TEACHERS

In Japanese Koryu or Old School martial arts promotions and titles, are given as a certificate or scroll and are different from the modern styles which give belts. The senior teachers are still known as "Sensei" but the certificates and sometimes scrolls are much older dating back some 800 years. In Jojutsu beginners are not ranked per se but once formally accepted into the ryu or school they are recognized as Okuiri-sho ("Certificate of Entering the Interior" oku meaning "secret" and iri meaning "enter"). The next scroll is Sho-mokuroku ("First Syllabus"), then Go-mokuroku ("After Syllabus" or advanced level) is granted, then Menkyo ("License"). Finally Menkyo Kaiden ("License of Total Transmission") is granted in recognition that the recipient has learned all facets of the school and is fully licensed to teach.

Scott Meshberger is the senior instructor at The Aikibudokan and holds Go-mokuroku in Jojutsu. He began his martial arts journey studying Shorin Ryu and Shotokan Karate in the late 1980's. He has trained in several martial arts and is a Yondan in Aikido. He began studying Shindo Muso Ryu in 2008 and in 2012 began the study of the koryu in 2012.

L.F. Wilkinson Sensei, holds Okuiri-sho in Jojutsu. He is also an 8th Degree Black Belt in Aikido and a 1st Degree Black Belt in Kodokan Judo with a background in Tae Kwon Do, Tai Chi, and police tactics and has been training in the martial arts since 1969.

Grover Jackson Sensei has been training in Jojutsu for over 15 years and holds Okuiri-sho. He previously studied Aikikai Aikido before beginning his study of Tomiki Ryu Aikido where he is ranked as Rokudan (6th Degree Black Belt).