Chicago Aikikai

Chicago Aikikai will be demonstrating at this year's Anime Magic convention. You can catch us at the following times.

Friday: 7:30pm - 8:30pm
Saturday Morning: 10am - 11am, 6pm - 7pm
Sunday: 11am - 12pm

Anime Magic Anime Magic! is Chicagoland's best new anime convention! We are a con by fans, for fans with a focus on fun and quality. This isn't your typical cookie-cutter convention!

Snapshot of some neighborhood building art around the dojo on this pleasant Saturday morning.

A big thank you to Chicago Aikikai member Mike Buss for use of his truck transporting our mats to and from the Midwest Buddhist Temple (MBT) for our demos at this year's Ginza Holiday Festival.

Demonstration stage at Midwest Buddhist Temple (MBT) one week after the 2024 Ginza Holiday Festival. See you in 2025!

Chicago Aikikai at the 2024 Ginza Holiday festival held at Midwest Buddhist Temple (MBT).

Donate to Support Shobu Aikido of Ohio's New Dojo Construction, organized by Clint Cain Dear friends, family, and fellow Aikidoka, For 23 years without fa… Clint Cain needs your support for Support Shobu Aikido of Ohio's New Dojo Construction

Just two days to go until we return to the Ginza Festival stage. Here's a blast from the past. Our demo at the 1999 Ginza Festival under then-Chief Instructor Kevin Choate.

Kevin Choate Chicago Aikiai Lincoln Ginza Demo 1999 contributed byMarsha TurnerChicago [email protected]

Next weekend!
https://ginzaholiday.com/

Coming this Fall at the Chicago Aikikai!

Sidewalk chalk art in front of the dojo. By Jack Sora, age 10, son of Chicago Aikikai member Dwight Sora.

70th Anniversary new 4k restoration. Starts July 19.

Seven Samurai One of the most thrilling movie epics of all time, Seven Samurai (Shichinin no samurai) tells the story of a sixteenth-century village whose desperate inhabitants hire the eponymous warriors to protect them from invading bandits. This three-hour-plus ride from Akira Kurosawa—featuring legendary ac...

Prior to catching Chicago Aikikai's demo at Midwest Buddhist Temple (MBT)'s Ginza Holiday Festival at the end of the month, stop by the MBT for their annual Obon Odori dance festival this coming Saturday.

Obon in Chicago July 13, 2013Midwest Buddhist Temple435 W. MenomoneeChicago, IL EST. 1944

Go see Oak Park Festival Theatre's production of ROMEO & JULIET, featuring fight choreography by Chicago Aikikai member Andrew Rathgeber!

Looking back on history.

Wendy Whited Leuisville, KY Apr 22 1990 001 Wendy Whited Leuisville, KY Apr 22 1990

Reminding everyone that the dojo will be closed on Thursday, July 4 to observe the July 4th Independence Day holiday.

Classes will resume on Saturday and Sunday.

After careful consideration and consulting a medical professional, Chicago Aikikai will no longer require proof of vaccination for in-person training. Anyone wishing to train is asked to exercise good judgment in monitoring their health, masking if desired, and to refrain from coming if suspecting they are ill.

One month until Chicago Aikikai returns to the Ginza Holiday Festival!

Demos 6:30 pm on Friday, July 26 and 3:30 pm Saturday, July 27.

https://ginzaholiday.com/

Chicago Aikikai 2023 Ginza Holiday Demonstration Aikido demonstration by members of Chicago Aikikai at the Ginza Holiday Japanese cultural festival held by the Midwest Buddhist Temple (MBT) in the Old Town ...

On behalf of our friends at Great Lakes Aikido

Congratulations to everyone who took their kyu tests at our Third Friday Class on June 21.

Phillip Bell - Gokyu (5th)
Andrew Rathgeber - Gokyu (5th)
Joe Guerrier - Yonkyu (4th)

Inaka Dojo hosted a marvelous seminar with Sensei Dan Messisco this weekend.

Congratulations to Chicago Aikikai members Randy Smith (testing for shodan), Patrick Miller (testing for nidan) and Dwight Sora (receiving his certificate for yondan), and thanks to all of the instructors and members who helped them prepare and took ukemi for testing.

Great seminar with Tres Hofmeister Sensei this weekend. A big thanks to everyone who attended, as well as all those who contributed to make it a success.

The Chicago Japanese American Council (CJAC) is pleased to announce that the Japan Festival will be held again this year on Sunday, June 16 in the city of Chicago.
(Venue: Millennium Park/Chase Promenade North & South)
CJAC is a liaison council comprised of major Japanese and Japanese community organizations in the Chicago area, including the Japanese Chamber of Commerce of Chicago, the Chicago Japanese Club, and the Japanese American Service Committee.
The Japan Festival is a major event co-hosted by the Japanese community in the Chicago area and will be held with the endorsement and support of the Consulate- General of Japan in Chicago.
In addition to the traditional introduction of Japanese culture, this year’s event will feature a special performance by “BENTENYA”, the Nagoya-based Chindon-ya who will visit Chicago to support publicity for the Expo 2025 Osaka-Kansai, Japan to be held next
year and for a filming project that will trace Route 66.
This event, now in its 39th year, will be a great opportunity to introduce Japan from a variety of perspectives to the local community in an effort to contribute to the community and promote cultural exchange.
We would like to ask for the warm support and cooperation of all concerned to make Japan Festival a success.
Details: https://www.jccc-chi.org/japanfestival2024/