to Japan: periodically Instructors are dispatched overseas. Kobayashi Dojos accept trainees from inside and outside of Japan, and arrange Musubi Kikin (a scholarship program for trainees from foreign countries) to support trainees financially.
In 1986, Kobayashi Dojos an award of excellence from the Japan Budo Council at the Budokan. Kobayashi Dojos were the first to receive this awarded as a private organisation.
Kobayashi Dojos have about 120 affiliated and directly controlled places for training. With Kodaira dojo in the suburb of Tokyo as the center, these places for training spread from Santama, Saitama, Kanagawa, Chiba and other areas.
The countries we periodically dispatch our instructors include the United States, Canada, Argentine, Brazil, Germany, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Poland, Bulgaria, Sweden, Finland, Norway, Iceland, Greece, Iran, South Korea, Taiwan, and Australia.
KOBAYASHI YASUO SOSHIHAN
Kobayashi Soshihan (8th Dan Aikikai) started his Aikido career in 1954 whilst at Meiji University. He entered Hombu dojo in 1955 as an uchi deschi. He continued to train there until 1969 when he established his first dojo in Kodaira, Tokyo. Kobayashi now consists of around 200 dojos in Japan and is responsible for the Aikido clubs in Meiji University, Saitama and Tokyo Economics University. He continued to teach in Hombu until 1972 when he opened his second dojo in Tokorozawa.
At that point, he decided to devote his time to Kobayashi dojos. In 1987, Kobayashi dojos received an award of excellence as an organisation from the Nihon Budo Kyogikai and he was also awarded a medal from the Brazilian government in 1988. Now Kobayashi dojos spans the globe in 15 countries including Taiwan, Finland, Sweden, Canada, USA, Brazil, Argentina and now the United Kingdom.
The ethos behind Kobayashi dojos and the reason behind its success is its family atmosphere. Kobayashi Sensei says "I think everyone came to practice because they felt good after coming. In my dojo people don't speak ill or criticise others. They just try to train hard." Old and young train together and after practice sit together and drink tea and have a good time.
Three times a year Kobayashi dojos conduct examinations in Hombu dojo. The main advantage is its central location in Shinjuku and more importantly, it is the Aikikai headquarters.
KOBAYASHI HIROAKI DOJO-CHO
Hiroaki Kobayashi Shihan (7th Dan Aikikai) was born in November 1965 in Tokyo. He started his Aikido career at a young age under the instruction of his father. He has also been quite an academic studying Chinese language in Takusoku university in Tokyo. Followed by International development in graduate school of Kyorin university in Tokyo. He was also in Taiwan studying Chinese for one year and in Canada and the USA studying English for 13 months.
Hiroaki Sensei teaches all over the world including Indonesia for two years in 1989-91, Poland for six months in 1993, Hungary two times a year (Easter camp and summer camp), and the UK. Also once in Germany, Finland and Sweden.
Now head of Kobayashi dojos, Hiroaki sensei has overal responsibility of the management of the organisation.
We are proud to have Hiroaki sensei leading and developing our Aikido.
4 REASONS TO TRAIN WITH US
KOBAYASHI DOJOS UNITED KINGDOM
OFFICIAL ASSOCIATION & REPRESENTATIVES OF AIKIDO KOBAYASHI DOJOS IN THE UNITED KINGDOM
Kobayashi Dojos United Kingdom (KUK) is official association and representatives of Kobayashi dojos in the U.K. The association was established to further the development of Aikido under the direction of Kobayashi dojos and Hiroaki Kobayashi Shihan.
The association Kobayashi dojos United Kingdom is a member of the British Aikido Board which is recognised by Sport England as the official governing body of Aikido in the U.K.
Through annual subscription of the KUK, membership fees help fund seminars with senior instructors from Kobayashi dojos, Japan in addition to the following benefits:-
ACCESS TO TECHNICAL DIRECTION
REGULAR KYU GRADINGS THROUGHOUT THE YEAR
ACCESS TO KOBAYASHI DOJOS, JAPAN
REGULAR JAPANESE INSTRUCTION
ANNUAL AIKIKAI EXAMINATIONS