Organization of the aikido in France

The organization of the aikido in France has a complex structure, rising on the one hand particular requirements from the French public authorities relative to the recognitions of the diplomas (ranks daN) and patents of teaching, and on the other hand progressive arrival of Japanese experts then French reproducing more or less a system of schools ( Ryū ), not very compatible with the centralized structuring of the French sporting federations.

Principal structures

Out of Japan, France is the country which counts the most practitioners of aikido, with nearly 60.000 bachelors (according to the federations in 1997).

The practitioner having the rank more raised in France east Nobuyoshi Tamura senseï , 8th daN ; it is the representative of the Aikikai for Europe.

Initially in France, the clubs of aikido were affiliated with the federation of Judo, the FFJDA; the aikido separated from this federation in 1982, which involved the creation of two federations independently connected with the Aikikai So Hombu Japanese , and including/understanding many currents:

the F, French federation of aikido and budo, which includes/understands mainly:

Aikikai de France, whose technical referent is Tamura senseï shihan (694 clubs);
the GHAAN, the historical Group of aikido Andre Nocquet (51 clubs); initially the pupil of Tadashi Abe as of 1952, André Nocquet left to Japan in 1958 to follow the teaching of the creator of the aikido; its group joined F in 1985. Maître Nocquet is deceased in 1999;
the group Iwama ryu, one of the groups having for goal the transmission of the aikido of Morihiro Saïto senseï (deceased in 2002)
the branch Aikido SHODOKAN under the technical direction of Satoru Tsuchiya Senseï, raises Tetsuro Nariyama Shihan successor of Kenji Tomiki Shihan.

the federation gathers also the Federation traditional Kyūdō (FKT) and has a privileged relation with the Circle of Iaidō which is under the technical direction of Michel Prouvèze, 6th daN aikido, 4th daN iaïdo;

the F (or 2F3A), French federation of aikido, aïkibudo and affinitaires, only federation in France recognized by the International federation of Aikido (I.A.F.) which also includes/understands:

the group Aikido (737 clubs), whose technical referent is Christian Tissier, only French being seen decreeing the title of “Shihan” (model) by Aikikai.
the group Aïkibudo (87 clubs), in the past Katori shintô ryu , whose technical referent is Alain Floquet.

The ministry for Youth and the sports normally delivers approval only for only one federation by " sport" , and thus makes pressure on F and F so that they amalgamate. However, the various currents fear a too great standardization and thus a loss of the richness; one should not either mask the eyes, certain technicians is jealous of their independence, even fears to see decreasing their incomes because of a regrouping of the federal training courses.

Passages of ranks daN

In France, certain deliveries of daN are controlled by the State, which authorizes a federation to deliver them, and aims, according to the private bill, “to avoid inter alia the sectarian drifts”. Although the “official” delivery has importance only if the person wants to teach while being paid, since it must then pass its patent of State, this legislation is often criticized by the schools not attached to the federations indicated by the State.

The two federations of aikido organize thus the passages of daN jointly under the authority of the UFA, Union of the federations of Aikido. In fact the UFA is recognized by the ministry for Youth and the Sports. So the daN delivered by the UFA constitute diplomas of State. This requirement of the French State, and many other European States, rests on the collation of the ranks by a jury not knowing in general the practitioner before the examination.

This operation is opposed to the traditional collation ranks in Japan, where the daN is decreed by the teacher then by the Master of this one on recommendation of the teacher, and implies one long period of observation of the practitioner. So the French State does not recognize the ranks decreed by the Aikikai, except starting from the 5th daN, and reciprocally, the Aikikai does not recognize the French ranks. There exists thus in France of the specific examinations of ranks Aikikai, organized within each federation, whose juries are chaired by Nobuyoshi Tamura or Christian Tissier, only people having the possibility of decreeing ranks Aikikai within the UFA (Gerard Blaize is also entitled there, but out of the federations). The habit wants that one presents oneself to an examination Aikikai only once titular of the French rank of corresponding level. One can finally note that this situation is rather general. The pupils of Kazuo Chiba, within the Birankai can choose at the time of their passage if their rank will be valid within their only group or if Me Chiba must require their homologation of the Aikikai.

Beyond 4th daN, there does not exist any more examination. Promotion rests on the quality of the practice and teaching (factor already taken into account with the 4th daN). It is done on proposal with the Aikikai by C. Tissier or NR. Tamura and homologation of the rank by the French State. Several graded tops also go to Japan to practice in an intensive way and to pass their ranks higher directly than the Aikikai Hombu Dojo.

For the schools out of the regrouping of the UFA, the passages of ranks are done on a proposal from the teacher or a college of teachers, sometimes confirmed by a technical manager. Obviously the direction and the value of ranks (UFA and except UFA, even of others " branches" that of Aikikai) are not easily comparable and are sources of multiple conflicts of authority.

Other places of lesson

Always in connection with France, there exists of very, very many groups and sub-groups (see a short selection in external bonds) where differences are orders teaching, techniques, spiritual, personal, hierarchical, sporting, etc

One can quote among these other groups the KIIA, which organizes with the international level the Kinomichi rested by Maître Masamichi Noro 7th daN of Aikido and old uchi deshi of Master Morihei Ueshiba, the FAAGE (Federation of aïkiryu and arts of the gesture), the AFATJ, French Association of traditional aikido of Japan, created by Gerard Blaize also entitled to deliver ranks Aikikai, group attached to the FFST (French federation of the Labor sport), the MACAW, Aïkido ryu Abe, created by Jean-Pierre the Stones, the FAT, Fédération of traditional aikido founded by Daniel André Brun.

Teachers gathered with Alain Peyrache to found the ISTA, International School off Traditional Aïkido. Place of exchange, the ISTA is a place where there is no administrative authority above the professor. Present in Europe, Israel and in Quebec.

The Iwama branch is also represented in France by three pupils of Morihiro Saito:

Philippe Voarino (6th daN Iwama ryu, 5 mokuroku of weapons) within TAI, Takemusu Aiki Intercontinental;
Patricia Guerri (6th daN, 5 mokuroku of weapons) within the Aikibukikai school;
Daniel Toutain (6th daN, 5 mokuroku of weapons) within Iwama Ryu France - International Aiki Shuren Dojo.

Also let us quote the group Birankaï, of which the technical referent is Chiba sensei , installed in the United States.

Aikido in France

Federations

There exist mainly two federations of aikido in France:

French federation of aikido and budo (F) directed by Nobuyoshi Tamura

GHAAN pupils of André Nocquet
national religious Organization of aikido (ACNA) group of Michel Bécart
École of traditional aikido groups of Jean-Marie Ory
Iwama ryu group of Daniel Toutain, pupils of Morihiro Saito

French federation of aikido, aikibudo and affinitaires (F) animated by Christian Tissier

Groups independent of the federations

dans the order of the uchi deshi

Yoseikan aikido groups of Claude Falourd, raises Minoru Mochizuki
Yoshinkai de France groups of Jacques Muguruza, raises of Gozo Shioda
Ki company endoume-roucas, group French of Kenjiro Yoshigasaki, raises Koichi Tohei
GCERCCE EIAMS groups of Michel Soulenq, raises Koichi Tohei and of Nobuyoshi Tamura
Aïkido ryu Abe groups Jean-Pierre the Stones, raises Tadashi Abe
Fédération of traditional aikido (FAT) group of Daniel André Brun, raises Tadashi Abe
Takemusu aïki intercontinental group of Philippe Voarino, raises Morihiro Saito
Fédération aïkiryu and arts of gesture (FAAGE) Aïkiryu-Shin (Aïkiryu-Shin) groups of the pupils of Charles Abelé, raises of Hirokazu Kobayashi
Académie autonomous of aikido (3A) and KAKKHH groups of Andre Cognard, raises of Hirokazu Kobayashi
the institute of aikido groups of Etienne Leman, raises of Hirokazu Kobayashi
French Association of traditional aikido of Japan (AFATJ) group of Gerard Blaize, raises Michio Hikitsuchi
École of aikido of sumikiri group of Jean-Daniel Cauhépé, raises André Nocquet
Aïkikai of Strasbourg groups Birankaï of Gabriel Valibouze, raises Kazuo Chiba
École Itsuo Tsuda groups Governed Soavi, raises Itsuo Tsuda

French-speaking countries

International Kinokenkyukai in Belgium, pupils of Koichi Tohei
Association French-speaking of aikido (AFA) in Belgium, group of François Warlet, pupils of Seiichi Sugano, Christian Tissier and Nobuyoshi Tamura
Brussels Aikido & Budo Federation (BABF) of Georges Rousseau, aikido Takemusu de Morihiro Saito
Union Belgian of Aikido (U.Be.A.) pupils of Nobuyoshi Tamura
Europe Promotion Aikido Belgium (EPA-ISTA BE) pupils of Alain Peyrache
Luxembourg aikikai (FLAM) pupils of Nobuyoshi Tamura
Federation Swiss of aikido also pupils of Nobuyoshi Tamura
religious Organization Swiss of aikido (ACSA) Aikikai Switzerland de Masatomi Ikeda
Iwama ryu Morocco d' Abderrahim Smahi
Canadian Federation of aikido (CIF) of Refusals Adair, Yukio Kawahara

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