Christian Tissier (born 1951 in Paris, France) is one of the best known European aikido teachers, who pioneered the art in France.[1] He started his Aikido training in 1962 as a child in Jean-Claude Tavernier's Dojo in Paris, following the style of Hiroo Mochizuki.[2] He soon went on to train under Mutsuro Nakazono and was awarded by him the 2nd dan before leaving for Tokyo in 1969.[2] He came to the Aikikai Hombu Dojo as an 18-year-old, and trained there for seven years. Among the teachers that have inspired him are Seigo Yamaguchi, Kisaburo Osawa and the second doshuKisshomaru Ueshiba. While living in Tokyo, he also trained in Kenjutsu under Minoru Inaba at the Shiseikan[2] and in Kickboxing at the Mejiro Gym.[3] He also worked as a model and taught French language at a school and Institut Franco-japonais de Tokyo.[2]
He received 7th dan in 1998,[4] and is among the handful of westerners who have been given the title Shihan by the Aikikai.
He is a founding member of the Fédération Française d'Aïkido Aïkibudo et Affinitaires (FFAAA or 2F3A) which was created in 1983.[5] He is also a member of the technical college (Collège Technique) in charge of the Dan grades examination and of the awarding of teaching certifications: Brevet d'Etat and Brevet Fédéral. These examinations take place jointly with members of the other federation, the Fédération Française d'Aïkido et de Budo (FFAB), within the Union des Fédérations d'Aïkido (UFA).[6]
He was one of the three Shihan (with Tsuruzo Miyamoto and Jiro Kimura) to be awarded the 8th dan by Aikido's Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba at the Kagamibiraki Ceremony held on January 11, 2016 at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo.[9][10]
