Aikikai Foundation Hombu Dojo — Local services in Tokyo

The mecca for all aikido enthusiasts, Aikikai Foundation Hombu Dojo is the place to practice. There are two training halls, one on the second floor and another on the third floor.

Some of staff at the reception counter on the first floor can speak English and are very helpful and accommodating. They assisted me with payment for the class and issued me a replacement ID for a small fee.

Leave your shoes at the shoe rack and proceed up to the training floor. Do not forget to bow before the bas relief sculpture of O Sensei before you go up the stairs. Do the same on the landing going to the third floor where you will see the bas relief sculpture of Kisshomaru Ueshiba.

The men's changing room are located on the third floor before you enter the training hall. The toilet for men and women are on the second floor. The ladies changing room are in the women's toilet.

Have a ¥100 ready to put into the locker. After locking it, you can take the key with you and hang it on the hooks near the back of the training hall.

The training hall is air-conditioned and air circulation is augmented by blowers. These are turned on when the practice begins.

The tatami mats used are covered in cloth. After each class, the training area are swept and vacuumed.

You have a choice of which class to attend and what time. You can check out who's teaching for the day on...

Neither a 2 or 10 minute walk from the station. It's more like 15 minutes. I come from the Australian branch of aikikai and was told i only get 1 day of training. Any more days and I'd have to pay the 8600 yen enrollment fee. Paid my 1620 yen for the day and went in. The facilities were nice, mats were super hard in comparison so what I've used this far. The sensei's on Monday 3pm and 5:30pm classes were great. The other students however were not so much. The environment felt very elitist and there was not much sense of community, friendship or a desire to aid others. One black belt was actively trying to not be my partner because I was neither a Japanese speaker or because I wasn't a black belt. I thought coming into the dojo that this attitude would be prominent in other martial arts but not aikido. Sorely disappointed by the mentality of...

Aikikai Foundation, Aikido World Headquarters, Hombu Dojo. Shinjuku-ku. The Kobukan Dojo survived the air raids during World War II. In 1948 its name was changed to "Aikikai Foundation Aikido Hombu Dojo". The Founder, O’sensei Morihei Ueshiba, who moved to Tokyo in 1927, number of practitioners grew. Therefore, many people, including Admiral Isamu Takeshita, helped the Founder to build a dedicated Aikido dojo in 1931. Loved every minute absolutely an amazing...