About Southland Aikido

Aikido Los Angeles - Southland Aikido
Southland Aikido was originally founded in the early 1990s by James Graves Sensei to provide quality instruction for Aikido in Los Angeles. It was reestablished in 2015 to provide a vibrant and positive environment to practice Aikido. Affiliated with the Aikikai World Headquarters (Hombu Dojo), Japan and the United States Aikido Federation, Southland Aikido’s mission is to promote traditional Aikido in the Los Angeles area.
Ethical Governance and Guidelines
Southland Aikido and its instructors do not discriminate in the admission, retention and care of students based upon race, ethnicity, age, national origin, disability, marital status or sexual orientation. The instructors and members are expected to follow at minimum, the guidelines prescribed by the United States Aikido Federation.
Mon
About the Southland Aikido Mon
The Southland Aikido dojo mon (crest) was adopted from a prevalent, hawk-feather bearing crest used in the Kyushu Islands during medieval Japan. The Kyushu prefecture is located in Southwestern Japan. Analogous to Southland Aikido’s location in Southwestern United States, it became a suitable crest for the dojo to adopt. The hawk was also a symbol often used by the samurai as it symbolized generosity and nobility of disposition.