Instructors

Jiyushinkai Chief Instructor

C. E. Clark
Born in 1947, Clark sensei began budo training at the age of six and has continued his practice through the present. Clark has studied in the U.S., France, Japan, Canada, and Republic of South Vietnam, and holds the rank of Jiyushinkai Shihan, 8th dan, (has also practiced Kodokan Judo, karate do, jujutsu, Shinto Muso Ryu Jo and T’ai chi ch’uan). Clark has trained under a number of top-level teachers, and has been most strongly influenced by F. Fujita, J. Bayless, R.L. Willingham, E. Cates, F. Hatashita, K. Geis, T. Miyake, P. Relnick, and T. Nishioka. He founded his own organization, the Jiyushinkai, in 1984. A U.S.M.C. veteran of Vietnam and former hospital manager and consultant. Clark is now a writer and budo teacher at the Jiyushinkan in Monroe, WA. He has a son, Aaron, two grand-daughters, and a dog.

Renshinkan Instructors

Charlie Atkinson
Born in 1965, Charlie has been practicing aikibudo since 1995 as well as Shinto Muso-ryu jo (Sho-Mokuroku) and other Japanese koryu with Phil Relnick. His instructors are C. E. Clark and Aaron Clark. He holds Jiyushinkai 4th dan and is an instructor at the Renshinkan. He is married to Ginny (who also trains in koryu arts) and has dogs and cats.

Carl Bilodeau
Born in 1968, Carl began his budo training in 1995 under C. E. Clark in Arizona. His practice has been influenced by several teachers in the Jiyushinkai system, his peers, and Stan Conner. He holds Jiyushinkai 4th dan and is an assistant instructor at the Renshinkan. He also studies Shinto Muso-ryu jo with Phil Relnick. He currently lives in Mesa.

Steve Furbush
Born in 1961, Steve’s martial arts career started in the late 70′s with Uechi-ryu Karate followed by Orthodox Dragon Kung Fu, which he practiced actively for 10 years. He began training at the Jiyushinkan in Tempe, Arizona in early 1994. His teachers include C. E. Clark, Aaron Clark, and he also practices Shinto Muso-ryu jo (Go-Mokuroku) and other Japanese koryu with Phil Relnick. He currently holds Jiyushinkai 4th dan and is an assistant instructor at the Renshinkan. He is married to Karen.

Michael Hacker
Born in 1969, Michael began his budo training in the late 70′s with Tae Kwon Do under the late Suk Ki Shin and has had exposure to various Japanese, Chinese, Korean, and Filipino martial arts. He began Aikido training under Donald Moriyama in 1990 while living in Japan, and started training under C. E. Clark sensei in 1995. His primary influences are Donald Moriyama, Amano Shigeko, Saito Morihiro, C. E. Clark, David Martin, and Stan Conner. Michael lived in Japan for 10 years, is fluent in Japanese and Russian, and is a Graduate Student in Linguistics at Arizona State University. He currently holds Jiyushinkai 4th dan and is an instructor at the Renshinkan.

Dennis J. Hintz
Born in 1945, Dennis started Aikibudo training in 1998 under C. E. Clark and Aaron Clark, and has been influenced by others in the Jiyushinkai system. He also studies Shinto Muso Ryu Jo with Phil Relnick. He holds Jiyushinkai 4th dan and is an assistant instructor at the Renshinkan. He lives in Gilbert, Arizona with his wife Lorri and their three cats.

For more information on licensed Jiyushinkai teachers, please visit Jiyushinkai.org.