I publish this abridged version of an interesting article called “A New Leader in Iwama” with the kind permission of Gaku Homma Sensei,  the author.

You may ask why would I publish on our web-site an article written some years ago about an event which took place in Japan and involves a different style of Aikido?

In publishing this article I hope that interested readers will have a better understanding about Inoue Hanshi and his lifetimes work in both developing and promoting Yoshinkan Aikido.

I have had the privilege to have spent much time with him both on and off of the tatami and every time that I receive his tuition I learn something new despite having studied Yoshinkan Aikido for over 47 years. As a person Inoue Hanshi is a very gentle man quick witted with a great sense of humor and one of my great pleasures is listening to his stories about his life and times with his teacher the late founder of Yoshinkan Gozo Shioda Hanshi.

It is with sadness that I announce the passing away of my friend and fellow Aikidoka Sensei John France following a long illness.

All of us who knew John here send his wife Sheila and his family our condolences.

John was one of the early pioneers of Yoshinkan Aikido in England and many of the now highly ranked Sensei owe their start in Aikido to John.

I have known John and his family for well over 30 years and remember well the times we spent  together they were times of warmth and happiness.

John came to see me in Russia a couple of years ago and one evening we were invited to have dinner with our Russian friends who live on the next floor of our apartment block after a few hours I returned home leaving John with my friends and he stayed until 04:00 hrs entertaining with his great sense of humor, how I don’t because my friends don’t speak English but in this time he made a lasting impression on our friends with his charisma, wit and open minded approach to life, this was John at his best.

Thank you for being my friend  I am lucky to have so many warm memories of times we have spent together.

Rest in Peace old friend.

David, Oksana, Nikita and your Russian friends Andre, Firuza and the two boys.

News Flash!

Hanshi Kyoichii Inoue,  10^th dan Aikido, will visit the Misogikan in Moscow in March 2010 after which he will fly to Kamchatka and then to Vladivostok as the guest of Sensei Alexey Kazakov.

Looking ahead following the very successful International seminar held in Malaysia last year the next seminar Headed by Inoue Hanshi 10^th dan and Soke Tsutomu Chida 8^th dan will take place in Malta in October 2010.

Sensei David Eayrs have been invited to teach along with other invited senior ranked Senseis from Europe; the following year the seminar will be held in Yalta.