Ikuhiro Kubota was born on June 19, 1943, in Kashihara, Nara, Japan. He is 8th Dan Aikido Aikikai and one of the biggest masters of the time in Japan. His main teacher and aikido-friend is Hiroshi Tada.
Hitohiro Saito
Hitohiro Saito was born on February 12, 1957, in Iwama City, Japan. He is an Aikido instructor and a founder of the Iwama Shin-Shin Aiki Shuren-kai, a traditional Iwama style Aikido organization with about 60 Dojos around the world.
Hiroshi Isoyama
Hiroshi Isoyama was born in 1937. In June 1949 he joined the Iwama Dojo to learn Aikido under the Morihei Ueshiba. Training under O-Sensei continued for around 20 years of his life and is the main part of Hiroshi Isoyama’s knowledge about the martial arts philosophy which he still transmits to the world.
Mitsunari Kanai
Mitsunari Kanai (April 15, 1939 – March 28, 2004) was one of the last live-in students trained by the O-Sensei. 8 Dan Aikido Aikikai Shihan, Iaido teacher and a founder of the New England Aikikai.
Yoshinobu Takeda
Yoshinobu Takeda is an 8 Dan Aikido Aikikai Shihan. He had a chance to learn from the O-Sensei and Seigo Yamaguchi was his main teacher.
Morihei Ueshiba
Morihei Ueshiba (December 14, 1883 – April 26, 1969) founded Aikido as a martial art. He is often called O-Sensei which literally means the great teacher.