BETA TEST SITE — Proof of Concept
Created for the Board and Senior Council Only.
Presented by Birankai North America
The Official
T.K. Chiba Shihan Archive
A living archive dedicated to preserving, teaching, and honouring the lineage of the late Kazuo (T.K.) Chiba Shihan — his seminars, weapons work, techniques, interviews, and history, safeguarded for students today and for generations to come.
220 videos and growing · New recordings added twice weekly
Our Mission
To preserve, organise, and make accessible the recorded teachings of Kazuo (T.K.) Chiba Shihan — safeguarding a living record of his aikido for students today and for generations yet to train.
Who Was Chiba Sensei
A Direct Student of the Founder
Kazuo Chiba Sensei (1940–2015) entered Aikikai Hombu Dojo in 1958 as a live-in student (uchideshi) of the Founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei — among the last generation to train at his side.
An 8th Dan and lifelong purist, he carried the art to the United Kingdom and later to California, founding San Diego Aikikai and, in time, Birankai. His teaching was known for its depth, intensity, and unwavering sincerity.
Why This Archive Exists
Before the Record Is Lost
Much of Chiba Sensei's teaching survives only on ageing tapes and scattered private collections. This archive gathers that material into one carefully catalogued place — recording dates, locations, sources, and rights — so the footage is not merely stored, but understood.
Presented by Birankai North America, it exists to protect this legacy and to serve the students who continue his practice. Membership directly supports that preservation work.
Preservation
Safeguarding rare footage of a master's teaching before it is lost — carefully catalogued and archived.
Education
A study resource for aikidoka worldwide: seminars, weapons, techniques, interviews and history in one place.
Lineage
Carrying forward the transmission of Chiba Sensei's aikido within the Birankai tradition.
How the Archive is Organised
Five Areas of Study
Seminars
Full-length seminars and summer camps spanning decades of instruction.
Weapons
Aiki-ken, aiki-jo, suburi and iaido — the weapons work central to Chiba Sensei's method.
Techniques
Demonstrations and detailed technical study across the aikido curriculum.
Interviews
Conversations and reflections in Sensei's own words.
History
Rare and historical footage documenting the lineage, from 1964 onward.
Inside the Membership
What Members See
Free during our beta — create an account to stream the full library on any device, with new recordings featured in the "This Week from the Archive" email every Tuesday and Friday.
Demonstration
1964 Aikikai Kobukan - Kisshomaru Ueshiba and Kazuo Chiba
Aikikai Hombu Dojo, Tokyo
Seminar
1991 - Chiba Sensei at Connecticut Aikikai in New Haven, May 18 and 19
Connecticut Aikikai
Seminar
1992 - Chiba Sensei at Yale University March 14, 1992 Full Seminar, Unedited
Yale University
General
1993 - Chiba Sensei at Connecticut Aikikai in New Haven, March 27 and 28
Summer School
1993 UKA Summer School - 2/3
UK
Summer Camp