Born in Yamaguchi in southern Japan on March 26, 1948, Fujimoto seemed destined to follow the family art, kendo, subjecting himself to abrupt early rising as a child to wield the shinai before going to school in the daily antelucan lesson under the guidance. of the father, master of this art, or under the watchful control of the mother.
But as a teenager, together with some friends, he attended an aikido lesson at the Honbu Dojo in Tokyo, being instantly captivated by the personality of the founder and the many great masters who at the time dispensed their knowledge in that legendary school.
He was already shodan in 1962, at the age of 14. The commitment in practice does not prevent him from applying profitably to his studies at the Nitaidai University where he also founded an Aikido group still active today and directed at the beginning by master Tohei and then by master Masuda who were two strong points of reference in the his path, together with the second doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba. He particularly admires the master Kisaburo Osawa, developing a solid friendship with his son Hayato Osawa, a few years younger than him.
He already has the desire to know the world, but he knows that he has to wait for the graduation of the degree in Motor Sciences. He does not yet know that he will soon be called to spread the art of aikido in Italy, his plans were different.
Source: Facebook/Aikido
