CHIEF TECHNICAL ADVISOR of AIKIDO SOUTH AFRICA^®, Sensei Roberto Travaglini (6° Dan) is the leading senior student of the late Shihan Yoji Fujimoto Shihan (8° Dan). His appointment to ASA was the last will of Yoji Fujimoto Shihan for South African aikido  and carries the full sanction of our Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba and Hombu Dojo – Tokyo, Japan.

Sensei Roberto Travaglini 6° Dan Aikikai of Italy and Aikikai Tokyo, started practicing aikido in 1979 (after practicing judo with teacher Ezechiele Romagnoli (Judo 5° Dan and Aikido 3° Dan)). He is a direct student of Yoji Fujimoto Shihan (8° Dan Aikikai Shihan) and immediately started to attend seminars with several Japanese masters of aikido, particularly those directed by Fujimoto Sensei. Travaglini Sensei has been uke for Fujimoto Shihan since 1983. As uke he followed and continues to follow Hiroshi Tada Sensei (9°Dan) and before also Hideki Hosokawa Sensei (7° Dan).

He became Shodan in 1983 (Fujimoto Sensei), Yondan in 1995 (Tada Sensei), Godan in 2001 (Tada Sensei) and Rokudan in 2010 (Fujimoto Sensei).

He has been teaching aikido since 1990 where he founded the dojo of Fano and Forlì, in Italy. In 1991 he founded Dojo Aikido Keiko in Bologna, where he is still responsible.

He has taught and continues to give lectures and seminars in Italy and abroad. In addition, he teaches educational disciplines at the University of Urbino "Carlo Bo". These courses also include detail on the art of aikido as a means of education and pedagogy. He has written and edited several psycho pedagogical essays, including the volumes Educating with aikido (2009) and The educational processes of aikido (2011). Since 2006, nominated by Aikikai of Italy, he received a readership for seminars for the training of Italian teachers of aikido for children and teens.

Travaglini Sensei is amongst other duties responsible for directing the technical standard of aikido in ASA, continuing the work as established by Fujimoto Shihan and perform Dan gradings up to 4° Dan. He will visit South Africa annually to conduct national seminars and Dan grading examinations.

AIKIDO SOUTH AFRICA^® is deeply honoured to have Travaglini Sensei as its Chief Technical Advisor ensuring the continuation of the highest standard of aikido in South Africa and in the world today.