TADAYUKI SATOH, FOUNDER
Tadayuki Satoh has started learning Judo in his childhood at his early age. His father, Gohachiro Satoh was well known Judo Shihan in Hamamatsu city, Shizuoka Prefecture, who held an 8th Dan of Kodokan Judo. Gohachiro played an active role in Judo club in Waseda University, in the era Mr. Jigoro Kano was still alive and in good health, being the head of KODOKAN.
Gohachiro Satoh studied under Kazunuki Miyagawa (8th Dan), Sanpou Toku (9th Dan) and Nagaoka Hideichi (10th Dan). In addition, there were many other nation-wide famous Judo practitioners in golden age of Waseda Judo Club, such as Masami Takasaki and Kenji Tomiki, in the alumni of the university.
Having started Judo at the age of 7, Tadayuki went on to Tenri High School and for three years trained enthusiastically in modern-style competitive Judo for inter-high competition and other events as a member of the Judo Club. After high school, Satoh inherited the will of his father, and started studying under Shihan Kenji Tomiki.
After entering Waseda University, Tadayuki Satoh studied both old traditional style Judo by Tomiki’s teaching and Tomiki-style Aikido at the same time. After completing his 2nd year at Waseda, he made the decision to concentrate on Aikido. While Professor Tomiki passed away in Autumn of 1979 in Tadayuki’s 3rd year of Waseda University, Tadayuki had often been invited by Professor Tomiki in his house and received intimate personal lectures.
In 2007, Satoh was appointed to be the Shihan of Aikido Club of Waseda University. This was the position which had been empty for more than 20 years. Since that time, he also plays an active role as a Master of the Japan Aikido Association created by Kenji Tomiki.
Satoh is the person who possesses the knowledge and skills supported by his father’s teachings as a Judoist and his own experience. Furthermore, as a direct disciple of Kenji Tomiki, he can scientifically explain the original teaching of each technique and the historical and technical analysis and connections among the elements. He is the valuable person who can scientifically explain and teach these factors.
