I often get inquiries about the possibility of examination and rank promotion through via the Online Dojo.
With absolute clarity, it is not currently (and never will be) possible to do promotions through the Online Dojo – AIKIKAI ranks can only be done in-person through the organisation you are a member of. Most member of the Online Dojo and personally speaking that is TAE – Traditional Aikido Europe. Or people simply belong to no organisation (the rōnins*) and want to train, without the need or desire of recognition. In the end we are all rōnins.
I prefer to keep the Online Dojo as an explorative space for learning and developing – the focus is on training ‘shoulder-to-shoulder’ – rather than a hierarchical approach – and without the distraction of a certification/ranking system.
I do offer at times, private classes for those already within TAE who need to polish up on details for their next exam – but this is strictly within a one-one basis. This can be done Online because apart from there being personal contact with the person, it is always it is backed up with ‘in-the-flesh’ training.
* A rōnin (浪人) was a masterless samurai in feudal Japan, literally translating to “wave man” or “drifter”
