Tony Smibert

Also known as

Anthony Charles Smibert

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

  sports_martial_artsAikidō Confirmed

  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

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  (1965–2010)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  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

  “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)link history info

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “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 link info

Lineage

• Aikidō Sugano Seiichi ← Ueshiba Morihei · 2 generations

Ranks (1)

• sports_martial_artsAikidō

  military_tech8 dan Confirmed

  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

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  Dan-Kyu System (2025-01)

  granted by Aikikai Foundation

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  3 sources expand_more

  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

  “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) Danlink history info

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “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 link info

  “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)link history info

Students (1)

• 
  Tristão da Cunha

  sports_martial_artsAikidō Probable

  Probable

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

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  (1980–1981)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  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)

  visibilityFirst-hand

  “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) linkhistory info

Honours (2)

• descriptionMember of the Order of Australia Probable

  Probable

  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

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Other (2016-06)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  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

  “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)link history info
• receipt_longShihan Probable

  Probable

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

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Title

  granted by Aikikai Foundation

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  fact_check

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

  “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)link history info

Sources

Identifiers