For instructors and dojo leaders

Your dojo.
Your identity.
Our support.

Join a wider Aikido community while keeping your dojo’s own culture, teachers, and day-to-day management.

Your dojo’s character. A wider community.

Aikido Shimbokukai brings member dojos together through its connection with the Aikikai Foundation and Aikido World Headquarters in Tokyo (Hombu Dojo). Each member dojo maintains its own culture and management.

Membership is also a shared commitment to training standards, mutual respect, and consideration for people across the wider Aikido community.

What the organization supports

Teaching

Guidance for instructors

The senior instructor group and Instruction Committee support teaching and offer guidance to members. Relationships with experienced teachers create opportunities to discuss your practice and learn from other approaches.

Meet the leadership

Rank advancement

Testing and registration

The Grading Committee conducts rank examinations. Aikido Shimbokukai registers approved black belt ranks with Hombu Dojo under its requirements.

Member resources

Community

Training and exchange

Seminars and relationships between dojos help students and instructors train with people from different backgrounds and build lasting friendships.

Find training

How black belt rank registration fits together

Dan grades are black belt ranks. Aikido Shimbokukai registers approved dan grades with Hombu Dojo, following the requirements set by Hombu Dojo and Doshu. The Director coordinates the organization’s rank registrations and its relationship with Hombu Dojo.

For a particular promotion, your instructor should confirm the applicable requirements, documents, and submission arrangements with Aikido Shimbokukai before sending an application. The process depends on the rank and the member’s circumstances.

Tell us about your dojo

For an initial membership inquiry, a short introduction is a useful starting point. Include:

Your dojo’s name, location, website, and main contact.
Your instructors, current ranks, and training backgrounds.
Your current organizational connections, if any.
What you hope to gain from joining, such as instructor guidance, rank registration, or wider training opportunities.
Questions about membership requirements and how registration would work for your group.

Joining and ongoing membership

When can we inquire?: Membership registrations are accepted throughout the year. Dojos join as a group by contacting Shimbokukai.
Who handles the details?: The membership team can explain dojo registration. The Director coordinates Hombu Dojo matters, while the committees support administration, instruction, and rank examinations.
How are dojo and individual membership related?: The individual membership categories describe membership for a person. Contact the membership team for the arrangements that apply to your dojo as a group.
What about annual registration?: The annual registration page is for authorized contacts at existing member dojos. If your dojo is considering joining, begin with a membership inquiry rather than filling in another dojo’s sheet.

Contact the membership team

Send your dojo introduction and questions to shimbokukai.membership@gmail.com (opens in a new tab).

Membership questions Individual membership options

Start a dojo affiliation inquiry

Individual membership options are separate from dojo affiliation arrangements. Ask the membership team for the requirements and costs that apply to your dojo; no unconfirmed dojo fee is quoted here.

Discuss dojo affiliation

Prefer a form? Use the website contact form.

Rank certificates

Kyu (student rank) certificates are issued by Aikido Shimbokukai. Dan (black belt rank) certificates are issued by Aikido World Headquarters (Hombu Dojo), Tokyo.