Master Ito began his martial arts training with the legendary karate master Shigeru Egami. He later studied for many years with another of Master Egami’s students, Master Hiroyuki Aoki, who founded the modern martial art of Shintaido. Master Ito established Shintaido of America in the United States in 1975, and has been instrumental in supporting and developing the Shintaido movement in Europe since 1982.

Drawn to issues of peace and justice since his and justice since his boyhood in Hiroshima, Master Ito found in martial arts a way to unite body and mind, reduce contradictions between thought and deed, and improve communication. In the 1990s, as he became increasingly concerned about human violence toward others, toward the earth, and toward ourselves, he expanded his teaching to include workshops for caregivers to AIDS patients. Those grew into what he calls ‘peace and health activism’ workshops which he presents around the world.

To further develop this side of his teaching, Master Ito began the study of Wu style Tai Chi. He finds Tai Chi a natural next step, as its movement and energetic principles fit synergistically with his long-term practice of karate and Shintaido. Tai Chi’s emphasis on gentle focus, relaxed movement, and quiet strength also support his ongoing teaching in the fields of peace and health education. He has been credentialed by Master Ma Chang-xun of Beijing, who traces his lineage directly to Wu Chuan-you, the founder of Wu style Tai Chi.

As a part of his martial arts teaching and peace and health activities, Master Ito currently offers Tai Chi workshops and classes in France, the United States, and Canada. He is assisted in the August workshops by Instructor Nicole Beauvois, who teaches Shintaido, Tai Chi, and traditional Japanese massage in the Loire Valley, France. Ms. Beauvois augments these workshops with her own years of training in martial arts, meditation, and the healing arts.