The great masters: Fukiko Sunadomari Sensei (Part 1)

Fukiko Sunadomari was born on May 9, 1914. She was also called Fukiko Sunadomari Sensei, the only woman who personally received the 6th Dan from the Founder; Fukiko was the sister of Kanshu Sunadomari Sensei and the monk Kagemoto Sunadomari.

Born into a family of faithful followers of the Omoto religion , she is the younger sister of Kanemoto SUNADOMARI , monk and student of Morihei UESHIBA from 1928 and elder sister of Kanshu SUNADOMARI , uchi deshi of the founder from 1941.

Towards the end of the 1930s, Fukiko began practicing martial arts by studying the naginata Jikishingake-ryu, a weapon similar to a spear with a curved blade.

The study led by Hideo Sonobe , considered the greatest expert on Japan and naginata n ommée Shihan in 1926 by Dai Nippon Butoku Kai . SONOBE Sensei had met Master UESHIBA in 1939 , during a demonstration in Manchuria and had been enthusiastic about his art.

She ran a private school and a dojo in the setagaya district of Tokyo and granted special permission to her students who wished to take aikido classes.

To be continued