About

ABOUT SHIN KAZE AIKIDO ALLIANCE

Mission​

Shin Kaze Aikido Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to the practice, development and instruction of Aikido as created and exemplifed by Aikido’s founder Morihei Ueshiba, O-Sensei.
Shin Kaze provides technical and administrative guidance to Aikido practitioners, and maintains standards of Aikido practice and instruction in a structure conducive to cooperative, supportive and mutually beneficial relationships among its members.

Vision

Shin Kaze’s vision is to be a recognized and respected international organization that focuses on:

  • Technical excellence
  • Student and teacher development
  • Low-cost structures
  • Participatory decision making
  • Ethical responsibility
  • Equitable leadership representation
  • Openness

Values

Shin Kaze’s core guiding values are:

  • Respect
  • Truthfulness
  • Compassion
  • Perseverance
  • Empathy
  • Generosity

Principles

Shin Kaze’s values are the foundation of its operating principles, which can be summarized as:

  • Consultation
    Decisions of the Board and TC follow a consultation process that involves the entire membership.

  • Legacy
    Support and promote our teachers’ Aikido heritage.

  • Education
    Foster and engage in meaningful learning activities to improve Aikido skills and teaching capacities.

  • Equity
    Promote member equity and access to Shin Kaze’s resources and opportunities.

  • Freedom
    Support the freedom to define one’s own learning path without restriction or penalty.

Beginnings and Evolution

Shin Kaze was conceived in 2018 by some of Mitsunari Kanai Shihan’s most senior students.

Although it is starting with that group in leadership roles, we envision that its Board of Directors (Board) will add members and its Technical Committee (TC) will likewise evolve to include representation of all the teachers in our Aikido family tree  (namely N. Tamura Shihan, A. Tohei Shihan, S. Sugano Shihan, K. Chiba Shihan, Y. Yamada Shihan, Y. Kawahara Shihan, Y. Kurita Shihan) and others.  There will also be a place for those with multiple teachers or who do not have a specific teacher.

Much like the days when these teachers were all alive, we hope to create synergies from the interaction among their respective technical and spiritual legacies.  Further, we expect Shin Kaze to unite practitioners through shared values, interests and relationships developed through Aikido practice.

The name Shin Kaze

Our teacher, Kanai Sensei, was planning to leave the USAF in 2004 and launch a new federation he called Kaze no Kai (Association of the Wind), a dream that came to a halt with his untimely death.

We chose the name Shin Kaze for our organization because its two Japanese characters align with the characters and significance of Kaze no Kai.

Shin ( 新 ) means new or fresh and Kaze ( 風 ) means wind. Thus, the name Shin Kaze, or “New Wind” evokes the beginning of a fresh direction for our path of Aikido.