Saburo Takashima Shihan was born in 1973 in the country side of San Paulo, Brazil. His family soon returned to Japan where he grew up in a small Japanese village surrounded by nature. At the age of 7 his family moved to Tokyo. Takashima Sensei joined a drama company in Tokyo as a child stage actor.

Takashima Sensei first encountered aikido when he visited Yoshinkan Hombu to observe a class before his admission to Los Angles City College Theatre Academy.

3 months after that visit Takashima Sensei signed up for the Kokusai Senshusei Course, (International Senshusei Course) where his co-senshusei were Jon Marshall Sensei, Peggy Woo Sensei and Romeo Ballares Sensei. The head instructor of Kokusai Shidobu was Darren Friend Sensei.

After graduating in 1998, Takashima Sensei became uchideshi at honbu under the leadership of Kyoichi Inoue Sensei and Tsutomu Chida Sensei. During this period Takashima Sensei supported Inoue Sensei and Chida Sensei with their international seminars as uchideshi and translator.

Takashima Sensei worked at Yoshinkan Hombu until Inoue Kancho and Chida Dojocho resigned from the Yoshinkan.

In 2009, Takashima Sensei was approached by the owner of old Ochiai dojo to reopen an aikido dojo in his building. Takashima Sensei opened the Sengenkan dojo and currently teaches there full time.

Teaching at Sengenkan, Takashima Sensei provides children and youth the opportunity to learn Japanese traditions, not only aikido but also Sado (tea ceremony) and cooking skills. He also teaches Aikido in English and invites students from abroad to train with Japanese students and exchange values from each other's country.

Takashima Sensei recently said, “Aiki, the way of harmony, does not question hierarchy, sex or age. My aim in training is to get people to believe that we can be equal, respect each other and yourself.”

Takashima Sensei’s main focus within aikido is to find an easier method to understand the art of aikido for people. With this aim he practices Shinkageryu and jojutsu, in order to better understand the history of aikido. As a former Hombu Dojo instructor Takashima Sensei has a deep knowledge of kihonwaza. He is very interested interested in developing self-defence technique through the use of aikido principles and techniques.

6th Dan Yoshinkan Aikido Shihan | 7th Dan Gyokushin Ryu Aiki Budo Shihan

Jon Marshall Shihan's Aikido journey began in 1985 at the Aikido Shudokan in Melbourne under Joe Thambu Shihan. Achieving Shodan (1st-degree black belt) at 15 and Nidan (2nd-degree black belt) five years later, he demonstrated early prowess in Aikido, graded by Mori Michiharu Shihan.

In 1996, he relocated to Japan to immerse himself in intensive Yoshinkan Aikido training at the Honbu dojo in Tokyo. After completing the Senshusei/Instructors Course in 1998 he was awarded the rank of 3rd Dan. He was later selected as an instructor at the Honbu dojo, specifically teaching in the international instructors section. His role included instructing and accompanying senior teachers on teaching engagements across Japan and overseas, which significantly contributed to his international teaching experience.

Upon his return to Australia in 2002, he complemented his martial arts practice with academic pursuits, obtaining his undergraduate and Master's degrees in Osteopathy and then furthering his education in Acupuncture. Concurrently, he was appointed the senior instructor at the Aikido Shudokan in Melbourne under Joe Thambu Shihan. He was awarded his Godan (5th black belt) in 2006 by Inoue Kyoichi Kancho and Chida Tsutomu Shihan his 6th dan in 2012 from Inoue Kyochi Kancho.

Additionally, he also holds a 7th dan in Gyokushin Ryu Aiki Budo, having received his teaching license from Terumi Washizu Sensei. In 2017, he was named head of Gyokushin Ryu in Australia (Shibucho) and awarded the Gyokushin Ryu Shihan title.

In 2016, he founded the Aikido Yobukai, dedicated to the cultivation of Yoshinkan and Gyokushin Ryu Aikido, integrating combat effectiveness, technical excellence, and dynamic techniques like sutemi waza and groundwork. The Yobukai also incorporates Newaza, offering a unique blend of Aikido and Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu under the Jean Jacques Machado lineage.

In 2018, he moved to Singapore, establishing the Singapore Budo Academy, offering training in Brazilian Jiu-Jitsu, Yoshinkan Aikido, and Gyokushin Ryu. This academy symbolizes the fusion of martial arts traditions and modern applications.

In 2021, he established the Yoshinkan Aikido Fellowship with the primary goals of spreading and promoting Yoshinkan Aikido internationally, recognizing pioneers within the global community, and organizing events that unite practitioners beyond the bounds of politics and affiliations.

6th Dan Yoshinkan Aikido Shihan

Darren Sensei began his aikido journey in 1985 training under Joe Thambu Sensei in Melbourne Australia. He undertook the 2nd Kokusai Senshusei Course at Yoshinkan Hombu dojo in 1992 and remained in Japan becoming a staff member of hombu dojo.

Darren Sensei became the senior foreign instructor responsible for the international instructor course (Senshusei) and reported directly to Inoue Sensei and Chida Sensei. During this time Darren Sensei also regularly visited Yamanashi prefecture to train under Takeno Sensei. He has accompanied Inoue Sensei, Takeno Sensei and Chida Sensei overseas interpreting and assisting their seminars.

After 13 years at Hombu dojo, Darren Sensei returned to Australia in 2005, establishing Aikido Yoshinkai NSW in Sydney with Peggy Woo Sensei.

Darren Sensei brings a very practical approach to Aikido training. Working together with Paul Cale Sensei (former Australian Commando and military hand-to-hand combat instructor) they developed AiKinetic as a principle for applied training for Yoshinkan Aikido practitioners.

Darren Sensei has extensive experience working with homeless and disaffected youth, teaching communication and conflict resolution through Aikido training.

Darren Sensei currently works as a psychiatric support worker helping adults with autism, schizophrenia, and other mental health disorders.

In this seminar Darren Sensei’s classes will focus on the practical application of Yoshinkan basics within conflict situations, regaining initiative, and restricting an oppressor’s opportunities for violence.

“Looking at Yoshinkan practitioners around the world I can see that many people have a good grasp of the “how to do”. However, I don’t think everyone has a thorough understanding of the “why” and that is where I try focus as an instructor. Understanding “the why” empowers students and leads to self-improvement with better outcomes for their training.”

7th Dan Yoshinkai Aikido Shihan

Romeo A. Ballares Shihan is one of the founding instructors of the De La Salle University (DLSU) Aikido club established in 1990 and is a former faculty member at the Physical Education department. In 1997, he went to Japan to train at Yoshinkan Hombu Dojo in Ochiai Shinjuku, Tokyo and received instruction from the following senior masters; Kyoichi Inoue Hanshi, Tsutomu Chida Shihan, Yasuhisa Shioda Kancho, Takehiko Sonoda Shihan, Susumu Chino Shihan & Takayuki Oyamada Shihan.



He trained along with the Tokyo Metropolitan Riot Police (Kidoutai) and became the first Filipino national to graduate from the famously rigorous Yoshinkan Instructor Senshusei course, together with Saburo Takashima Sensei, Jon Marshall Sensei, Peggy Woo Sensei and our very own Kokusai Shinobo head instructor Darren Friend Sensei. In 1999, he resided in Tokyo and became part of Yoshinkan's Foreign Instructor staff (Kokusai Shidou Bu) and has taught Regular Ippan students, Kokusai Senshusei, and Riot Police Senshusei trainees for the past 16th years.

In 2022, he was awarded the title Hombu Dojo 7th dan Shihan. 

Romeo Sensei has traveled to the United States, Canada, Saudi Arabia, Germany, and Malaysia, for Yoshinkan Aikido seminars and established his Ryushinkai Dojo Aikido in Doha, Japan, and the Philippines. He has also been featured in Hombu's instructional manuals and DVDs.

His mission is to introduce the art that upholds spirit, balance, and flow. Introducing a brand new learning through the form of experience; inculcating a spirit that overpowers mind and body to internalise every single routine, a balance that maintains discipline, and a flow that leads a path towards excellent. The vision is to go beyond mere consciousness of spirit, balance, and flow. Going beyond the knowledge absorbed through simultaneous exposure; embodying a spirit that may head to physical stability and mental maturity, a balance that may harvest positive values, and a flow that may bring an individual at its best outside the mat.

He is also a member of the instructional staff at the (WFMA) World Filipino Martial Arts with the rank of senior master 7th Dan.