Also known as

Description

Australian aikido teacher (8th dan Aikikai, shihan) and artist, president of Aiki Kai Australia and member of the International Aikido Federation Senior Council. He began aikido in 1964 and was a lifelong student of Seiichi Sugano from 1965 until Sugano's death in 2010. He was awarded the 8th dan at the Kagami Biraki in January 2025.

Teachers (1)

• 
  Sugano Seiichi

  linkAikidō 3

  Confirmed

  Tony Smibert was a student of Seiichi Sugano from Sugano's arrival in Australia in 1965 until Sugano's death in 2010, documented by Wikipedia and the Guillaume Erard interview

  (1965-2010)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources

  fact_check

  Tony Smibert was a student of Seiichi Sugano from Sugano's arrival in Australia in 1965 until Sugano's death in 2010, documented by Wikipedia and the Guillaume Erard interview

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "He became a student of aikido master Seiichi Sugano in 1965 and remained his student until Sugano's death in 2010."

  — Wikipedia contributors. Tony Smibert - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo

  "Then I was with him as his senior student from then on until he passed away ... I was in the room as he passed away."

  — Guillaume Erard. (2026). Interview with Tony Smibert - Mastery via stewardship, not ownership linkinfo

Ranks (1)

• linkAikidō

  military_tech8 dan 3

  Confirmed

  Aiki Kai Australia news and the Guillaume Erard interview both record that Smibert was one of ten senior instructors awarded the 8th dan by the Doshu at the Kagami Biraki in January 2025; Wikipedia also lists him as 8th dan Aikikai

  Dan-Kyu System (2025-01)

  granted by Aikikai Foundation

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  3 sources

  fact_check

  Aiki Kai Australia news and the Guillaume Erard interview both record that Smibert was one of ten senior instructors awarded the 8th dan by the Doshu at the Kagami Biraki in January 2025; Wikipedia also lists him as 8th dan Aikikai

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Tony Smibert Shihan was one of ten senior Aikido instructors awarded the 8th dan by Doshu during the Kagami biraki, held at the Aiki Kai Foundation in January 2025."

  — Aiki Kai Australia. (2025). Tony Smibert Shihan Promoted to Hachidan (8th) Danlinkinfo

  "Tony Smibert receiving the 8th dan from Doshu and Dojo-cho during the Kagamibiraki 2025"

  — Guillaume Erard. (2026). Interview with Tony Smibert - Mastery via stewardship, not ownership linkinfo

  "Smibert currently holds the rank of 8th dan Aikikai and the teaching title of shihan from Aikido World Headquarters in Japan."

  — Wikipedia contributors. Tony Smibert - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo

Students (1)

• 
  Tristão da Cunha

  linkAikidō 3

  Confirmed

  Tristão da Cunha states he began aikido practice in 1980 or 81 at his university in Melbourne, first under Tony Smibert (4th dan Aikikai)

  (1980-1981)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Tristão da Cunha states he began aikido practice in 1980 or 81 at his university in Melbourne, first under Tony Smibert (4th dan Aikikai)

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Iniciei a minha prática de Aikido em 1980 ou 81, já não me recordo precisamente, em Melbourne, Austrália, na Universidade onde estudava. O meu primeiro professor chamava-se Tony Smibert que era 4º Dan de Aikido, Aikikai."

  — Pedro Escudeiro. (2000). Entrevista ao Professor Tristão da Cunha (Pedro Escudeiro, 2000). Surya (Centro de Artes Orientais) linkhistoryinfo

Honors (2)

• descriptionMember of the Order of Australia 3

  Confirmed

  Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen's Birthday Honours of June 2016 for service to aikido and to the visual arts, per the Wikipedia article

  Other (2016-06)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  Appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) in the Queen's Birthday Honours of June 2016 for service to aikido and to the visual arts, per the Wikipedia article

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "In the Queen's Birthday Honours in June 2016, Smibert was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia (AM) 'for significant service to aikido through a range of roles, and to the visual arts as a painter and water colourist'."

  — Wikipedia contributors. Tony Smibert - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
• receipt_longShihan 2

  Probable

  The shihan teaching title from Aikido World Headquarters is stated in the Wikipedia article without a specific award date

  Title

  granted by Aikikai Foundation

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

  The shihan teaching title from Aikido World Headquarters is stated in the Wikipedia article without a specific award date

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "Smibert currently holds the rank of 8th dan Aikikai and the teaching title of shihan from Aikido World Headquarters in Japan."

  — Wikipedia contributors. Tony Smibert - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo

Sources