International Martial Arts Federation
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Kokusai Budoin, International Martial Arts Federation (国際武道院・国際武道連盟 Kokusai Budoin Kokusai Budo Renmei) (IMAF) is a Japanese Budō (martial arts) organization founded in 1952 to provide access to archives of historical information and sources of traditional instruction, as well as to promote Japanese martial arts. It is the civil successor organization of the (pre–World War II) Dai Nippon Butoku Kai and a foundation of the Japanese royal family. The organization has headquarters in Tokyo, Japan, and has branches in 17 countries.
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[edit] Description
The IMAF has seven divisions: Judo, Kendo, Karatedo, Aikido, Iaido, Nihon Jujutsu, and Kobudo.[1] The IMAF is the only organization that has the accreditation of the Japanese royal family to award the budo titles Renshi, Kyoshi, Hanshi, and Meijin in all budo disciplines.
The President of the IMAF is Yasuhisa Tokugawa, great-grandson of the 15th and final Shogun of Japan. The IMAF's most recent Chief Director was Shizuya Sato (Nihon Jujutsu Hanshi 10th dan, Judo Hanshi 9th dan) who died in 2011[2]. Former members include:
- Kyuzo Mifune, Hanshi, Meijin 10-dan Judo
- Kazuo Ito, Hanshi, Meijin 10-dan Judo
- Hakudo Nakayama, Meijin 10-dan Kendo
- Hiromasa Takano, Meijin 10-dan Kendo
- Hironori Otsuka, Meijin 10-dan Karatedo
- Gogen Yamaguchi, Hanshi 10-dan Karatedo
- Hirokazu Kanazawa, Hanshi 10-dan Karatedo
- Kazuo Sakai, Hanshi 10-dan Karatedo
- Katsuo Yamaguchi, Meijin 10-dan Iaido
- Kisshomaru Ueshiba, Aikikai Aikido, and son of the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba
- Gozo Shioda, Meijin 10-dan Aikido
- Keiji Tose, Meijin 10-dan Iaido
There was a schism in IMAF Europe which led to a separate group being formed in 1983 by Minoru Mochizuki, Hanshi, Meijin 10-Dan Aikido.[3] In England there was a further split in IMAF UK in 2005 which led to the formation of two affiliated bodies, UK IMAF [4] and IMAF GB which changed its name to the United Kingdom Budo Federation.[5]
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