Portrait
Daniel JEAN PIERRE
Shihan, 7th Dan of the world headquarters of the Tokyo Aikikai. Sixty years of practice, from Avignon in 1963 to the dojos of Nice and Sophia-Antipolis.
Daniel JEAN PIERRE began practising Aikido in 1963, in Avignon. At the time the discipline was unknown, and one had to travel a long way to pick up what technical knowledge could be found here and there. Only a handful of Judo teachers had any vague notion of the techniques.
Fortunately, in 1964, Japanese teachers from the Tokyo Aikikai settled in France. The first was Master Noro, then two years later Master Tamura. They gave him his fundamental grounding and made him love this martial art — a passion that has never left him since.
That passion has never left him since.
From 1966 he followed Master TAMURA for several years, in Marseille. After studying architecture, in 1976 he founded an Aikido dojo in Lons-le-Saunier, in the Jura, which is still going today.
Then, in 1977, he decided to leave for Japan to train intensively at the Tokyo Aikikai with Master Kisshomaru UESHIBA, the father, whose uke he became, and then with his son Moriteru, every morning at 6.30 on the mats. He trained diligently alongside, among others, the masters of today.
He also studied with other masters: WATANABE, ISHIIHATCHI, TADA, YAMAGUCHI, ENDO…
He took private lessons in the JO with Master MATSUDA, in the BOKEN with Master SHIBATA, and in IAIDO (the steel sword) for four years with Master KANETSUKA at the police dojo in Yotsuya-Sanchome.
Throughout this period he taught French and gave lectures on French painting at the cultural centre of the Athénée Français in Tokyo.
On his return to France in August 1982 he settled in Nice and gave his first class on 8 November 1982, to one or two students.
Today the dojos of NICE and SOPHIA bring together some 400 aikidoka, young and old, around a hundred black belts trained at the club, from 1st to 4th Dan, and several state-qualified teachers.
He has kept very close ties with the world headquarters in Tokyo and with Master Moriteru Ueshiba.
Every summer, accordingly, a large seminar is held with a Japanese expert. For twenty years, SEKI Shoji Shihan, 8th Dan and instructor at the world headquarters in Tokyo, led a seminar at the CREPS in Boulouris, Saint-Raphaël.
He travels regularly to Japan with members of the dojo, to let them discover the culture of the country and to train at the Hombu Dojo; over the past three years alone, more than 90 members have joined Daniel JEAN PIERRE on this wonderful journey.
In January 2017 the world Aikido headquarters in Tokyo conferred the title of Shihan on Daniel JEAN PIERRE.
Shihan is the highest title for Aikido teachers trained by the world headquarters in Tokyo. It means, literally, “the model”. It carries international standing and represents the highest Japanese distinction for an Aikido teacher.
While the title of Shihan certifies his deep knowledge of Aikido, it also acknowledges his commitment since 1963 and his unwavering dedication to teaching and to the growth of this traditional discipline, at once martial, cultural and philosophical.
On 13 January 2019, on the occasion of the annual Kagamibiraki ceremony at the Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba presented the Aikikai 7th Dan diploma to Daniel JEAN PIERRE Shihan at the family home.
This exceptional promotion is the culmination of very many years of loyalty, recognition and dedication to the cause of Aikido and to the teaching received from the first Doshu, Kisshomaru Ueshiba.
Milestones
- 1963 First Aikido classes, in Avignon.
- 1966 Student of Master Tamura, in Marseille.
- 1976 Founds an Aikido dojo in Lons-le-Saunier.
- 1977 Leaves for Japan to train at the Tokyo Aikikai.
- 1982 Returns to France; first class in Nice on 8 November.
- 2017 Title of Shihan, conferred by the world headquarters in Tokyo.
- 2019 Aikikai 7th Dan, presented by Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba.
The teaching team
Children’s classes
Adult classes
Adult classes
