Christian Tissier (born 1951 in

Paris Paris () is the Capital city, capital and List of communes in France with over 20,000 inhabitants, largest city of France. With an estimated population of 2,048,472 residents in January 2025 in an area of more than , Paris is the List of ci ...

France France, officially the French Republic, is a country located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

) is one of the best known European

aikido Aikido ( , , , ) is a gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art which is split into many different styles including Iwama Ryu, Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shuren Kai, Shodokan Aikido, Yoshinkan, Renshinkai, Aikikai, and Ki Aikido. Aikido is now practic ...

teachers, who pioneered the art in France. He started his Aikido training in 1962 as a child in Jean-Claude Tavernier's Dojo in

, following the style of Hiroo Mochizuki. He soon went on to train under Mutsuro Nakazono and was awarded by him the 2nd dan before leaving for

Tokyo Tokyo, officially the Tokyo Metropolis, is the capital of Japan, capital and List of cities in Japan, most populous city in Japan. With a population of over 14 million in the city proper in 2023, it is List of largest cities, one of the most ...

in 1969. He came to the

Aikikai Hombu Dojo The Aikikai is the original school of Aikido. It is centered on the Aikikai#Aikikai Foundation, Aikikai Foundation in Japan, and its figurehead is the Aikikai#Doshu, Doshu (the family heir of the founder of Aikido). It is represented globally th ...

as an 18-year-old, and trained there for seven years. Among the teachers that have inspired him are

Seigo Yamaguchi was a Japanese 9th-dan aikido instructor and important teacher in the Aikikai. According to Mitsugi Saotome, before he was sent to Burma in 1958, he was the most prolific teacher at Aikikai Hombu Dojo. His personal students included Seishiro End ...

Kisaburo Osawa was an influential aikido teacher who taught for many years at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo and was a close advisor to Kisshomaru Ueshiba. Born in Kumagaya, Saitama prefecture, Japan, he started practicing judo at the age of 17 in order to fortify ...

and the second doshu

Kisshomaru Ueshiba was a prominent Japanese master of aikido.Pranin, S. A. (''c.'' 2009)Encyclopedia of Aikido: Ueshiba, Kisshomaru Retrieved on March 1, 2010. He was the son of Morihei Ueshiba, founder of aikido, and became the international leader of aikido after ...

. While living in Tokyo, he also trained in Kenjutsu under Minoru Inaba at the Shiseikan and in Kickboxing at the Mejiro Gym. He also worked as a model and taught

French language French ( or ) is a Romance languages, Romance language of the Indo-European languages, Indo-European family. Like all other Romance languages, it descended from the Vulgar Latin of the Roman Empire. French evolved from Northern Old Gallo-R ...

at a school and Institut Franco-japonais de Tokyo. He received 7th dan in 1998, and is among the handful of westerners who have been given the title

Shihan is a Japanese term that is used in many Japanese martial arts as an honorific title for expert or senior instructors. It can be translated as "master instructor". The use of the term is specific to a school or organization, as is the process o ...

by the

Aikikai The Aikikai is the original school of Aikido. It is centered on the Aikikai Foundation in Japan, and its figurehead is the Doshu (the family heir of the founder of Aikido). It is represented globally through the International Aikido Federation ...

. He is a founding member of the Fédération Française d'Aïkido Aïkibudo et Affinitaires (FFAAA or 2F3A) which was created in 1983. He is also a member of the technical college (Collège Technique) in charge of the Dan grades examination and of the awarding of teaching certifications: Brevet d'Etat and Brevet Fédéral. These examinations take place jointly with members of the other federation, the Fédération Française d'Aïkido et de Budo (FFAB), within the Union des Fédérations d'Aïkido (UFA). Christian Tissier also serves the

International Aikido Federation International Aikido Federation (IAF) is a world governing body for the martial art of Aikido. Structure The International Aikido Federation was formed in 1976 to serve as a primary global aikido organisation. It is an umbrella organisation wit ...

as an instructor during congresses and as a technical coordinator and demonstrator during major events such as the

World Combat Games The World Combat Games (GAISF World Combat Games / SportAccord World Combat Games) is an international multi-sport event featuring combat sports and martial arts. The games were founded by SportAccord (used to be known as the Global Association o ...

. He was one of the three Shihan (with Tsuruzo Miyamoto and Jiro Kimura) to be awarded the 8th dan by Aikido's Doshu

Moriteru Ueshiba is a Japanese master of aikido. He is a grandson of Morihei Ueshiba, founder of aikido, and son of Kisshomaru Ueshiba. Ueshiba is the third and current '' Dōshu'' (hereditary head) of the Aikikai. Biography Ueshiba was born on April 2, 1951, ...

at the Kagamibiraki Ceremony held on January 11, 2016 at the

Works

Books: *''Aikido Fondamental.'' Sedirep, Boulogne 1988 (1979) *''Aikido Fondamental - Tome 2: Culture et Traditions.'' Sedirep, Boulogne; 1995 (1981) *''Aikido Fondamental - Tome 3: Aiki-jo: Techniques de Bâton.'' Sedirep, Boulogne; 1991 (1983) *''Aikido - Initiation.'' Sedirep, Boulogne; 1995 (1983) *''Aikido Fondamental - Tome 4: Techniques avancées.'' Sedirep, Boulogne; 1995 (1987) *''Aikido - Progression technique du 6ème Kyu au 1er Dan.'' Sedirep, Boulogne; 1996 (1990) Videos: *''Aikiken- Bokken- Kenjutsu- mes choix pour l'étude du Ken'' *''Aikido - Progression technique du 6ème Kyu au 1er Dan.'' DVDs: *''Principes et applications - Volume 1 : immobilisations'' *''Principes et applications - Volume 2 : projections'' *''Principes et applications - Coffret : immobilisations et projections'' *''Variations et applications'' Mobile Apps *''Christian Tissier - Aikido App''

References

External links

Official site

Interview with Christian Tissier (in English)

Biography of Christian Tissier (in English)
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tissier, Christian 1951 births French aikidoka Living people Shihan