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Kobayashi Yasuo Sensei
Kobayashi sensei was born in Kudan, Chiyoda-ward, Tokyo, on September 20,
1936. He studied at Kojimachi junior high school, Hitotsubashi high
school, and then graduated from the Faculty of Electrical
Engineering of Meiji University.
At the age of 11, he started judo at Kodokan. There, he befriended
with the eldest son of the chairman of the Iaido federation, Danzaki
Yusho sensei. The son introduced Aikido to Kobayashi sensei when he
was the third grade in high school.
After enrolling to Meiji University in April, 1954,
he entered Hombu dojo. Until the end of the second year at the
University, he continued to study both judo and aikido. A judo
national team member for Tokyo Olympic, the late Kaminaga Akio, was his teammate at the University.
As Kobayashi sensei continued his study at the university, he
continued aikido, and lived just like uchideshi (live-in disciple)
of Hombu dojo.
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Uchideshi period at old hombu dojo (circa 1957)
1. Kobayashi Yasuo sensei
2. Tamura Nobuyoshi shihan (at present in France
3. Noro Masamichi shihan (at present in France, head of Ki-no-Michi)
4. Yamada Yoshimitsu shihan (at present in New York USA
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As an uchideshi of hombu dojo, Kobayashi sensei was instructed by
his seniors and senseis: the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba
sensei, the second doshu, Kisshomaru Ueshiba sensei, head
instructor, Tohei Koichi sensei (at present the chairman of Ki-society),
the late Osawa Kisaburo shihan, the late Saito Morihiro shihan, the
late Yamaguchi Seigo shihan, Arikawa Sadateru shihan, Tada Hiroshi
shihan, Tamura Nobuyoshi shihan, Noro Masamichi shihan (established
Ki-no-Michi in France).Kobayashi sensei established the aikido club at Meiji University
when he was at the third year in the university. Asai Katsuaki
shihan of the Aikikai Deutschland entered hombu dojo when he was a
junior high school student, and later, when he enrolled to Meiji University,
he joined the aikido club which was organized by Kobayashi sensei.
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The founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba sensei,
in demonstration (circa 1958)
Kobayashi sensei is on the right, standing |
When he graduated from the university in March, 1958, he became a
shidoin (an instructor) at hombu dojo and worked with the second
doshu, Ueshiba Kisshomaru sensei to spread aikido to the public.
For the first time as a shidoin of hombu dojo, he opened his own
hand-made dojo at his home in Kodaira city (a suburb of Tokyo. There, as Aikido Kobayashi Dojo, he
started training with his three-year-old son (Kobayashi Hiroaki
sensei).
In November, 1972, when he opened 48-tatami dojo in Tokorozawa, Saitama prefecture, he resigned
his post as a shidoin at hombu dojo. He then devoted himself to
spread aikido in the suburbs of Tokyo,
Santama, Saitama, Kanagawa, Chiba, and made efforts to bring up aikido
instructors.
In 1975, as he dispatched Shikanai Ichitami shidoin to Brazil, he
travel around American continents and felt some possibility of
development in aikido overseas. Since then, he visited countries in Americas, Asia and Europe
to instruct aikido.
As of January, 2003, there are 120 directly controlled and
affiliated groups and places of Kobayashi Dojo in Japan, in Americas, in Europe, and in
Asia, where he dispatches shidoins. For its efforts to
spread aikido among people, Kobayashi Dojo was awarded from the
Japan Budo Council in 1987.
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Shidoins at hombu dojo (circa 1965)
(Kobayashi sensei and other shidoins trained
hard to improve themselves through friendly
rivalry.)
1.Maruyama Koretoshi 2.Tamura Iwao 3.Masuda
Seijyuro 4.Watanabe Nobuyuki 5.the late Akira
Tohei 6.Suganuma Mamoru 7.Kobayashi sensei
8.Endo Seishiro 9.Kuroiwa Yoshio 10.Imaizumi
Shizuo 11.Kurita Minoru 12.Sasaki Masando
(titles omitted) |
Kobayashi sensei brought up Igarashi Kazuo (7th dan), Hatayama Kengo
(7th dan), Horikoshi Haruyoshi (7th dan), Ishigaki Haruo (7th dan),
Hasegawa Hiroyuki (6th dan), and Suwa Masatoshi (6th dan) to
skillful instructors.
Kobayashi sensei now instruct directly controlled dojos and places
in 15 foreign countries with Kobayashi Hiroaki (6th dan), Masuda
Manabu (5th dan), Koyanagi Syunichiro (4th dan), Komine Fusako (4th
dan), Yamawaki Hisatsugu (4th dan), and Kasahara Yuji (2nd dan). |
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