Chief Instructor – Australia

Peter Kelly
Chief Instructor, Aikido Yuishinkai Australia
Aikido Yuishinkai International Instructor

Peter started Aikido with the Aikikai system in Australia, before travelling to Japan to live and train at Hombu Dojo. Whilst in Japan Peter moved away from Hombu, settling on a small country dojo in Chiba prefecture, with a Sensei that was focused on the study of Aikido as a martial way, and trained and taught accordingly.

After two and a half years Peter returned to Australia, and on the recommendation of his Japanese Sensei, he went in search of a teacher to help him learn to relax. This two year search resulted in Peter training in various styles, and grading in those styles. As a result Peter has Dan grades in three styles of Aikido, and has also completed multiple grades in two other styles.

In 2002, Peter was able to attend the first foreign seminar of the newly formed Aikido Yuishinkai, and its founder, Master Koretoshi Maruyama Sensei.

After receiving ukemi for Sensei, Peter realised he had found the teacher his Sensei had asked him to find, and committed himself to study Aikido as taught by master Maruyama.

Peter was lucky enough to find himself as Maruyama Sensei’s main Uke at seminars, and would travel with him to act as Uke whenever life permitted.

In 2004 Peter established his dojo, Seishin no Shugyo dojo, The Aikido School of Excellence in Hobart Tasmania, and has been teaching from this base ever since. Peters hero is Tessu Yamaoka, the Japanese sword master and Zen calligrapher, and a piece of his calligraphy takes pride of place within the Shomen of the dojo, and is in fact the dojo namesake, Seishin no Shugyo – to train the spirit.

In 2014, due to his technical excellence Master Maruyama appointed Peter to the position of Chief instructor of Australia, and in 2016 appointed him to the position of International Instructor.

Peter lives at his base in Tasmania with his wife and three children, from where he travels to teach and spread the Aikido of Maruyama Sensei.