 Professor T.K. Chiba, Shihan
T.K. Chiba was born in 1940 in
Tokyo, Japan. At 14 years of age, he began serious Judo training at the International Judo
Academy. Two years later, he began the study of Shotokan Karate. Dissatisfied with
these martial arts, he began a search for a martial art that would satisfy his yearning.
In 1958, Chiba Sensei discovered
Aikido and began seven years of intensive live-in study as an uchideshi, or
private student of Ueshiba Morihei, the founder of Aikido. By 1960, Chiba Sensei had
had earned the rank of 3rd degree black belt and was assigned to Nagoya City to establish
a branch school and to serve there as its full-time instructor. |
T.K. Chiba
Photo Credit: J. Groot
|
| In 1962, he was awarded 4th Dan and began
instructing at Aikikai Hombu Dojo. Within three years, during which time he taught at many
local universities, Chiba Sensei completed his training as uchideshi, and was promoted to
5th Dan. In 1966, Chiba
Sensei was invited to the United Kingdom to teach Aikido. He formed the Aikikai of
Great Britain, which later became the British Aikido Federation. Presently, Chiba Sensei
is the Technical Director of the British Aikikai, a group formed by his original students
in the UK.
In 1970, Chiba Sensei was awarded
the rank of 6th dan and the title of Shihan, meaning "teacher of
teachers". He returned to Japan in 1975 and resumed teaching at Aikikai Hombu
Dojo, and became Secretary of the International Department of Hombu Dojo.
In 1981, after studying Zen
meditation in Shizuoka Prefecture, Chiba Sensei accepted an invitation from the United
States Aikido Federation (directly affiliated with Aikikai Hombu Dojo, Aikido World
Headquarters, and currently headed by Moriteru Ueshiba Doshu), and moved to San
Diego, California, where he formed the San Diego Aikikai.
In January 2000, Chiba Sensei
officially formed Birankai International - an international Aikido community officially
recognized by Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Japan - consisting of instructors and members from the
US Aikido Federation - Western Region, British Aikikai, dojos in France and associated
dojos in Greece, Switzerland, and Germany.
Chiba Shihan is the Technical
Director of the Teaching Committee of Birankai International and currently holds the rank
of 8th Dan. |
