In 2026, Aiki Kai Australia will continue to celebrate  60 years of Aikido in Australia, marking Sugano Sensei’s arrival in 1965 and the legacy he established. To honour this milestone, a year-long series of events began in July 2025, again in January 2026, and now we look forward to the main event in July 2026 bringing together practitioners from across Australia and beyond.  

60th Anniversary Main Event – July 2026, Sydney
The final event will be a larger-scale gathering attended by the Doshu of Aikido World Headquarters or Waka Sensei and including other Australian organisations affiliated with Aikikai. With an expected attendance of around 200 attendees the focus will be on extraordinary training and preserving O Sensei's traditional teachings.

The national schools were always a priority with Sugano Shihan as they provided a level of training that couldn't be replicated in the dojo which is why he made them a prerequisite for dan grades. He would often say a week of national training was worth at least two years of dojo training, but it offered more than dojo training ever could. Perhaps the most pertinent aspect is being in the 'zone' for a number of days, which average dojo training times can’t match.

Please stay tuned for more information about this special event. Book your accommodation now to take advantage of group discounts offered to attending AKA members and invited guests!