Shimizu Sensei

Short biography of Kenji Shimizu.

• 1940: Born in Tendo Honami-cho, Fukuoka. Started Judo at the age of 13 and acquired the Kodokan 4th dan.
• 1962: Graduated from Meiji University.
• 1963: Uchideshi (apprenticed) to Master Ueshiba, the Aikido founder. Later on, acquired the 8th dan.
• 1969: Started his own dojo "Shimizu Dojo".
• 1975: Renamed as "Tendokan".
• 1978: Invited to Germany (former West Germany) since then, visits there every yearto teach Aikido. Later also visits Slovenia, Holland, Belgium, Austria and France.
• 1982: Set up of Tendoryu Aikido and established Tendokan in Sangenjana as the headquarters.
• 1994: Seperation from the All Aikido Federation of Germany and establishment as a stand alone organization, the Tendoryu Aikido Germany. 25th anniversary party was held at Meiji Kinen Kan.

Kenji Shimizu Sensei was the last uchideshi of Morihei Ueshiba. After receiving his 7th Dan and O'Sensei had passed on, Shimizu Sensei founded an independent Aikido school in Tokyo called 'Tendokan'. In 1991 he received his 8th Dan from the Nihon Kokusai Budoin thereby being one of the highest graduated Aikido masters in the world. In 2002 he was honoured by the Japanese foreign minister for spreading the knowledge of Aikido as a part of the Japanese culture. Sensei Kenji Shimizu travels to Europe several times a year to teach Aikido.