Everyone has a spirit that can be refined, a body that can be trained in some manner…
Morehei Ueshiba
MOREHEI UESHIBA
About
The Ontario Aikido Federation (OAF) was founded in 1975 with the following aims:
- To promote and develop Aikido in Ontario.
- To encourage high technical standards and positive attitudes among Aikidoists in Ontario.
- To promote contact among its members in a spirit of friendship and goodwill.
- To encourage its members to explore and follow the teachings of the Founder, Ueshiba Morihei (O-Sensei), to undertake educational and promotional Aikido activities in cooperation with and/or on behalf of the membership. (Such activities include where possible at least one annual seminar (training session) with an opportunity for kyu and dan testing.)
- To communicate regularly with the Canadian Aikido Federation.
The Ontario Aikido Federation
The OAF follows the Aikido of the Founder, Ueshiba Morihei (O-Sensei), and derives its inspiration from Hombu Dojo and the Aikikai Foundation whose headquarters are in Tokyo, Japan.
The OAF is the sole representative for Ontario to the Canadian Aikido Federation. The OAF presents and explains the collective opinions of Ontario aikidoists as determined by consensus or vote.
Executive Board
The OAF holds annual elections. The members of the current executive board are:
President
Adrian Iliescu
JCCC Aikikai
Vice President
Fiona Wang
Beaches East-York Aikikai
Treasurer
Tom Lindsey
Aikido Hokuryukai
Secretary
Theresa Wojtasiewicz
Beaches East-York Aikikai
Aikido
Aikido is a path of self-development. Created by the Founder, Morihei Ueshiba, (respectfully called O-Sensei by Aikidoka), it evolved from his many years of profound study in various martial disciplines.
He sought to create a practice that encompassed the martial principles that he felt were essential to the healthy growth of the individual and the human community.
With its focus on personal progress, there is no competition in Aikido. Aikido is not a sport. The goal of Aikido is not to destroy an enemy, but to improve oneself.
Some thoughts on the unique nature of Aikido can be found on the Hombu Dojo website.
Dojos
- All11
- Burlington1
- Dryden1
- Kanata1
- Kingston1
- Markham1
- Sudbury1
- Toronto5
Kingston
Aikikai
Chief Instructor
Esteban Ricalde
Location
56 Francis Street
Kingston, ON K7M 1L7
Phone
709 770 8232
Website
KingstonAikikai.caAikido
Hokuryukai
Chief Instructor
James Barnes
Location
850 Magnetic Dr.
North York, ON M3J 2C2
Mailing Address
28 Unity Rd.
Toronto, ON M4J 5A4
Phone
416 465 2823
Website
aikidoclub.caAikido
Kensankai
Chief Instructor
Alex Loo
Location
1016 Willowdale Ave.
Toronto, ON M2M 3E1
Phone
647 547 5057
Website
aikidokensankai.comAikido
Seishinkai
Chief Instructor
George Hewson
Location
5762 Highway 7, Unit 17
Markham, ON L3P 1A5
Mailing Address
122 St. Andrews Rd.
Toronto, ON M1P 4C7
Phone
416 998 5971
Website
aikidoseishinkai.caAikido
Tendokai
Chief Instructor
Rob Carroll
Location
377 Dundas St. E.
Toronto, ON M5A 2A6
Phone
647 849 0535
Website
aikidotendokai.comBeaches
East-York Aikikai
Chief Instructor
John Foster
Location
91 Barrington Ave.
Toronto, ON M4C 4Y9
Mailing Address
15 Buller Ave.
Toronto, Ontario M4L 1B9
Phone
647 740 2505
Burloak
Aikikai Aikido
Chief Instructor
Ben Peacock
Location
5125 Harvester Rd. Unit 7
Burlington, ON L7L 6A2
Phone
416 432 3318
Website
burloak-aikido.caDryden Aikikai
Chief Instructor
Al Cesiunas
Location
N/A
Phone
807 223 4982
Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre (JCCC) Aikikai
Chief Instructor
Adrian Iliescu
Location
Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre
6 Sakura Way
Toronto, ON M3C 1Z5
Phone
416 441 2345
Website
jcccaikikai.caKanata
Aikikai
Chief Instructor
David Yates
Location
45 Liston Cres.
Kanata, ON K2L 2W3
Phone
613 592 2743
Website
kanata-aikikai.comSudbury
Aikikai
Chief Instructor
Charles Gammon
Location
1014 Vermillion Lake Rd.
Chelmsford, ON P0M 1L0
Phone
705 919 0305
Website
sudburyaikikai.com
Events and Announcements
April 12-13, 2025
Dear Fellow Ontario Dojocho,
I am pleased to give you and your dojo members an early invitation to a special seminar at Burloak Aikikai in April.
We will have El-Sayed sensei, 6th dan, President and Technical Director of the Egyptian Aikido Association (the main Aikikai group there), come and teach a weekend seminar, with two of his senior instructors joining us in the training. We really look forward to having you join us on the mat as we host our first seminar.
You can see a teaser of El Sayed sensei in this three minute demo he gave at the IAF Congress in Tokyo this September: Video
UPDATE:
El-Sayed sensei arrives from Egypt next week to teach a seminar at Burloak Aikikai on Saturday-Sunday April 12-13 (plus black belt class on Friday the 11th).
He recently received the Order of the Rising Sun from the Japanese government for his contributions to Japanese culture by spreading Aikido in Egypt, which is a huge honour. One or two of his senior students will be coming with him as well.
George Hewson shihan from Seishinkai has also kindly agreed to teach a class, as will I.
Registration is now open via this link. Please sign up as soon as possible as it will really help us plan the event. It is open to all aikidoists age 15+, including beginners.
Burloak Aikikai is quick and easy to get to from the GTA, as we’re just off the QEW near Appleby Line, and right across the street from the Appleby GO station.
Please encourage your dojo’s members to participate. I look forward to welcoming you to our dojo!
The poster regarding location, class schedule and fees are in the link below.
May 4, 2025
What better way could there be to spend a Sunday afternoon in May than training with four great instructors? Mark your calendars for May 4th, 2-6pm for a seminar at Burloak Aikikai with guest instructors Yeli Cuevas, 5-dan shidoin of Toronto Aikikai, Asher Lo, 2-dan of JCCC Aikikai, Keira Loughran, 3-dan of Stratford Aikido, and Rika Murata, 3-dan of Aikido Kensankai. Please come and encourage your students to come as well.
See you there!
Ben Peacock
Chief Instructor
Burloak Aikikai Aikido
Please see the details regarding location, time and fees in the link below.
May 31, 2025
Annual Kawahara-sensei Memorial Seminar
In memory of Yukio Kawahara-shihan (1940-2011), our mentor and the founding Technical Director of the Canadian Aikido Federation.
Organizers:
Aikido Tendokai and Aikido Hokuryukai
Location:
377 Dundas St. East, Toronto
Fee:
$40 includes pizza lunch.
Cash or cheque at the door, or
Interac: membership@aikidotendokai.com (include “Seminar” and your name).
Schedule
9:00 – Registration
9:30 – 10:20 R. Fudge, shidoin
10:30 – 11:20 A. Iliescu, shidoin
11:30 – 12:20 R. Carroll, shidoin
Lunch 12:30 – 14:00
14:00 – 14:10 Memorial for Kawahara-sensei
14:10 – 15:00 J. Barnes, shihan
15:10 – 16:00 A. Loo, shihan
16:00 – testing*
*If you wish to test, please apply to the CAF Examination Committee and CAF Administration by April 30, as described on the CAF website.
For more information, contact: info@aikidotendokai.com
Please display the attached poster in the link below at your dojo.
December 6, 2024
Dear Aikido Practitioners ,
It is with a heavy heart that we share the following announcement from Aikido Hokuryukai regarding the passing of one of our high level instructors in Ontario, Yumi Nakamura Sensei. She will be missed by all.
Admin
CAF Documents
Send all applicable completed CAF forms and fees to:
CAF Secretary
56 Somerset Park
Calgary, Alberta
T2Y 3H
Current CAF Test Requirements
Current CAF Policies
Shidoin List
The role of a shidoin is to focus on visiting and meeting with smaller and/or remote dojos that are run by junior instructors. OAF affiliated dojos are welcome to ask a shidoin to teach at their dojo. Please feel free to contact a shidoin to make any arrangements.
Shidoin Group A – National Level
Rob Carroll
David Yates
Paul Sunn
Dennis Dias
John Foster
Adrian Iliescu
Ben Peacock
Shidoin Group B – Provincial Level (Ontario)
Johannes John Malais
Robert Fudge
Rowan’s Law
Rowan Stringer, a high school rugby player from Ottawa, died in the spring of 2013 from second impact syndrome (swelling of the brain caused by a subsequent injury that occurred before a previous injury healed). Rowan is believed to have experienced three concussions over six days while playing rugby. Rowan’s Law was established to honour her memory and bring awareness to concussion safety.
OAF Rowan’s Law Acknowledgement Form for Aikidoists and Parents/Guardians
OAF Post Concussion Return to Practice Authorization
OAF Concussion Code of Conduct for Aikidoists and Parents/Guardians
Signs of a Concussion
Contact
Have questions about Aikido? Let us know. We’re here to help.
For any issues pertaining to the site, please email the webmaster.