Rakushinkan Aikidō: The Art of Harmony and Martial Spirit
The Calgary Aikidō community consists of many dojos, but Calgary Rakushinkan stands apart. Our training draws directly from the older schools that shaped aikidō — including Daitō-ryū, Asayama Ichiden Ryu and classical sword traditions — to uncover the true essence of aiki. Few places in the world approach aikidō in this way.
What Is Aikidō?
Aikidō is a Japanese martial art created in the early 20th century by Ueshiba Morihei. Unlike combative systems that emphasize strikes or overpowering force, Aikidō focuses on blending with an opponent’s movement and redirecting energy. Its name translates as “the way of harmony with energy.”
At Rakushinkan, Aikidō is practiced not as a sport, but as a living martial tradition — a means of cultivating timing, precision, and awareness through the study of body movement and classical technique.
The Rakushinkan Approach
At Rakushinkan, Aikidō is taught in its martial context, closely connected to the sword arts from which it developed. We emphasize:
Practical martial principles – learning how to receive, redirect, and neutralize force.
Connection to kenjutsu – understanding Aikidō techniques as extensions of sword movements.
Refinement of movement – developing posture, timing, and control rather than relying on strength.
Partner training – practicing techniques in cooperation to build skill, awareness, and safety.
Our approach ties each technique back to its roots, giving students insight into why movements exist and how they function as martial responses.
What You Will Learn in Rakushinkan Aikidō
Training in Aikidō at Rakushinkan includes:
Throws (nage-waza): Circular movements that redirect an opponent’s energy into powerful projections.
Joint locks (kansetsu-waza): Techniques that immobilize through control of balance and structure.
Ukemi (receiving techniques): Learning to fall, roll, and move safely while preserving martial integrity.
Weapons practice: Training with the sword (ken) and staff (jō) to deepen understanding of empty-hand technique.
Principles of timing and distance (maai): Essential martial awareness that underlies all effective technique.
Why Train Aikidō at Rakushinkan?
Authenticity: Instruction grounded in the historical roots of Aikidō, connected to Daitō-ryū and kenjutsu.
Depth: More than just repetition of techniques — you learn the principles that make them work.
Community: A welcoming environment where students train seriously while supporting one another.
Location: Conveniently based in North West Calgary, with classes for adults and youth.
Practicality: our techniques work against non-compliant opponents. We do not practice for performance or choreography.
Breath, Posture, and Centre
By emphasizing fundamentals — breath, posture, and the body’s centre — training is not about merely imitating movements. Instead, it is about directly experiencing and asking:
Why does balance break?
Why does a technique succeed?
This approach keeps practice accessible, while guiding students toward the same principles that underpin the older martial traditions.
Aikidō as Lifelong Practice
For us, Aikidō is more than technique — it is a discipline of movement, awareness, and adaptability. Training develops not only martial skill, but also composure under pressure and a deeper connection between body and mind.
Rakushinkan Aikidō offers students a chance to explore this art in its martial and cultural depth — a practice that unites tradition with living training in the dojo.