Nobuo Takase Shihan and Claude Berthiaume Shihan
been awarded 8th Dan

Aikido Shinryukan Beijing is very happy to announce that our Chief Instructor, Nobuo Takase Shihan, has been awarded the 8th Dan at this year´s Kagamibiraki Ceremony at Hombu Dojo, Tokyo.

Takase Shihan at the Shinryukan Beijing Seminar, 2024

Takase Shihan is the Chief Instructor of Aikido Shinryukan and Technical Director for New Zealand Aikikai. Born 6 February 1947 in Himeji, Japan, Takase Shihan began studying Aikido at Kogakkan University in Ise, Japan. His early teachers were Chiba, Kanai, Ichihashi and Watanabe Shihan and O-Sensei the founder of Aikido - and other senior World Aikido Headquarters Shihan in Japan. In 1969, at the age of 22, Takase Shihan emigrated to New Zealand with the intention of introducing the art of Aikido across the country.

Since the foundation of Aikido Shinryukan Beijing, Takase Shihan has given our dojo an incredible amount of support. Being an excellent teacher, he gave us invaluable instructions during his annual visits to China. With his deep love for Aikido, his friendly and caring personality he set an example for all of us to follow.


At the same time, we are also very happy to announce that Claude Berthiaume Shihan has also received his promotion for 8th Dan.

Berthiaume Shihan at the Beijing Seminar, 2024

Berthiaume Shihan is being awarded the 8th Dan by Doshu, Moriteru Ueshiba

Berthiaume Shihan is the Dojo-cho of Aikido de la Montagne and one of the six technical directors of the United States Aikido Federation (USAF). USAF is the biggest Aikido organization in North America.Berthiaume Shihan began practicing Aikido at the age of 17 and obtained his Shodan in 1975. At the same time, he began studying Iaido under Mitsunari Kanai Shihan. He was a close disciple of Kanai Sensei and a student of Yamada Sensei, two famous uchideshi of O-sensei. Berthiaume Shihan followed Kanai Sensei for more than 30 years until Kanai Sensei passed away. Tamura Sensei and Chiba Sensei also went to his dojo regularly when they were still alive. In 2004, Berthiaume Shihan has been awarded the 7th Dan and the title of Shihan. He also holds the rank of 6th Dan in Iaido as the president of the Kiyoikaze Federation, which was founded in honour of the late Kanai Sensei.

Last September our dojo organized Berthiaume Shihan´s first seminar in China (see previous post). It was an outstanding experience to learn from such an excellent teacher, and we are looking forward to welcoming Sensei again!

We are sending our congratulations and our most heart-felt wishes to Takase Shihan and Berthiaume Shihan!

12th January 2025