30 Japanese aikidoka

Kenshiro Abbe was a prominent Japanese master of judo, aikido, and kendo. He introduced aikido to the United Kingdom in 1955, and founded the Kyushindo system. Abbe was a graduate of the Budo Senmon Gakko, having studied judo and kendo there. Following an illustrious early career in the martial arts, he served in the Imperial Japanese Army before and during World War II. He then trained in aikido under its founder, Morihei Ueshiba, for a decade. Abbe held dan ranks in several martial arts, most notably 8th dan in judo, 6th dan in aikido, and 6th dan in kendo. After introducing aikido to the UK, he established several Japanese martial arts councils there during the late 1950s. He returned to Japan in 1964 and remained there for most of the remainder of his life. There are contradictory accounts of Abbe's final years, but it appears that he was in poor spirits and poor health towards the end.

Kazuo Chiba was a Japanese aikido teacher and founder of Birankai International. He served for seven years as uchideshi at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo before being dispatched abroad to help develop Aikido internationally. He held an 8th dan in Aikido, issued by Aikikai world headquarters in Tokyo, Japan and was active in Aikido for over 50 years.

Tsutomu Chida was previously one of the highest ranking shihan of Yoshinkan aikido, at 8th dan, and dojocho of its hombu dojo from 2002. He first became a part of Yoshinkan in 1969 but split from the organization in January 2008 following the resignation of kanchou Kyoichi Inoue. Chida was an uchideshi of Yoshinkan founder Gozo Shioda for 23 years—the longest term among Shioda's uchideshi-- and directed the senshusei course. He is "a living legend of Yoshinkan aikido" and current "highest shihan" (最高師範) of his Yoshinkan offshoot school, Aikido Renshinkai (合気道錬身会).

Michio Hikitsuchi was an aikido instructor and was the chief instructor of the Kumano Juku Dojo, in Shingu, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan, for fifty years.

Takuma Hisa was a prominent Japanese martial artist, early student in Daito-ryu aiki-jujutsu of both Sokaku Takeda and aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba.

Masatomi Ikeda was a Japanese aikido teacher who held the rank of 7th dan Aikikai.

Kyoichi Inoue was a 10th dan Yoshinkan aikido master. He was an uchideshi under Yoshinkan founder Gozo Shioda, in what became the Yoshinkan senshusei course. During his early years as an uchi-deshi, he was instrumental in developing the Yoshinkan's current pedagogical system along with Takashi Kushida in consultation with Gozo Shioda.

Hiroshi Isoyama is a Japanese teacher of the martial art of aikido. He began training in the Iwama Dojo at the age of 12 as a direct student of the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba in June 1949. He currently holds the rank of 8th dan shihan in the Aikikai and is that organization's Technical Councillor. Isoyama was made the acting head of the Iwama dojo on behalf of Ueshiba Moriteru following the passing of Morihiro Saito. He currently remains as Executive Advisor and senior instructor of that dojo.

Ryoichi Kinoshita is a Japanese Aikido instructor and Chiropractor who served on the instructional staff at Amenotakemusu Juku Aikido Dojo under Seiseki Abe for three decades. He has the rank of 7th dan in the Aikikai and is the chief instructor at the Suisenkan dojo.

Hirokazu Kobayashi was a Japanese aikido teacher and student of the founder of aikido Morihei Ueshiba. In 1970, at the age of 41, he was awarded 8th dan rank. He is the initiator of Kobayashi aikido (国際合気道研修会小林裕和派).

Yasuo Kobayashi is a Japanese aikido teacher holding the rank of 8th dan Aikikai.

Yasuaki Kurata is a Japanese martial artist and actor, best known for his work in Hong Kong action films. He holds dan ranks in Karate, Judo, and Aikido.

Takashi Kushida was a Japanese aikido master and the chief instructor of Aikido Yoshokai Association of North America. He began his study of Aikido under Gozo Shioda in 1953 and lived at the Yoshinkan Dojo as a professional student (uchideshi) for over 12 years. In 1964 he became a Shihan. He was awarded “Menkyo Kaiden” and 8th Dan in 1982 by Gozo Shioda. While at the Yoshinkan Dojo, Kushida handled many of Shioda's affairs and taught many of the Yoshinkan instructors in place today. Following this period of intense training and instruction, Kushida was made Senior Assistant Instructor at the Yoshinkan. Between 1963 and 1973 he served as Aikido teacher to the Japanese Air Force, the Tokyo Riot Control Police, and National Railway Police. He also accompanied Shioda in demonstrations in New Zealand and Hawaii as well as teaching at various universities, private companies, and at the Yoshinkan. During his early years as an uchi-deshi, he was instrumental in developing the Yoshinkan's current pedagogical system along with Kyoichi Inoue in consultation with Gozo Shioda.

Haruo Matsuoka . Born in Osaka, Matsuoka was first introduced to martial arts through judo as part of his required physical education curriculum in high school. His father, Shiro Matsuoka, then enrolled Haruo in a summer camp where he would witness his first aikido demonstration.

Minoru Mochizuki was a Japanese martial artist who founded the dojo Yoseikan. He was a 10th dan in Aikido, 9th dan in jujutsu, 8th dan in iaido, 8th dan in judo, 8th dan in kobudo, 5th dan in kendo, 5th dan in karate, and a 5th dan in jojutsu.

Mutsuro Nakazono ) was a Japanese acupuncturist, an Oriental medicine practitioner, a judo 6th dan and a 7th dan Aikikai aikido master. He studied under Morihei Ueshiba and Ogasawara for many years. Born in the Kagoshima prefecture of Japan, he relocated to France in 1961 where he remained until the early 1970s as a representative of the Aikikai in Europe and North Africa. According to an article by his son, Jei Atacama, Mutsuro Nakazono "changed his name to Masahilo Mikoto Nakazono in his late fifties when he came to realize how his whole life was about his pursuit for 'the truth of life.' 'Masahilo' stood for 'searcher for the beautiful truth of life.'" During this period he was also Chief instructor of Aikido for the international Budo Council. According to Henry Ellis, a pioneer of UK Aikido, Nakazono Sensei's Aikido technique was "the first seen in the U.K. to combine the power found with other instructors, with the grace normally associated with Aikido today." He operated the Nakazono Clinic, a natural healing center in San Diego, California. He moved to Santa Fe, New Mexico in 1972 and lived there until his death in 1994.

Katsuzō Nishi was the Japanese founder of Nishi Shiki in 1927, who was at that time the chief technical engineer for Japan's first subway project, the Tokyo subway. He was also an aikido teacher.

Shoji Nishio was a Japanese aikido teacher holding the rank of 8th dan shihan from the Aikikai.

Hitohiro Saito is an aikido instructor and founding headmaster of Iwama Shin-Shin Aiki Shuren-kai. Hitohiro is the son of Morihiro Saito. At age of seven, he started to learn aikido from Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of aikido, who cared for him as a grandson.. After Ueshiba died in 1969, he continued his practice with his father. The younger Saito became an official instructor of the Iwama dojo in 1986 and remained so until 2004 when he separated from the Aikikai organization and formed his own group. Since 2009 he is also identified as Hitohira (仁平) Saito.

Kenji Shimizu , b. 1940, is an aikido teacher and founder of the aikido style Tendo-ryu Aikido (天道流).

Toshirō Suga is an aikido instructor. He holds the rank of 7 th dan Aikikai.

Morito Suganuma is a Japanese aikido teacher holding the rank of 8th dan in the Aikikai.

Yoshinobu Takeda is a Japanese aikido instructor currently living in the Japan. He is an 8th dan ranked Aikikai aikido master teacher. Takeda is among the few living people who studied directly under aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba.

Isamu Takeshita was an admiral in the Imperial Japanese Navy. He was also a diplomat whose accomplishments included helping end the Russo-Japanese War favorably for Japan and obtaining former German possessions in the Pacific for Japan following World War I. In addition, he was a patron and practitioner of the Japanese martial arts, especially judo, sumo, and aikido.

Nobuyoshi Tamura was a prominent aikidoka and a direct student of Morihei Ueshiba. The son of a kendo teacher, Tamura entered the Aikikai Hombu Dojo in 1953 as an uchi-deshi of aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba. He was one of Ueshiba's favorite pupils and since 1964 has greatly contributed to the development of aikido in Europe and France in particular. He was the National Technical Director (DTN) of the FFAB. He held the rank of 8th dan and the title of Shihan. Throughout his teaching career he trained many others instructors in various countries around the world but foremost Western Europe. In 1999, he received the medal of "Chevalier de l'ordre National du Mérite" from the French government. Tamura published several books on aikido in French. His dojo, Shumeikan Dojo, is located in the village of Bras, France. His former students include Jorge Rojo Gutierrez, Toshiro Suga, Pierre Chassang and Alain Peyrache.

Koichi Tohei was a 10th Dan aikidoka and founder of the Ki Society and its style of aikido, officially Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido, but commonly known as Ki-Aikido.

Fumio Toyoda was a Japanese aikido teacher and lay Zen master who taught extensively in the United States and Europe.

Itsuo Tsuda was a Japanese philosopher and a practitioner and teacher of aikido and Seitai.

Morihei Ueshiba was a Japanese martial artist and founder of the martial art of aikido. He is often referred to as "the founder" Kaiso (開祖) or Ōsensei (大先生/翁先生), "Great Teacher".

Moriteru Ueshiba is a Japanese master of aikido. He is a grandson of Morihei Ueshiba, founder of aikido, and son of Kisshomaru Ueshiba. Ueshiba is the third and current Doshu of the Aikikai.