From 3 to 5 January 2026, instructors and volunteers from Takemusu Aikido Society travelled to Gothenburg Aikido Club in Sweden as part of our Erasmus+ job-shadowing programme. This second mobility built on our previous visit and offered a deeper look into how Takemusu Aikido is taught, organised, and transmitted at a high level.

Across three intensive days of training and observation, we explored how complex Aikido practice is made accessible through clear principles and structured progression. Classes covered preparatory work for juwaza, two-attacker techniques, disarming methods, Kokyunage progression, and rarely taught areas such as Ken–Tai–Jo. Throughout the programme, instructors demonstrated how advanced techniques grow naturally from solid basics, allowing mixed-level groups to train together safely and effectively.

Beyond technical training, we observed dojo organisation, instructor development pathways, grading procedures, and the strong culture of etiquette and mutual responsibility that underpins practice at Gothenburg Aikido Club. Informal discussions outside the mat provided valuable insight into the history and philosophy behind the techniques.

The visit also strengthened international connections with instructors from Sweden, Poland, and Lithuania, reinforcing the importance of European cooperation in developing high-quality Aikido instruction. The knowledge and approaches gained during this trip will be integrated into our regular classes and shared within the wider Irish Aikido community.