Yukio Utada
Yukio Utada (born 1948) is an aikido teacher ranked 7th dan in Yoshinkan Aikido. His study began under Gozo Shioda in 1967 at the Yoshinkan Hombu dojo in Tokyo.
Early career
In 1972 Utada traveled to Detroit, Michigan upon an invitation to teach aikido. The next year the chief instructor of the Yoshinkan Aikido Hombu Dojo, Takashi Kushida, joined him in Detroit. Utada underwent traditional uchi-deshi (live-in student) training with Takashi Kushida for a full year during this period.
In 1974 Utada accepted a position teaching Aikido at Temple University in Philadelphia where he is still teaching an accredited university course in Aikido.
Aikido Association of North America
Utada founded the Aikido Association of North America to spread Aikido through the North American continent. The organization has dozens of dojos in several countries. Utada continues to conduct regular seminars at the affiliate dojos.