Instructors
Graves Sensei is pictured above (right) demonstrating a bokken kata. Uke: Chris Bushra
Chief Instructor
James Graves, 6th dan, Shihan
Jim’s journey in Aikido began in 1981 at Mount Pleasant Aikido. Over the years, he had the privilege of training with numerous original students of Morihei Ueshiba, including a period as a live-in student with the late Morihiro Saito Sensei in Iwama, Japan. By 1985, Jim had started teaching Aikido and assumed the role of chief instructor at Mount Pleasant Aikido.
Upon relocating to Los Angeles, he served as an assistant instructor at Aikido Center of Los Angeles. In 1991, Jim co-founded City Aikido of Los Angeles, where he held the position of senior instructor until 2014. In 2015, he revived Southland Aikido in the L.A. area, a dojo he originally established in the early nineties, where he taught until pursuing graduate school.
In 2024, Jim was bestowed the title of Shihan (master instructor) by the Aikikai World Headquarters, Japan. He is the chief instructor for Aikido and Iaido at Southland Aikido, which is affiliated with the United States Aikido Federation (USAF).
assistant Instructors
Tom Ito, 4th Dan
Tom embarked on his Aikido journey in 1997 at Pasadena Aikikai under the guidance of Dan Nicodemo Sensei, alongside their sister dojo, Aikido Academy under Francis Takahashi Sensei. He attributes much of his early development of fundamentals and foundation to Nicodemo Sensei. Tom continued his training at City Aikido of Los Angeles under Kazuho Nishida Sensei, where he attained his dan ranks from Yoshimitsu Yamada Sensei. He was also greatly influenced by the late Mitsunari Kanai Sensei. In 2015, Tom continued his practice under the guidance of James Graves Sensei.
Rod Yabut, 4th Dan, Shidoin
Rod began his Aikido training in 1999 at Orange County Aikikai. After relocating to L.A. in 2004, he became a student at City Aikido of Los Angeles under Kaz Nishida Sensei. In 2015, he began training at Southland Aikido under Jim Graves Sensei, following the teachings of the USAF’s founding Shihankai and their senior students. As a Shidoin (certified instructor), Rod credits Yoshimitsu Yamada Sensei, who presided over all his black belt exams, as an enduring source of inspiration in his Aikido journey. To further deepen his practice, he continues to train with master instructors from the U.S. and abroad, including pilgrimages to Aikikai Hombu Dojo in Tokyo, Japan.
Reid Honjiyo, 3rd Dan
In 2003, Reid started practicing Aikido under the guidance of Francis Takahashi Sensei and Robin Mitsui Sensei at Aikido Academy. He also received training from John Harney Sensei, who was a disciple of Morihiro Saito Sensei. Reid earned his shodan and nidan ranks from Francis Takahashi Sensei and later received his sandan from Mariye Takahashi Sensei.
Mariye Takahashi Sensei is notable in Aikido history as one of the last surviving Aikido teachers in the U.S. who had close contact with the founder of Aikido. She was also one of the first female uchi-deshi with a shodan from Hombu Dojo to be sent to the U.S. Reid’s commitment to his training led him to start studying iaido and Aikido under James Graves Sensei in 2022.
Anna Ito, 1st Dan
Anna started practicing Aikido at City Aikido of Los Angeles in 1996. After a break from Aikido in 2005, she resumed her practice in 2015 by joining Southland Aikido. With the guidance of James Graves Sensei, Anna reinstated her regular Aikido practice. In 2019, she achieved her Shodan rank, which was awarded by Peter Bernath Sensei.
Southland Aikido 