7th dan Aikikai.
Hiroaki Kobayashi dojocho started aikido when he was three years old, as the first member of Aikido Kobayashi Dojo.
When he was in a college, he visited the Solomon islands, Papua New Guinea, and Iwo Jima as a volunteer member of Japan Youth Memorial Association (a student organization that intend to collect remains of Japanese war veterans).
After graduating from college, he stayed in Indonesia for 2 and a half years to teach aikido as a JOCV (Japan Overseas Cooperation Volunteers) aikido instructor. He then stayed in Poland for half a year to teach aikido, again as a JOCV aikido instructor.
As the dojocho (the head of dojo) of Aikido Kobayashi Dojo, he is governing instructors section of Aikido Kobayashi Dojo.
He is fluent in Chinese, Indonesian, and English.
He spends time outside of Japan, a few months a year in total, for aikido instruction.
7th dan Aikikai.
Masuda shidoin joined Aikido Kobayashi Dojo when he was a first grader in elementary school.
He was a good friend to dojocho (then a nursery school child), practicing together.
When he was a university student, he helped kids class as an assistant instructor.
After school, he worked several years in a major housing sales company. Then, from 1989, he lived in Tokorozawa dojo for 3 years as an uchideshi (a live-in apprentice).
While being as an uchideshi, he experienced instructions in foreign countries such as Germany and Northern Europe.
He married to a nurse who was a member at Tokorozawa dojo.
He was the former editor in chief of Aikido Kobayashi Dojo Newsletter.
He is also the dojocho of Aikido Masuda Dojo.
6th dan Aikikai.
Yamawaki shidoin played an active role in a trading company and Japan International Cooperation Agency as an interpreter / translator in Africa.
He has many rare experiences such as being almost taken into custody by a rebellion army in Congo during its civil war era.
After returning to Japan, he was teaching French.
In 1983, he became an Aikido Kobayashi Dojo member at Honkawagoe dojo. He practiced aikido in France as well.
Following his heart, he built a log cabin and wooden dojo by himself in Tsumagoi village.
Because of his abundant experience, he is able to give valuable advices to other instructors who sometimes tend to be ignorant to the world.
Tsumagoi dojo is surrounded by woods, and there are hot springs located nearby: a suitable place for an aikido camp in group.
5th dan Aikikai.
Kasahara shidoin started aikido when he was studying as a college student in the United States.
Originally, he was aspiring to be a United Nations official. However, he decided to go back to Japan because he became hooked on aikido.
In order to make time for aikido practice, he became a temporary worker at a logistics company.
Before becoming an uchideshi at Aikido Kobayashi Dojo, he was practicing at Hombu dojo on weekdays and at Tokorozawa dojo on weekends.
In February, 2003, he started living in Tokorozawa dojo as an uchideshi and stayed there for 3 and a half years.
Soshihan is very happy to have him because he writes letters and e-mails in English quickly.
Height: 1 meter and 90 cm. We have some intel telling us that he talks in English in his sleep.
Currently, he is the editor in chief of Aikido Kobayashi Dojo Newspaper, the official Web page and the official Facebook page master.