Chicago Aikikai aikido dojo

An inclusive community for exploring the Japanese martial art of aikido

Dwight

INTRODUCING OUR NEW CLASS SCHEDULE

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Closing out 2023 and looking to 2024, Chicago Aikikai is excited to announce its brand new class schedule.

The aim is to provide a structure and environment for the highest level of training at all levels. Chicago Aikikai is always looking to improve the instruction and support it provides its community.

This new schedule was designed with a great deal of thought on the part of instructors and member input.

Main changes:

1. Weeknight classes consolidated to Tuesday and Thursday evenings (and Third Fridays).

2. Two more hours of training each week:

(1) Additional 7:30 – 8:30 pm weekday classes

(2) Yudansha-supervised open-mat practice

3. Special topic classes (all members welcome)

 

We believe the new schedule will provide these benefits:

  • Create more structure in training.
  • Improve the training experience.
  • Provide more access to our diverse instructor line-up

The new schedule will be rolled out on Saturday, December 2nd and posted on our classes page.

 

 

Passing of Francis Takahashi (7th dan), former instructor of Illinois Aikido Club

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This was posted today, Saturday, November 11 on the Facebook page of Aikiweb.com.

(NOTE – Article states that Takahashi Sensei taught at Chicago Aikido Club, but it was actually Illinois Aikido Club, precursor to Chicago Aikikai).

I just received the sad news that Francis Takahashi (7th dan) has passed away.  I’ll include a bio below which he wrote when he used to write for AikiWeb in the 2010’s. 

Beyond what he wrote about himself, I always experienced him as a sweet and kind gentleman.  I would often find him at various seminars that I attended, watching attentively and smiling.  It always seemed like he was happy to learn and to share his knowledge and experience.

My condolences go out to his family, friends, students, and loved ones.

Francis Takahashi was born in 1943, in Honolulu, Hawaii. Francis began his Aikido journey in 1953, simultaneously with the introduction of Aikido to Hawaii by Koichi Tohei, a representative sent from Aikikai Foundation in Tokyo, Japan. This event was sponsored by the Hawaii Nishi System of Health Engineering, with Noriyasu Kagesa as president. Mr. Kagesa was Francis’s grandfather, and was a lifelong supporter of Mr. Tohei, and of Aikido. In 1961, the Founder visited Hawaii to help commemorate the opening of the new dojo in Honolulu. This was the first, and only time Francis had the opportunity to train with the Founder. In 1963, Francis was inducted into the U.S. Army, and was stationed for two years in Chicago, Illinois. He was the second instructor for the fledgling Chicago Aikido Club, succeeding his childhood friend, Chester Sasaki, who had graduated from the University of Illinois, and was entering the Air Force. Francis is currently ranked 7th dan Aikikai, and enjoys a direct affiliation with Aikikai Foundation for the recommending and granting of dan ranks via his organization, Aikikai Associates West Coast. Francis is the current dojo-cho of Aikido Academy in Alhambra, California.

Illinois Aikido Club founding member Anthony Muranaka to be inducted into Illinois Martial Arts Hall of Fame

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Chicago Aikikai has been notified that the Illinois Martial Arts Hall of Fame will honor the late Anthony Muranaka at this year’s induction ceremony on Saturday, November 18.
Anthony Muranaka was a founding member of Illinois Aikido Club, Chicago Aikikai’s original name and the first aikido dojo in Chicago. Muranaka, a Chicago Police Detective, started the group together with Norman Miyagi, John Omori, Saburo Tanaka, Robert “Red” Sakamoto and Joe Takehara, training informally in 1961.
The group began meeting in the storefront basement of Muranaka’s three-flat at 3324 N. Clark Street in the north side Lake View neighborhood, at the time known as Chicago’s unofficial Japantown.
Chicago Aikikai is interested in helping honor and preserve Muranaka’s contributions to the dojo. If anyone has any interesting information or photos related to Muranaka’s time with Illinois Aikido Club, please e-mail chiaikikai@gmail.com. Any photos received will be digitally copied and the originals returned.
Illinois Martial Arts Hall of Fame would like it if any family, close friends or fellow students of Muranaka might be able to attend the induction ceremony to receive the award on his behalf. If you know anyone, they should contact Mike McNamera at (708) 473-0682 or macveg3@aol.com.
The 2023 Illinois Martial Arts Hall of Fame Banquet and Induction Ceremony will be held starting 7:00 pm on Saturday, November 18 at Abbington Distinctive Banquets (3S002 IL Route 53,Glen Ellyn, IL). Tickets $60 per person (includes dinner) or $540 for a table of 10 and available by contacting Mike McNamera. Check https://www.facebook.com/IllinoisMartialArtsHallOfFame/ for updates.
Other members of Illinois Aikido Club/Chicago Aikikai who have been honored by the Illinois Martial Arts Hall of Fame include founding member Joe Takehara in 2017 and Chief Instructor Kevin Choate in 2019 (posthumously).

New Intro Packages offered by Chicago Aikikai

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Chicago Aikikai is offering three new intro packages for beginners to try out aikido.

– $50 for 2 weeks unlimited training + loaner uniform

– $100 for 8 weeks unlimited training + loaner uniform

– $250 for 3 months unlimited training + new uniform

Newcomers are welcome to come and start at any one of the classes on our schedule.

Please note that any of the above packages are available to each beginner one time only, after which they will be asked join as a regular member if they wish to continue training. Beginners may not consecutively sign up for two or more different packages.