BIOGRAPHY

 

Tony Annesi has studied the martial arts since 1964 and has received black belts in judo, aiki-ju-jutsu, and karate. As early as 1977, Annesi received the title Ichiban Deshi no Soke  (#1 student of the stylistic leader) in aiki-ju-jutsu from Shihan Albert C. Church, Jr., inheritor of the Shorinji Tetsu Ken Kamishin-ryu.

            In 1984, the Goshin-kai International, a French federation, and the International Brotherhood of Martial Artists, a German-based organization, both decorated Annesi for his dedication to the martial arts. 

Annesi has written a column (Tales of the Dojo that later became The Dojo Files) for INSIDE KARATE MAGAZINE and for MARTIAL ARTS MASTERS. He has written for SELF-DEFENSE WORLD, INSIDE KUNG-FU, THE INTERNATIONAL FIGHTER, and BLACK BELT, as well.  He has authored the official karate and aiki-ju-jutsu manual series for BUSHIDO-KAI KENKYUKAI and is the author of the privately published Cracking the Kata Code, The Road to Mastery, Principles of Advanced Budo, Sudden Attack Defense, Elevated Elementals and Comparative Aiki in Action.

            In 1984, Tony Annesi was appointed soke-dai (inheritor-designate) of the Kamishin-ryu martial arts and the KAMISHIN-KAI INTERNATIONAL.  In the fall of 1986, Annesi earned the title of shihan-renshi (master instructor). In 1988, due to a conflict in leadership styles and goals, Annesi resigned from the KAMISHIN-KAI. He is currently chief officer of BUSHIDO-KAI KENKYUKAI, an organization dedicated to the development of traditional martial arts in the modern world and specifically of TAKESHIN SOGO BUDO (a teaching method comprised of TAKESHIN AIKI, TAKESHIN KARATE, and TAKESHIN SEIKEN BUDO) administrated from its BUSHIDO-KAI HOMBU DOJO in Ashland, Massachusetts. 

            Annesi offers seminars in aiki, karate and seiken budo worldwide, and is the director of BUSHIDO-KAI BUDOYA (300 Eliot St. #369, Ashland, Massachusetts; www.bushido-kai.net), which markets martial arts videos, manuals, and other educational materials. He has taught all over the USA, and in Canada, France, Denmark, Germany, and Australia.

            In September of 2000, Shihan Annesi was awarded the "Martial Arts Founder Award" from the World Head of Family Sokeship Council International Hall of Fame (Florida). In 2001, he was inducted into the Pioneers and Legends in the Martial Arts Hall of Fame (Missouri). In 2006, he was inducted into the International Black Belt Hall of Fame. In 2012 he was inducted into the Karate Masters Hall of Fame (New Jersey).

            He is featured in Corcoran and Farkas's landmark reference, Martial Arts: History, Traditions, People and appears in Jose Fraguas’s 2010 book Karate Masters, Volume 4.

Hanshi Annesi is currently ranked hachidan (8th dan) in Aiki-ju-jutsu and Karate-do, rokudan (6th dan) in Shotokan karate, and nidan (2nd dan) in judo.

As of 2013, Shihan Annesi has produced over 100 seminar video programs for Aiki, Karate, and Integrated Arts.