Masatake Fujita

About our Technikal Adviser

Masatake Fujita Shihan, 8th Dan Aikikai

An Important Representative of the Aikikai Foundation and Aikido Shihan Worldwide.
Masatake Fujita Sensei was born in Changchun, Manchuria which was at the time occupied by Japan. The Japanese name for this location was Shinkyo. In 1948, he repatriated with his family to Sapporo, Hokkaido and began his study of Politics and Economics at the Takushoku University in Tokyo. It was in November of this year of 1948, he began his practice of Aikido at Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Tokyo. Upon his arrival, he introduced himself to the Founder of Aikido Morihei Ueshiba by conveying best wishes from his father who had made acquaintance with Morihei Ueshiba during his time in Manchuria. Being originally a Judy practitioner, Fujita Sensei’s father also studied Aikido in Manchuria under the Founder.

After graduating from the University, Fujita Sensei was employed for seven years by the Shin Seikatsu Undo Kyokai (New lifestyle and Athletic Association). In 1967 he began working in the Aikikai Hombu offices as he continued his practice of Aikido. Two years later in 1969, he became the secretary to the Founder and continued in this position until the Founders death that same year. Although a relatively brief period, during that time he became more and more involved with O’Sensei’s affairs and accompanied him on a regular basis. His involvement with Aikikai eventually took precedent and he gave up his employment with Shin Seikatsu Undo Kyokai. He took on a greater role at Aikikai by publishing the Aikido Shinbun which was originally started by Arikawa Sensei. From that time forward, Fujita Sensei took over several responsibilities in the Aikikai Foundation and the International Aikido Federation and throughout his career at Aikikai has served directly three generations of the Ueshiba family; Founder Morihei Ueshiba, Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba, and the current Doshu, Moriteru Ueshiba. At the last reorganization he became a Director of the Department of General Affairs. Among his organizational and bureaucratic involvements he has worked intensively as an Aikido Shihan, travelling world-wide to the USA, Brazil, Peru, Great Britain, Netherlands, Russia, Byelorussia, Ukraine, Baltic States, Hungary, Romania and Bulgaria, disseminating Aikikai Aikido.

Other Offices:
*Standing Director of the Japan Aikido Federation, Director of the Japan Budo Council, Technical Advisor of the Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers Japan International Agency.

*Aikido Technical Supervisor to: British Aikido Federation, Bulgarian Aikido Federation, Hungarian Aikido Cultural Federation, Romanian Aikikai Aikido Federation, Aikikai of Estonia and the Aikikai of Lithuania.

Fujita Sensei’s Aikido is often described as „powerful”, and he is well known for his mastery of „entering” techniques. His reputation precedes him in his abilities in controlling attacking ukes. He has traditionally focused his teachings worldwide on Aikido fundamentals and basics. He follows the Aikido principal sequences of Posture-Body Shifting-Techniques. Unique among high-ranking Shihan from Japan, Fujita Sensei emphasizes the important principles of Aikido, Budo, and general and particular Japanese attitude and historical perspective. He has been widely accepted all over the world for his open minded presentation and modern thinking. Fujita Sensei has put his education in politics at the Takushoku University, to good use in his service to Aikikai and the teaching of Aikido world-wide. He also holds a passion for the study of Chinese characters and their relationship to pertinent characters in the Japanese written languages; a field of study that some Japanese fail to recognize as a pertinent study of history.