Aikido Shobukan Dojo is a premier dojo for Aikido keiko in North America, and hosts seminars throughout the year to offer aikido practitioners (“aikidoka”) opportunities for extended and more intensive training with senior Aikido Schools of Ueshiba (“ASU”) instructors. On occasions we will host visitors and special instructors for seminars to augment training programs. All our seminars are open to all aikidoka regardless of affiliation. Some seminars and events have special sites of their own, where registration is handled separately.
We are very pleased to announce that this year we are once again having Terumasa Hino Shihan, 6th Dan from Hombu Dojo, Tokyo Japan join us for a beautiful weekend of intensive training with Saotome Shihan and Hino Shihan, April 10th – 12th, 2026 at Aikido Shobukan Dojo in Washington, DC. This will be an exciting and memorable opportunity to train with these Shihan together.
This event is limited to 60 participants and begins Friday afternoon.
Dojo housing is available for $15 per night. Dojo housing is available with dojo members upon request.
If you are interested in organizing housing or have any other questions, please contact manager@aikido-shobukan.org.
Cancellations
Send cancellations and waiting list requests to manager@aikido-shobukan.org. Please let us know about cancellations as soon as possible. Cancellations sent in after the event has started and no-shows may be billed.
Full weekend schedule to be announced closer to the date.
As is our tradition, there will be a social event and costume party on Saturday, Nov 1 at the dojo beginning at 6:30 pm. Please feel free to bring food, drink, and your best costume!
This event is limited to 60 people, and begins Friday evening at 6pm.
Sunday 11/02: 10am Evoline Premillieu 11am Kamenna Lee
Registration Details
Limited dojo housing is available for $15 per night. Dojo housing with dojo members is available upon request.
If you are interested in organizing housing or have any other questions, please contact manager@aikido-shobukan.org.
Cancellations
Send cancellations and waiting list requests to manager@aikido-shobukan.org. Please let us know about cancellations as soon as possible. Cancellations sent in after the event has started and no-shows may be billed.
Join Aikido Shobukan Dojo at our annual Summer Intensive, July 2-6, 2025! Continuing our year of celebrations, we’re honoring Saotome Sensei’s 50th year in the USA.
We’re incredibly excited for the amazing instructors who are sharing their aikido with us from all over the world. This seminar features some incredible senior ASU instructors, many of whom are international – this is an amazing training opportunity.
Mitsugi Saotome Shihan, Dojo Cho of Aikido Shobukan Dojo and founder of Aikido Schools of Ueshiba.
Nelson Darriba, 5th dan, from Uruguay. Darriba sensi teaches at Chosen Dojo Aikido, the first dojo to be formally affiliated with ASU outside of North America.
Detlef Decker, 6th dan, from Ireland. Decker sensei is the founder and dojo-cho of Cork Energy Arts Centre, where he teaches both aikido and t’ai chi chuan. He is one of the senior instructors for the Aikido Schools of Ueshiba, and holds rank in multiple martial arts
Ayhan Kaya, 6th dan, from Türkiye. Kaya sensei is the founder and dojo-cho of the Istanbul Aikikai Organization. He has instructed for 27 years and is very active in organizing, teaching, and spreading aikido both in Türkiye and abroad.
Stéphane Le Derf, 5th dan, from France. Le Derf sensei is part of the board of the Côte d’Azur Ligue, local representative of the French federation FFAAA, and was President of Aikido Harmonie, the organization that sponsors the International Aikido Seminar in Le Vigan, France, from 2016 through 2022. He is currently is a Board Member-At-Large of the Aikido Schools of Ueshiba.
Sergio Soba, 4th Dan, from Uruguay. Soba sensei teaches at Chosen Dojo Aikido, the first dojo to be formally affiliated with ASU outside of North America.
This event is limited to 60 people, and begins Wednesday morning.
8:30 – 9:30 AM, Outdoor Weapons Class, Chris Royal
10:00 – 10:50 AM, Eugene Lee
11:00 – 12:00 PM, Saotome Sensei
12:30 – 3:00 PM, Lunch
3:00 – 4:00 PM, Detlef Decker
4:00 – 5:00 PM, Nelson Darriba
5:00 – 6:00 PM, Sergio Soba
7:00 PM – Camp Social Off-site
7/4 Friday:
8:30 – 9:30 AM, Outdoor Weapons, Steve Schneid
10:00 – 11:00 AM, Don Ellingsworth
11:00 – 12:00 PM, Marsha Turner
12:00 – 3:00 PM, Lunch
3:00 – 4:00 PM, Ayhan Kaya
4:00 – 5:00 PM, Sergio Soba
5:00 – 6:00 PM, Stéphane Le Derf
7 PM, Camp Party
7/5 Saturday
8:30 – 9:30 AM, Outdoor Weapons, Chuck Weber
10:00 – 10:50 AM, Robert Deppe
11:00 – 12:00 PM, Saotome Sensei
12:00 – 3:00 PM, Lunch
3:00 – 4:00 PM, Nelson Darriba
4:00 – 5:00 PM, Detlef Decker
5:30 – 7:00 PM, Evening Weapons Yudansha Workshop, Eugene Lee
7/6 Sunday
8:30 – 9:30 AM, Outdoor Weapons, Nick Kiritz
10:00 – 10:50 AM, Kamenna Lee
11:00 – 12:00 PM, Saotome Sensei
12:15 PM – END CAMP
Registration Details
Limited dojo housing is available for $15 per night. Dojo housing with dojo members is available upon request.
If you are interested in organizing housing or have any other questions, please contact manager@aikido-shobukan.org.
Cancellations
Send cancellations and waiting list requests to manager@aikido-shobukan.org. Please let us know about cancellations as soon as possible. Cancellations sent in after the event has started and no-shows may be billed.
Join Aikido Shobukan Dojo at our annual Cherry Blossom Seminar, April 4th – 6th, 2025! We’re celebrating Saotome Shihan’s 88th birthday with a weekend of incredible aikido.
We’re very pleased to announce our guest instructor: Terumasa Hino Shihan, 6th Dan, who is traveling from Hombu Dojo in Japan. Hino Shihan taught during the 2024 Cherry Blossom Seminar, and we’re delighted to welcome him back. Please join us for this exciting opportunity to train with both Shihan.
This event is limited to 60 people, and begins Friday afternoon.
The Evening Event is Saotome Sensei’s 88th Birthday Party! This will be off site. If you did not register for “Seminar With Sensei’s Birthday Party Dinner”, and would like to attend, you will need to purchase a dinner registration ticket. If you would like to bring a plus one to the event, they will need their own ticket. Separate registration for the dinner is here.
Dojo housing is available for $15 per night. Dojo housing is available with dojo members upon request.
If you are interested in organizing housing or have any other questions, please contact manager@aikido-shobukan.org.
Cancellations
Send cancellations and waiting list requests to manager@aikido-shobukan.org. Please let us know about cancellations as soon as possible. Cancellations sent in after the event has started and no-shows may be billed.
We are very pleased to announce that this year we will have a very special guest instructor from Tokyo, Japan: Takeshi Yamashima Shihan, 8th Dan. Yamashima Shihan has trained Aikido since 1961 and is currently the head instructor of Chiyoda and Nerima Aikido Dojos, Tokyo.
Please come join us for a special weekend of intensive training with Yamashima Shihan, February 21st- 23rd, 2025, at Aikido Shobukan Dojo in Washington, DC. This is an amazing chance to train with someone who has much knowledge to impart at a very high level.
This event is limited to 60 participants, with the first class beginning Friday at 6:00 pm.
Come join us for a fun filled Fall (Halloween) Seminar, October 25 -27, celebrating the Joy & Beauty of Aikido.
We are pleased to announce this year we will have Kamenna Lee (DC 6th dan), Ania Small (6th Dan ME), Julie Tollen (4th Dan FL) and David Ruttinger (4th Dan CO) to teach at this years Halloween Seminar.
Pre-Registration fee is $125. Register Here It will increase to $150 day of event.
Seminar Schedule
Friday 10/25: 6pm Kamenna Lee 7pm Julie Tollen
Saturday 10/26: 10am Ania Small 11am David Ruttinger
3pm Julie Tollen 4pm Ania Small
6:30 pm Pot luck Party – Costumes encouraged
Sunday 10/27: 10am David Ruttinger 11am Kamenna Lee
Registration Details
Dojo housing is available for $15 per night. Dojo housing is available with dojo members upon request.
Weapons may be used.
Cancellations
Send cancellations and waiting list requests to:
Aikido Shobukan Dojo 421 Butternut St. N.W. Washington DC, 20012
Join Aikido Shobukan Dojo for our annual Summer Camp. This year it will start on Wednesday July 3rd and run through July 7th.
We’re excited to welcome back Saotome Sensei and Gleason Sensei as our lead instructors. They will be joined by other senior ASU Instructors including Stephane Le Derf from France to fill out 5 full days of training.
Classes will be held indoors and outdoors, with several weapons workshops intended just for yudansha and some open to all. This will be an exciting and memorable opportunity to train with these Shihan together.
This event is limited to 60 participants and begins on 7/3 at10am Wednesday morning.
We are very pleased to announce that this year we will have a very special guest instructor from Hombu Dojo, Tokyo Japan: Terumasa Hino Shihan, 6th Dan.
So please come join us for a special weekend of intensive training with Saotome Shihan and Hino Shihan, April 5th – 7th, 2024 at Aikido Shobukan Dojo in Washington, DC. This will be an exciting and memorable opportunity to train with these Shihan together.
This event is limited to 60 participants and begins Friday afternoon.
Come join us for a special weekend of intensive training with Saotome Shihan and Ikeda Shihan, February 16th – 18th, 2024 at Aikido Shobukan Dojo in Washington, DC. This is sure to be a memorable experience and a rare opportunity to train with both Shihan. Limited to 60 participants.
Come join us for a fun filled Fall (Halloween) Seminar, October 27 -29, celebrating the Joy & Beauty of Aikido.
We are pleased to announce this year we will have Kamenna Lee (DC 6th dan), Steven Katz (CA 5th dan), Jennifer Barr (CO 4th dan) and Julie Poitras-Santos (ME 4th dan) will teach at this years Halloween Seminar.
Pre Registration fee is $120. It will increase to $140 day of event.
Seminar Schedule
Friday 10/27: 6pm Kamenna Lee
7pm Julie Poitras-Santos
Saturday 10/28: 10am Jenn Barr 11am Steven Katz
3pm Julie Poitras-Santos 4pm Steven Katz
6:30 pm Pot luck Party – Costumes encouraged
Sunday 10/29: 10am Kamenna Lee 11am Jenn Barr
Registration Details
Dojo housing is available for $15 per night. Dojo housing is available with dojo members upon request.
Weapons may be used.
Cancellations
Send cancellations and waiting list requests to:
Aikido Shobukan Dojo 421 Butternut St. N.W. Washington DC, 20012
We are pleased to announce Saotome Shihan and Dan Messisco Sensei (7th dan) will teach at this years Cherry Blossom Seminar.
We ask that seminar participants be prepared show proof of vaccination at the door. The vaccination requirement has currently been dropped but we can not guarantee that will still be true in April. Class sizes will be limited to 60 participants. Masks optional.
Order lunch online and have it delivered to the dojo by one of our own: Muoi Tieu – Vietnamese Food Truck in Takoma park! “And even though it says the site will say “pickup”, I’ll bring everything over to the dojo on Saturday.” There’s a 15% off code for folks to use: CHERRYBLOSSOM Order here — Orders must be made by midnight!
Seminar Schedule
Friday Mar 31st
Saotome Shihan / Messisco Sensei 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Dinner on your own
Saturday Apr 1st
Saotome Shihan / Messisco Sensei 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
We are pleased to announce Ikeda Shihan and Tres Hofmeister Sensei (7th dan) will teach at this years Winter Seminar. Ikeda Sensei is the founder of Boulder Aikikai and he and Tres Hofmeister are the Senior Instructors.
We ask that seminar participants be prepared show proof of vaccination at the door. The vaccination requirement has currently been dropped but we can not guarantee that will still be true in February. Class sizes will be limited to 50 participants. Masks optional.
Seminar Schedule
Friday Feb 17th
Ikeda Shihan / Hofmeister Sensei 6:00 PM – 8:00 PM Dinner on your own
Saturday Feb 18th
Ikeda Shihan / Hofmeister Sensei 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Ikeda Shihan / Hofmeister Sensei 3:00 PM – 6:00 PM Dinner At Masa (downtown Silverspring)
Sunday Feb 19th
Hofmeister Sensei / Ikeda Shihan 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Registration Details
Dojo housing is available for $15 per night. Dojo housing is available with dojo members upon request.
Weapons may be used.
Cancellations
Send cancellations and waiting list requests to:
Aikido Shobukan Dojo 421 Butternut St. N.W. Washington DC, 20012
The Cherry Blossom Seminar coincides with the annual Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC. This special seminar historically is a special event and is a beautiful time of year in DC where our gardens are in peak bloom.
The ASU Summer Intensive dates back to 1976. This year’s Summer Intensive will be a combination of outdoor weapons classes held at Fort Slocum Park (5800 3rd St NW, Washington, DC 20011), indoor classes held at Aikido Shobukan Dojo, and Zoom broadcasts.
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