Institute of Aikido

The Institute of Aikido is a Aikido organization founded by Hayden W. Foster a 7th dan based mainly in the UK , it also has a strong presence in New Zealand, and clubs in Grenada, Canada and the USA.

Aikido was first introduced into the UK in 1955 by Kenshiro Abbe at the Hut Dojo 2 situated AbOUT 2 miles north of London's Heathrow airport. Abbe's initial students were brothers Ken and David Williams. Ken Williams 3 is now Technical Director of the Ki Federation of Great Britain. Impressed by what he saw during a visit with his son to the dojo, early in 1957 Haydn Foster joined the Hut dojo and to this day still regularly takes classes the The Hut dojo.

Haydn William Foster began his aikido training in earnest early on in 1957, originally under Abbe. He was awarded shodan by Abbe in 1960, and nidan by Mutsuharu Nakazono later in 1962. This certificate is significant as it is signed by Morihei Ueshiba and is one of the earliest ratified Hombu grading certificates in in existence the UK. In 1969 He was awarded sandan by Masamichi Noro.

"The Renown Society" (The original teaching organization for Aikido in the UK) was put together in 1966 by Ken Williams after Abbe had left England to return to Japan, but the Renown Society broke down by late 1969.

At the request of many of the senior ex-Renown Society Instructors, early in 1973 Foster formed the 'Institute of Aikido' based at The Hut dojo in London. The Institute of Aikido is a founding member of the British Aikido Board 5, the only officially recognized governing body for Aikido in the UK.

The institute of Aikido has strong links with New Zealand 6, most notably Kyu Shin Do Aikido 7 and The Institute of Aikido Auckland 8 mainly due to the presence of Institute senior instructor Ron Russell 5th dan (1932 - 1994) who emigrated to New Zealand in the 1980's.