Chief Instructor, Paul Neuman
I was born and raised in Vancouver, Canada. My Aikido training began in 1988 at Renfrew Dojo under Yukio Kawahara Sensei, Chief Instructor of the Canadian Aikido Federation, he was teaching the majority of the classes during the week. I moved to Tokyo in 1994 to continue training at the Aikikai Foundation-Aikido World Headquarters and have been very fortunate to train under some of the best teachers around. I met my wife doing Aikido, two of my three kids do Aikido, and I am the luckiest guy in the world to do what I love. I am humbled to have been promoted to the rank of 6th dan (6th degree black belt) by Aikido World Headquarters on January 8, 2023.
Instructor, Tamayo Neuman
I was born in Shinjuku and started Aikido at the Aikido World Headquarters 30 years ago and am ranked 3rd Dan by the Aikikai Foundation. It was under the influence of my 8th dan father, whom I respect very much, that I learned the wonders of Aikido. As a mother of three and helping to run Aikido classes for children, I consider it very important to be involved in the education and development of children in particular. It is my greatest pleasure to be involved in the growth of our students through daily Aikido practice. I look very forward to enjoy the training with them each class and value the time on the mats with our students.
Instructor, Hiroyuki Tateno
I began training Aikido in 1990 while living and working in Taiwan. My boss at the time told me to start and I am happy that he did. Thanks to him I discovered Aikido and have since devoted myself to training. In January of 2019, I was fortunate to be promoted to 6th Dan. I worked at a Japanese pharmaceutical company here and continue to train and occasionally teach classes at that company’s dojo. It is my pleasure to assist Paul Sensei with his Aikido classes. I hope we can all enjoy the world of “harmony” through Aikido.
Instructor, Kazuhiro Arita
I have been practicing Aikido for 41 years and am ranked 7th Dan by the Aikikai Foundation. I was the Chief Instructor of the Hong Kong Aikido Association in 2003. I was a coach at the Gakushuin University Aikido Club in Japan from 2014 to 2016. I lived in Cambodia in 2017 and 2018 as a JICA (Japan International Cooperation Agency) Senior Volunteer during which time I was the instructor for the Cambodia Aikido Association. I started at Pacific Aikido in July of 2019 and am happy to be a part of the Pacific Aikido team.
Assistant Instructor, Yuki
I have been practicing Aikido since the age of 5, under the instructions of Paul Sensei. Over the years, I have learned that Aikido is not about force, but rather about understanding your partner so that you can work in unison to learn techniques. I passed my 2nd dan test in July of 2021. My passion for Aikido grows every day and I hope to share this with the younger students while assisting them in their training.
Class Assistant, Joe
I have trained under Paul Sensei for over a decade. I have learnt that Aikido’s philosophy is based on the principles of redirecting the opponent’s energy and is often characterised through fluid motions and the use of leverage to control the balance of the opponent. More importantly, along with the physical aspects, Aikido emphasises a harmonious mindset as well as fostering a sense of community and respect for others. I hope to pass on what I have learned to the kids and it is a pleasure to represent Pacific Aikido.
Class Assistant, Louis
I have been studying Aikido under Paul Sensei’s guidance since I was 10 years old. In that time, I’ve come to understand that Aikido is about balance and harmony. When practicing techniques, we build a connection with our partner and help each other, both to learn, but to remain safe as well. I am currently 3rd kyu, the test for it which I passed in December of 2022. I continue to train alongside my role as an assistant, and I hope to improve and impart what I’ve learned to everyone I train with.
Overseas Advisor, Spike
My interest in Aikido began when I was watching an NHK World show featuring the different martial arts of Japan. I was fascinated by the philosophy of Aikido being non-competitive and non-aggressive. I started Aikido in 1989 at the Manila Aikido Club (est. 1963) in the Philippines. When I started to work in Japan for NEC in 1998, I made sure that I would continue my training to which I still do now and earned my 5th Dan in 2016. It is an honor to be part of Paul Sensei’s Pacific Aikido team.