Kenjiro Yoshigasaki Sensei

(1951-2021)

Kenjiro Yoshigasaki

The late Kenjiro Yoshigasaki was our European chief instructor, the Doshu (The Guardian of the Way) of Ki No Kenkyukai.

He was born in Kagoshima 1951. At the age of ten he started practicing yoga, later Aikido and several other martial arts. He studied Zen Buddhism, new Shintoism, Catholicism and Islam. In 1971 he studied yoga in India. In 1973 he became an Aikido instructor. He taught Ki Aikido in Europe from 1977 and guided more than 120 Dojos and 4000 disciples in Europe, South-America and South-Africa.

He published theoretical and practical books and videos about Aikido.

He was considered an exceptional teacher, spoke 7 languages fluently, he was able to introduce his students to Aikido in a special way with his lectures and practices.

We feel truly privileged to have met and received guidance from one of the most influential people in our Aikido history.

"Through my fifty years of teaching aikido, I found the most important thing is love and respect. If you are following me, you follow the way of love and respect."

- Doshu, Yoshigasaki Sensei -