Aikido - Taidokan (Milton Keynes)

General information

The roots of the Taidokan organisation in the UK can be traced back to when Yu Sensei, an Aikido Yoshinkan Hombu dojo Instructor in Japan, came to England and set up a dojo in 1974. Sensei Yu who was a very strict instructor attracted many people to his dojo but few remained for any great period of time due to his severe training methods. There were also a number of political battles being fought at the time from groups in opposition to this 'new' style of Aikido.
When Sensei Yu left in 1979, Sensei Yates, now Shibucho for Yoshinkan Aikido in the UK became chief instructor assisted by Patrick Walsh, Alan Bell & Graham Reeve.

In 1981 Yasuhisa Shioda Sensei, son of Soke Shioda Gozo of Yoshinkan Japan visited London for a three year period and during this time acted as an instructor for the BAYF (British Aikido Yoshinkan Federation). Following Jacques Payet Sensei, another Hombu dojo instructor, taught at the BAYF dojo's from 1987 until 1988.
The BAYF flourished with 4 senior instructors (Sensei Pegram, Sensei G.Yates, Sensei McWatt & Sensei A.R.Yates) and around 100 members situated in and around London. A strong group of student instructors soon qualified as instructors in their own right and went out to carry on the teachings of Yoshinkan. Amongst these was Sensei Stephens (Now head instructor for the Seishinkan), Sensei J.S.Hall, Sensei Squires, Sensei Zowleska & Sensei Campbell,
Yoshinkan clubs of this lineage are now based in London, Hertfordshire & Buckinghamshire (north of London)