Denver Aikikai

09/19/2026

Our Across the Ocean Aikido Exchange got off to a great start yesterday evening. Classes today start at 10:30, and a fun potluck party follows this evening. See you soon!

09/18/2026

Last night was a great warm up for our seminar this weekend. Sakabe Sensei, Takahashi Sensei and Lee Sensei were all on the mat training in Edgar Sensei’s class. We moved lot and got nice and sweaty in anticipation of a fun weekend. Hope you can join us starting this evening!

09/17/2026

Edgar Sensei is in town and we’re all doing our best shomenuchi irimi-nages in celebration!

Join us for the Across the Ocean Aikido Exchange with Sakabe Sensei, Takahashi Sensei, Lee Sensei and Johansson Sensei starting Friday evening!

09/15/2026

Our Across the Ocean Aikido Exchange begins Friday evening, featuring Sakabe Sensei and Takahashi Sensei from Japan alongside Lee Sensei and Johansson Sensei from Colorado. We are excited!

If you are planning to attend and have not yet signed up, please pre-register online, even if you plan to pay by cash or check at the door. Simply select “manual payment” during registration. Pre-registering ensures that your waiver is complete, adds you to our check-in system, and helps everything run smoothly when the event begins.
Here’s the link: https://denveraikikai.com/across-the-ocean/

In the next couple of days, I’ll email all registered participants with final event details, including information about the super fun Saturday evening party we’re planning at the dojo. Please register now to ensure you receive that email.

Hope to see you there!

09/05/2026

Edgar Sensei and Gaia are training with Don Ellingsworth Sensei and Julie Tollen Sensei in Bozeman this weekend. Off to a fun start!

09/03/2026

Some moments from the last week at the dojo…

Want in on the action?! 8-week beginners series starts Tuesday September 22nd. Visit https://denveraikikai.com/beginners-aikido/ for all the details.

Come visit to train or watch any time. We would be thrilled to welcome you and share our love of aikido.

09/01/2026

Munetsugu Sakabe Shihan, 7th dan
Eugene Lee Shihan, 6th dan
Susumu Takahashi Sensei, 6th dan
Edgar Johansson Sensei, 6th dan
Hosted by Denver Aikikai

Prices go up tomorrow so sign up now if you plan to join us! Hope to see you there! 😁🥋
https://denveraikikai.com/across-the-ocean/

08/30/2026

Our Across the Ocean Aikido Exchange is coming up in just a few short weeks, and the early registration discount closes this Tuesday, September 1!

Online registration will remain open all the way up to and during the event, but prices go up next week.

It’s shaping up to be an amazing weekend of training and connection, so if you’re hoping to join us and haven’t registered yet, please take a moment this weekend to get signed up. We would much appreciate it if you could spread the word to your dojo communities as well.

Registration and details: https://denveraikikai.com/across-the-ocean/

08/20/2026

Ha! True even for the best of us at times!

(Cartoon courtesy of Jutta Bossert, from , via NY Aikikai)

08/12/2026

Great article by Julie Tollen Sensei of Tampa Aikido and Aikido Schools of Ueshiba about how to think about your own testing & promotions. Thank you for sharing your wisdom Sensei!

"Most people think about promotions and ranking in terms of rungs on a ladder. In fact, it's more like the expansion of a sphere."

Saotome Sensei, as recalled by Julie "Jet" Tollen

In our summer newsletter, Julie Tollen, one of the instructors at Tampa Aikido, wrote about what an Aikido promotion actually means. Not the technical checklist, but the inner work that leads up to a test, what the kanji on your certificate really say, and the traditional etiquette of receiving one.

Julie has penned thousands of names on ASU kyu certificates since 2015, and the essay includes a full translation and transliteration of a sandan certificate, something most of us have never seen written down.

The complete article is on the Tampa Aikido site:
https://tampaaikido.com/articles/a-deeper-meaning-for-promotions-in-aikido/

Tampa Aikido