About Us

Kokikai Aikido is a Japanese martial art of self-defense founded by Sensei Shuji Maruyama, a direct student of Morihei Ueshiba, the original founder of Aikido. Sensei Maruyama has taught for over six decades in Japan, Australia, and the United States. He established the Kokikai school in order to promote a style of Aikido that is more focused on natural human feeling and effective technique through mind-body coordination.

A journey to self-mastery, the Kokikai method encourages students to realize their full potential in all activities of life by learning to respond to aggression and conflict with calmness and relaxation. We seek to improve ourselves by training in a form of self-defense based on natural movement, not stiff and rigid forms, and by following our four basic principles.

Aikido is a non-violent art of self-defense. Our focus is less on fighting and more on how to develop your natural human abilities so you can benefit from your practice in daily life. Most importantly, we have fun! Aikido is safe, non-competitive, and will appeal to anyone interested in building inner strength, physical confidence, and personal character. If you like yoga but think all martial arts are like MMA, then maybe Aikido is for you.

Our motto is “minimum effort, maximum effect.” Come find out why!

Aikido Kokikai Berlin was founded by Steven Syrek Sensei in 2017. It is the first and only Aikido Kokikai dojo in Europe and the only Aikido dojo in Berlin where all classes are taught in English.

We train at Syndicate Martial Arts Berlin, a martial arts studio located in central Berlin. Syndicate Martial Arts Berlin offers a number of martial arts and fitness courses, which you can take in combination with Kokikai Aikido.

Classes are in English, but all are welcome regardless of language, age, sex, physical ability, or prior martial arts experience. Students of other styles of Aikido are also encouraged to join us, but we ask that you wear a white belt and practice with “beginner’s mind” until you decide to follow the Kokikai way.

Steven Syrek Sensei, 5. dan, has been practicing Aikido since 2002. He previously taught from 2008–2017 in New York City before moving to Berlin. Steve Sensei is a student of Gary Snyder Sensei, 8. dan, the former chief instructor of Aikido Kokikai NYC and has received regular instruction directly from Sensei Shuji Maruyama, the founder of Kokikai, who has appointed him regional coordinator of Europe for Aikido Kokikai International.