Arizona Aikido
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26 August 2026Aikido of Flagstaff 2026 OSU Festival
Aikido of Flagstaff 2026 OSU Festival featuring George Ledyard Shihan. Download the flier for more information. [More Upcoming Events]
What's New
22 July 2026
Remembering Tsuneji Sakakibara Sensei
We remember Sakakibara Sensei fondly on the thirteenth anniversary of his death on July 22, 2013. Sakakibara Sensei was very important to Arizona Aikido! After the death of Jon Takagi Sensei in February 1984, Sakakibara Sensei stepped in to fill the role of Chief Instructor. He held the dojo together, brought us back into union with Hombu Dojo, and kept us training. He started the first Fall Mountain Camp in Prescott when he saw the need for us to get away from the Valley, come together as a family, and grieve Takagi Sensei's loss. Eventually, he turned the dojo over to Tom Haines Sensei but continued to teach as Chief Instructor Emeritus. We still miss him immensely, and we honor his memory. Read Sensei's biography here. Sakakibara Sensei is buried in Resthaven Park Cemetery, 6450 W Northern Ave, Glendale, AZ 85301.
One of the ways we remember him is through the Sakakibara Sensei Memorial Scholarship Fund. If you'd like to donate to the Fund, you may do so using the Donate button below.
[More]
Remembering Tsuneji Sakakibara Sensei
We remember Sakakibara Sensei fondly on the thirteenth anniversary of his death on July 22, 2013. Sakakibara Sensei was very important to Arizona Aikido! After the death of Jon Takagi Sensei in February 1984, Sakakibara Sensei stepped in to fill the role of Chief Instructor. He held the dojo together, brought us back into union with Hombu Dojo, and kept us training. He started the first Fall Mountain Camp in Prescott when he saw the need for us to get away from the Valley, come together as a family, and grieve Takagi Sensei's loss. Eventually, he turned the dojo over to Tom Haines Sensei but continued to teach as Chief Instructor Emeritus. We still miss him immensely, and we honor his memory. Read Sensei's biography here. Sakakibara Sensei is buried in Resthaven Park Cemetery, 6450 W Northern Ave, Glendale, AZ 85301.
One of the ways we remember him is through the Sakakibara Sensei Memorial Scholarship Fund. If you'd like to donate to the Fund, you may do so using the Donate button below. [More]