• HOME
  • AIKIDO
  • PROGRAMS
    • CHILDREN
    • TEENAGERS
    • ADULTS
    • LOW IMPACT
    • SELF DEFENCE
  • ABOUT US
    • LEADERSHIP
    • FOUNDATION
    • THE DOJO
  • LOCATION
  • NEWS
  • aikitv
  • student portal

tHE SHUDOKAN BY GOZO SHIODA KANCHO
SHU - "STUDY"
DO - " THE WAY"
KAN - "HOUSE"



MELBOURNE. AUSTRALIA





​1980

Aikido Shudokan founded by Joe Thambu Shihan


1983

The first premises was established in 1983 on St Georges Road, Thornbury


2002

Moved to a larger premises on Gooch street


2015

The Shudokan created a purpose-built dojo in todays location of Heidelberg West.


All the dojo have been built and rennovated by Instructors and students throughout the years, and everyone continues to respectfully maintain the environment in which they learn.



leadership



Joe Thambu Shihan



8th Dan Aikido



Thambu Shihan, the Chief Instructor of Aikido Shudokan, has been a practitioner of Aikido for over 50 years. During this time, he has trained under many great Instructors, including; Soke Shioda Gozo, the founder of Yoshinkan Aikido, Inoue Kyoichi Kancho, Chida Tsutomu Shihan and Takeno Takefumi Shihan, all influential Aikido teachers, Thamby Rajah Sensei, Don Draeger Sensei, Soke Obata Toshishiro, the founder of Shinkendo and Shihan Nariyama Tetsuro, the Chief Instructor of Tomiki Aikido. All of these instructors are world-renowned Martial Artists.


In 1972, Joe Thambu Shihan began his Aikido training at the age of 11, under the tutelage of his Uncle, Thamby Rajah Sensei, the father of Aikido in Malaysia. As a teenager, Thambu Shihan studied some Kendo and Shindo Muso Ryu Jodo.


In 1978, Thambu Shihan tested for his Shodan and soon after at the age of nineteen, he travelled to Australia where he began training in Aiki-Kai, whilst studying at university. After deciding he was unsuited to this, Thambu Shihan took up Ju-jitsu before beginning the first Yoshinkan Aikido dojo in Melbourne, Australia. I


In 1983, Thambu Shihan travelled to Japan to further his Aikido training. Whilst in Japan, he lived and trained at the principle Yoshinkan Honbu dojo in Tokyo. On his return, Thambu Shihan established his first premises at St Georges Road in Melbourne and set in motion the first home for the ‘Aikido Shudokan.’ This was to be the first permanent Yoshinkan dojo to be started in Australia. Since 1983,


Thambu Shihan has returned to Japan many times, the most memorable being in 1993, when he tested for his fifth dan by Soke Shioda Gozo, the founder of Yoshinkan Aikido. At the time, Thambu Shihan was the youngest non-Japanese student of Aikido to be graded to this rank and was also privileged in being the last student to be tested by Soke Shioda Gozo before his death in 1994.


In 2001, Thambu Shihan tested and received his sixth dan.


Thambu Shihan was awarded his seventh dan by Shioda Yasuhisa Kancho, the former head of Yoshinkan Aikido in December 2007 and was promoted to the rank of “Shihan” in October 2008. Joe Thambu Shihan is the first non-Japanese person ever to receive this title from the Yoshinkan Hombu dojo. It is a very apt and well-deserved title.


In November 2015, Thambu Shihan was awarded the rank of 8th Dan by Inoue Kyoichi Kancho, 10th Dan, and the head of Aikido Shudokan at the time.



Enrica Cheung Sensei



5th Dan Aikido



Enrica Cheung Sensei began training in Aikido at Aikido Shudokan in Melbourne in March 2004 and tested for 1st Dan in December 2005. She became a full-time uchi deshi the following month and stayed on full-time in this position until February 2008, after which the position became part-time. In March 2012, she was tested to 4th Dan and in April 2017, she was tested to 5th Dan, having had the honour of both ranks tested by Inoue Kyoichi Kancho, 10th Dan.


She has taught self-defence for women and high school students at various schools around Melbourne, including Xavier College, Simonds College and Monash University, and has assisted Joe Thambu Shihan at international seminars in the UK, Europe and Malaysia, as well as corporate training events locally.


She currently teaches adults and childrens classes at both the Heidelberg and Springvale dojos in Melbourne.



our senior instructors



Martin Rice Sensei



4th Dan Aikido



Martin Rice began training in Aikido at Aikido Shudokan in 2003, testing for 1st Dan in October 2006. Since then, Martin has trained under some of the leading practitioners of Aikido in the world; including, Inoue Kyoichi Hanshi, Takeno Takefumi Shihan, Ando Tsuneo Shihan, Robert Mustard Sensei and a year in Japan with Tsutomu Chida Shihan.


Martin has been teaching both adults and children’s classes at the Heidelberg (formerly Thornbury) and Springvale (formerly Oakleigh) Dojo since 2007. Martin has also taught at the Seremban dojo of Master Thamby Rajah, and recently assisted at the International ‘100 years of Aikido’ seminar in Kuala Lumpur. In March 2012, Martin was graded to the rank of 3rd Dan by Inoue Kyoichi Kancho and in December 2015, he was graded to 4th Dan.


A Japanese speaker and qualified and experienced Secondary school teacher, Martin considers it a privilege to be able to help pass on the techniques of those he has been fortunate enough to train under.



Fulori Smith Sensei



4th Dan Aikido



Fulori Smith began training in 2002 at the age of 11 and in 2008 awarded the rank of Shodan.


Fuloria's work as an integration aide at a primary school and interest in education has greatly supported our work with children at the Shudokan. Fulori has also been involved in teaching self defence and Aikido in secondary schools across Melbourne.


In 2010 Fulori was awarded the rank of Nidan.


In 2013 Fulori was awarded the rank of Sandan and awarded the rank of Yondan in 2017 by Inoue Kyoichi Kancho, 10th Dan.



Alia Nicholls Sensei



4th Dan Aikido



Alia Nicholls first started training at Aikido Shudokan in 1983 at the age of 6 and worked her way through the childrens classes and eventually transitioned into the adults classes.


She graded for her Shodan in 1993 and then for her Nidan in 1995. From 2001 to 2003, Alia was a full-time uchideshi at The Shudokan, teaching both adults’ and children’s classes and whilst continuing her intensive training. In 2003, she tested for her Sandan. After living overseas for eight years, she returned to training in Melbourne and she tested for her Yondan in 2015. She is currently the co-ordinator of the children's program at Aikido Shudokan.


Alia works as a primary school teacher at a local school. Both of her children attend the children's classes, continuing the family lineage of The Shudokan.



Rodney McLeod Sensei



4th Dan Aikido



Rodney McLeod started training Karate as a teenager, as well as Aikido. Although he has also trained in many other martial arts, Rodney Sensei has been mainly focused on Aikido and Brazilian Jiu Jitsu for the last ten years.


He is currently an adult class instructor at Aikido Shudokan Heidelberg Hobu Dojo and Xavier College.





Bart Lea Sensei



4th Dan Aikido



Bart Lea started training in 2000 at the Yoshinkan Aikido Ryu Hombu Dojo under Tsuneo Ando Shihan in Urayasu Japan. While in Japan, Bart participated in numerous demonstrations, camps and seminars including the the Ryu Dojo Annual Demonstration, the All Japan Yoshinkan Aikido Demonstration and the Yamanashi Annual Demonstration. In 2003, he attained the rank of Shodan under Ando Shihan before returning to Australia in 2004.


After relocating to Melbourne and becoming a member of Aikido Shudokan, Bart attained the rank of Nidan in 2008. Since that time, Bart has had the privilege of teaching at both the Heidelberg (formerly Thornbury) and Springvale (formerly Oakleigh) Dojos and in 2013 Bart graded for Sandan under Joe Thambu Shihan. In both Japan and Australia, Bart has been fortunate enough to train under some of the leading practitioners of Aikido in the world; including, Inoue Kyoichi Hanshi, Takeno Takefumi Shihan, Tsutomu Chida Shihan, Ando Tsuneo Shihan and Robert Mustard Sensei.

Bart was awarded the rank of Yondan in 2017 by Inoue Kyoichi Kancho, 10th Dan.



RECOGNITION



YOUR REWARD FOR DISCIPINE



FUTURE LEADERS



START BUILDING THEMESELVES



BLACK BELT CLASS



2022



JOE THAMBU SHIHAN



FOUNDER



REI HO



RESPECT



Built on a solid foundation


learn more

Copyright 2022. All rights reserved. Aikido Shudokan



Aikido, Aikijutsu, Aikijujutsu, Judo, Karate, Jujutsu, Juijutsu, MMA, BJJ, Krav Maga, Kenjutsu, Kendo, Iaijutsu, Iaido, tkd, tae kwon do are all

example of martial arts and have concepts and principles which can be applied to self-defence. Aikido is a Japanese martial art.