Our Sensei

Jason Austad Sensei, 4th Dan

Iwama Takemusu Aikikai

Jason began training Aikido in the year 2000, in southern California at Kenshinkan Aikido of North County. under the instruction of Ken MacBeth Sensei.

In 2005, Jason had the opportunity to become a live-in student (uchideshi) at Nippon Kan Aikido in Denver, Co. After graduating from this three-month uchideshi program, Jason was invited by Gaku Homma Sensei to assist with instruction at Aikido seminars in Nepal and India. Jason earned his 1st Dan and then 2nd Dan ranking in Nippon Kan Aikido from Homma Sensei.

With the help of Homma Sensei, Jason was able to spend two months training Aikido at Aiki Shuren Dojo in Akita, Japan. In addition, Jason trained one month as uchideshi in Iwama, Japan, under Hitohira Saito Sensei (Soke,) and continues his training to this day in the Iwama style of Aikido.

Early in his training at Nippon Kan, Jason was featured in this June, 2005 article in Denver Westword News, “Way of the Warrior.”

Throughout the years of 2012-2017, Jason continued to advance his training through the curriculum and uchideshi program at Aikido of South Florida under the instruction of Stephanie Yap Sensei, who is a student of Hitohira Saito Soke of Iwama Shin Shin Aikishurenkai.

In 2013, Jason earned an additional 2nd Dan and then subsequently a 3rd Dan ranking (2016) in Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shurenkai.

In 2018, Jason Sensei and the Aikido Bismarck dojo were extremely honored to be accepted into the family of dojos led by of Mark Larson, Shihan (Minnesota Aiki Shuren Dojo, Iwama Takemusu Aikikai).

Larson Shihan, “Takuto”, was a direct, long-term student and last “American Uchideshi” of Morihiro Saito Shihan, one of the primary students of the founder of Aikido, O’Sensei.

In 2019, Jason Sensei earned Yondan rank (4th degreee blackbelt) in Aikikai Aikido under the leadership of Mark Larson Sensei (Iwama Takemusu Aikikai). At this time, Aikido Bismarck also adopted the name North Dakota Aiki Shuren Dojo to reflect the afiliation with Larson Shihan and his family of dojos.

Jason Sensei is a regular attendee of regional, national and international Aikido seminars. Jason has been honored to receive countless hours of instruction from many additional great teachers over the years, especially Mark Larson Shihan of Minnesota, Patricia Hendricks Shihan of San Leandro, CA, Stephanie Yap Shihan (Florida) and Ken MacBeth Sensei (California).

Aikido of Bismarck’s students have also regularly traveled to national and international aikido seminars to advance and broaden their training.