Tampa Aikido is a single, unified dojo that brings together two Aikido lineages and two organizational affiliations in the spirit of friendship, respect, and community.
All of our instructors’ ranks and affiliations are recognized by the Aikido World Headquarters (Aikikai Hombu Dojo) in Tokyo, Japan. Students at Tampa Aikido may choose to affiliate and test through ASU, Shimbokukai, or both, depending on their training path. Our leadership supports and participates in both organizations.
The Founder envisioned Aikido as a path for unifying the world—not only through technique, but through community. At Tampa Aikido, we strive to lead by example, training together as one dojo with shared purpose, mutual respect, and a commitment to harmony on and off the mat.
The name for our school, “Aikido Chuseikan” was given to us by Saotome Sensei. “Chu Sei Kan” signifies sincerity, integrity, and loyalty; and has much of the same meaning as the calligraphy for “Bu Shi Do.” It implies more than just discipline and warrior courage but also service to the greater community. “Chu Sei Kan” recognizes a direct lineage and commitment to the mission of O Sensei Morihei Ueshiba, Saotome Shihan, the Aikido Schools of Ueshiba organization, and our students.
Our school was born out of a shared vision by the two Founders, Guy Hagen Sensei and Don Ellingsworth Sensei. As fellow students of John Messores Shihan, Hagen Sensei, and Ellingsworth Sensei “came up through the ranks” together, challenged each other, trained hard together for decades, and built a deep friendship that helped each to become a much better Aikido practitioner than they could have become alone. Together, they founded the Aikido Chuseikan of Tampa Bay dojo in Ybor City, which grew from 2013 through 2025. In that time, Hagen, Ellingsworth, and Tollen Senseis all received the Ueshiba Juku designation from Saotome Sensei, more than a dozen black belts were awarded, and a vibrant and lasting dojo community was established.
You can read more about the “waterwheel” logo chosen for our dojo in the following article, “The Symbolism of the Chuseikan Waterwheel“.
“Butokukan” translates as the “Institute of Martial Virtue.” The American Butokukan was founded in 1975 as a not-for-profit organization that grew to include clubs at ten universities across the United States and abroad. Its focus was integrating instruction in traditional Aikido, Karate, and weapons arts.
The American Butokukan was founded by Todd Jones Sensei, whose lineage begins in 1971 under Florida Aikido pioneer “Doc” Walker, and continued with direct training under Shihan Morihiro Saito and Shihan Yoshimitsu Yamada. Butokukan students are affiliated with the Aikido Shimbokukai organization.
The symbolism of the three cranes in the Butokukan symbol (mon) represents loyalty and nobility, echoing the seven martial virtues of Bushido. You can read more about the history of the Butokukan lineage in the article “Interview with Todd Jones: Thomas “Doc” Walker and Growing Aikido in Florida.”
The calligraphy for Tampa Aikido – “Tan Pa” means “the forging of waves”, referring to the circular motions of Aikido, the power of tsunami written about by Saotome Sensei, and of course Tampa as a coastal city. Tampa Aikido is the unified school of Jones Sensei, Hagen Sensei, and Ellingsworth Sensei, all of whom have been friends and colleagues for more than 20 years. In 2002, the University of South Florida Aikido Club (under Hagen Sensei) hosted one of the first regional friendship seminars, bringing together instructors from different organizations and different martial arts; Jones Sensei was one of the invited instructors. These three founders have visited each others’ classes ever since, and their friendship and mutual respect created the foundation for the new Tampa Aikido dojo on Cypress Street built in 2025. Their shared vision is that together, everyone can build a community and standard of excellence that resonates worldwide and honors the legacies we inherit.