Huron Valley Aikikai

About Huron Valley Aikikai

Huron Valley Aikikai is a community of martial arts practitioners who have been training continuously since 1988. In that year, T.S. Okuyama Sensei, then of the United States Aikido Federation - Western Region, founded the group, naming it Great Lakes Aikikai.

Training took place in various facilities at the University of Michigan until 1991 when a formal dojo (school) was opened on 4th Avenue in Ann Arbor. In 1994 Great Lakes Aikikai moved to Commerce Drive on Ann Arbor's west side.

After many years of guiding and nurturing our Aikido community, Okuyama Sensei moved from the Ann Arbor area in the fall of 2001 to become the Chief Instructor of the Albuquerque Aikikai in Albuquerque, New Mexico.

The community now continues its training under the name Huron Valley Aikikai, with the goal of providing an authentic, supportive, and high-quality environment for the study of Aikido.

HVA is a member of Birankai International under the direction of T.K. Chiba, Shihan. Birankai International in turn maintains a direct relationship with the Aikikai World Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan.

Updated April 7, 2007