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1942-1964
Ito was born in Hiroshima,
Japan in 1942. He entered Chuo
University in Tokyo in 1960,
graduating with a degree in
law. At the age of 18, while
at university, he began the
study of Shotokai Karate with
Master Shigeru Egami and, at
21, after less than four years
of practice, he was awarded
the top Shotokai rank of 5th
Dan. This was a remarkable
accomplishment in an art form
known for its rigorous and
demanding examination system.
1965-1975
In 1965, Ito joined
Rakutenkai, a group of
creative artists headed by
Shintaido creator Hiroyuki
Aoki. In 1971, he was
instrumental in establishing
the Sogo Budo Renmei
organization (now the
Shintaido Federation) with
Hiroyuki Aoki as head
instructor, and served as the
first administrative director,
laying the groundwork for the
spread of Shintaido in Japan.
1975-2000
In 1975, Ito began a modern
martial arts pilgrimage,
moving to the United States in
order to develop Shintaido in
North America and Europe. He
served as head instructor for
Shintaido of America and
Shintaido of Great Britain,
and as consultant to the
French in establishing
Shintaido in France.
In 1988, he was awarded the
International Shintaido
Federation rank of Master
Instructor (the first
Shintaido practitioner to hold
this rank) and was named
chairman of the ISF Technical
Committee by Shintaido founder
Hiroyuki Aoki. He made
frequent visits to Japan and
to Shintaido groups across
Europe, Australia, and North
America to encourage the
growth of national Shintaido
movements and to provide
training and encouragement for
new instructors.
In 1993, pursuing a
life-long love of the ocean,
Ito became a student again.
This time to study movement
and nature under water, he
branched out into the training
of free diving and scuba
diving under the tutelage of
UC Berkeley Scientific Diving
instructor Henry Kaiser and
NAUI instructor Captain Nick
Craig.
Ito earned his NAUI Dive
Master certification in 1999,
and began incorporating the
underwater diving experience
into his teaching of Shintaido
philosophy. He has led diving
tours to the Grand Bahamas
Banks, the Galapagos Islands,
the Revillagigedo Islands, and
Midway Atoll.
In 1995, under the sponsorship
of the Henry J. Kaiser Family
Foundation, Menlo Park, and
with the support of Hospice by
the Bay's Executive Director
Connie Borden, Ito began
developing and presenting
programs across the United
States using Shintaido moving
meditation to help hospice
staff and caregivers with
stress management and
self-care. This has included
enthusiastically received
presentations to annual
conventions of the California
Hospice and Palliative Care
Association and National
Hospice and Palliative Care
Organization.
2001 to present
In response to the tragic events of September 11th, 2001, Ito established the Taimyo Network for Peace, an international group that transcends space and time to pray and meditate for world peace.
Ito continues to work on quality control and program evaluation in developing body movements that encourage spiritual health and growth in the modern world. Now in his 60s, he incorporates his lifetime of learning in Shintaido, international relationships, and caregiver communities into body movements that are natural and easily accessible to people of all ages.
He is a founding faculty member of the American School of Japanese Arts in Santa Rosa, CA, and is currently a consultant/trainer at Amma Institute, Touch Pro Institute, and Touch Wellness in San Francisco, CA, Seaman Medical Translation in Bellingham, WA, Wellness Resource Center in North Dartmouth, MA, L'Attitude in Quebec, Qc, Canada, Amma France and Shintaido Val de Loire in Loire Valley, France, Centre Shintaido-Shiatsu in Canaules, France, Renkikai in Zurich, Switzerland, Mood Disorder Association in Tokyo, and Institute of Holistic Psychology & Education in Mie, Japan.
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