Q: How old does one have to be to practice with you?
A: It depends on their physique, but upper elementary school students can
practice with us. However, for elementary and junior high school students,
we ask that, as a general rule, their parents practice with them. Since
our practice times are late, it is safer for children to attend together.
Q: I am often late or absent due to work commitments, can I still join?
A: You can join our dojo even if you are late or miss a lot of practice.
We do not have any strict rules regarding the hours of practice, as we
want our members to continue practicing for as long as they are enrolled
in our dojo. However, if you need to miss a month of practice for any reason,
please contact our office as soon as possible.
Q: I would like to try a few practice sessions.
A: We do not require you to apply for membership immediately, so you can
try out a few times. If you feel you can continue, please join us.
Q: What kind of clothing should I wear?
A: If you already have a Judo-gi or Karate-gi, that is fine. For the time
being, you may wear jerseys or other gymnastic clothes. If possible, we
would like you to wear a dojo-gi, but we do not have a specific one. If
you wish to purchase a new one, we recommend an aikido-gi (which is generally
lighter and has a longer waist than a judo gi).
Q: Are there any other costs other than the "membership fee"
and "sports safety insurance" that I have to pay after joining?
A: We use a "wooden sword" and a "walking stick" in
practice, and beginners are welcome to borrow them free of charge. Both
of these items should be purchased on your own as needed. If you do not
know what kind of items to purchase, please contact the office.
A: When you are promoted to a kyu or dan, you will need to pay an examination
fee and a registration fee, which vary depending on the kyu or dan you
are taking. For your reference, some examples are shown below. For details,
please refer to the "Aikikai Foundation Fee Regulations.
Please note that the examination fee and registration fee include consumption
tax (tax rate of 10%: from October 1, 2028).
For kyu 5, the examination fee is 1,100 yen, and those who pass the examination
must pay an admission fee of 8,800 yen and an Aikikai Foundation registration
fee of 2,200 yen.
For 4th through 1st kyu, the examination fee is 1,100 yen, and those who
pass the examination are required to pay the Aikikai Foundation registration
fee of 2,200 yen.
For Shodan, the examination fee is 2,200 yen, and those who pass the examination
must also pay the Aikikai Foundation registration fee of 11,000 yen, the
fee for issuing an international certificate of proficiency of 1,100 yen,
and a donation of at least 1,000 yen per unit (tax exempt, as it is a donation).