Yasuhisa Shioda Kancho & Parker Shihan Clinic, May 9 - 11, 2008

Shuharikan is proud to announce the presentation of a three day clinic in St. Paul, hosted by Amos Parker Shihan, featuring Yasuhisa Shioda Kancho of the Yoshinkai Honbu in Tokyo. This is Kancho’s first visit to Minnesota and Parker Shihan’s long awaited return to Shuharikan. We anticipate a large turnout and may have to restrict attendance, so please sign up early! Application materials are available online. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Jim Nolan by phone at 651-295-8940, or email him at shuharikan@gmail.com (please include the phrase “Clinic Application” in your subject line).

Clinic Application (PDF - 61KB)
Please fill out form, print, and mail in with payment.
Reduced rate for applications received before April 15, 2008.

Lodging
Shuharikan has reserved a block of rooms at the Country Inn - St. Paul East
Cost: $89.00 per night, includes a hot breakfast

Yasuhisa Shioda (born 15 November 1952) is the Soke of Yoshinkan aikido, succeeding his father, Gozo Shioda, in keeping with the iemoto tradition in Japanese martial arts. He is also the current Kancho of the headquarters dojo in Shinjuku Tokyo, and heads the All Japan Yoshinkan Aikido Federation.  The International Yoshinkai Aikido Federation was founded by Yashisa Shioda, his father Gozo Shioda, and a number of foreign participants, including Fred Haynes of Canada in 1991.

Shioda graduated in the Economics department of Chuo University and lived in England for 3 years. He actively teaches aikido in Japan, has published books and travels throughout the world.

See video of Kancho’s technique: Aikido Clinic Videos

Amos Lee Parker Shihan (born December 12, 1936) is a pre-eminent American aikido teacher. He is ranked 8th dan in Yoshinkan aikido.  He was born the 7th of 16 children in Houston, Texas. At age 18, he joined the United States Navy.  His first contact with aikido came in 1958 while he was a member of the US Navy onboard the USS Bradford (DD-545). Another member of the crew, Signalman Hill, was demonstrating techniques. Amos was shocked at how easily Hill was able control him and others.

In 1962, Amos Parker received his orders to Japan and was deployed to the Yokosuka Naval Base. The Monday after his arrival he found an aikido dojo on base that was under the direction of Yukio Noguchi, 7th dan Yoshinkan aikido. His training with Noguchi only lasted a couple of months, as he later accepted an invitation to teach aikido in Hawaii. Aikido classes were taken over by Kiyoyuki Terada, 9th dan. Amos Parker would spend the next 35 years training and teaching in Japan.

Amos Parker received his Shihan in 1986, making him the first non-Japanese instructor to receive such an honor. In 1995, he received the rank of hachidan (8th dan), making him the highest ranking non-Japanese Yoshinkan aikido instructor in the world. Amos Parker is senior to many of the Japanese shihans and served as a presiding judge at several yearly enbutaikais (demonstrations).

Amos Parker currently resides in his home town of Houston, Texas. He travels several times during the year to teach clinics in London, Ontario, Indianapolis, IN and Sacramento, CA. He is has also been invited to other schools in California, Minnesota, Texas, Canada, Brazil and England. In 2005, along with members of the Seikeikan USA, he participated in a special demonstration in Oakland, CA for some 200+ kids at the East Oakland YMCA.

Video clips of Parker Shihan: Aikido Clinic Videos

St. Paul in early May is a delightful place to visit, although as with other Northern cities, spring weather can be fickle.  Usually the trees are budding, the days are warm (to us warm blooded types), and the evenings require a jacket.  It is a city of colleges, government administration, some of the most highly educated neighborhoods in the country, and one of the finest civic centers anywhere.  The River Centre (about 3 blocks from Shuharikan) will host the Republican National Convention this September, and more importantly – we’re hoping – the Wild’s NHL playoffs in April & May! Look to our website’s Contact Us page to see more of our neighborhood, and check out:  http://www.saint-paul.com/listing.php?id=39.

Please mail application (Part 1 & 2) with payment to:

Glen Giacoletto
1597 Hydram Avenue Court North
Oakdale, MN 55128
USA

Glen will return an email or postcard acknowledging receipt. If you have questions or concerns, please contact Jim Nolan by phone at 651-295-8940, or email him at shuharikan@gmail.com (please include the phrase “Clinic Application” in your subject line).