Shohei Juku Aikido Canada

Instructors

Tamami Nakashimada Sensei, Chief Instructor

Tamami Nakashimada Sensei began her Aikido training with Morito Suganuma Shihan at the Shohei Juku dojo in Fukuoka, Japan in 1978. She arrived in Canada in 1985 and became the Chief Instructor of Shohei Juku Canada. Nakashimada Sensei was awarded the rank of Rokudan i.e. 6th degree (or Dan) black belt in January 2014. She has continued her Aikido studies under the direction of Suganuma Sensei who visits the Vancouver dojo each year. Nakashimada Sensei is an inspiring and energetic teacher. She welcomes all who are interested in Aikido to train with her.

Claire Egan

Claire has been practicing Aikido since 1997. She started slowly but, under the direction of Tama Sensei, she soon developed a passion for the art and increased her practice time from once a week to 3 and 4 days a week. She tested for Shodan in 2002, Nidan rank in 2008 and received her Sandan in 2017. Claire would love to practice Aikido more, but balances it with her full time job as a Public Health Nurse, her family, and yoga which helps with her flexibility and strengthens her Aikido practice.

Siamak Riazi

Siamak started his Aikido practice under Nakashimada Sensei's supervision in 1999. His passion for Aikido was evident from the start, practicing the art 5 or 6 days a week. He tested for the Shodan in 2004 and received the rank of Sandan in 2015. He has a full time job in the IT sector and practices Aikido 3 - 4 days a week. Siamak teaches adult classes and is the regular instructor for the kids class on Saturdays. He says kids keep him young and enthusiastic!

Dietrich Bassewitz

Dietrich started training with Shohei Juku Aikido Canada in June 1998 after having trained at Aikido dojos in Germany and Toronto. He tested for Shodan in 2005 and has been teaching the occasional adults class since then. He received the Sandan rank in 2015. His full time job is as a computer technician/consultant. He says that if he were independently wealthy, he would be practicing more than just two times a week.

Shinobu Matsuoka

Shinobu is from Osaka, Japan and has been studying Aikido under Tama sensei from 2002. She was awarded her Sandan (third degree black belt) in 2017 and has been teaching children’s classes (Tuesday, 5-7years old.Thursday, 8-12years old) since 2005. She really enjoys teaching kids as they are “so much fun and give her lots of energy!!”

Agatha Joe

Agatha has been practicing Aikido since 2003 when she was living in New Zealand. After moving to Vancouver she began training with Tamami Nakashimada Sensei in 2014 and received her Sandan from Suganuma Shihan in 2017. She teaches the beginner kids class on Mondays. "Aggie" enjoys weapon training and is very accomplished with bokken (sword) and jo (staff).