Newport Beach Aikido is proud to invite Phillip Lee Shihan as our special guest to the 9th Annual Sugano Shihan Summer.

SHIHAN PHILIP LEE (AIKIKAI 7TH DAN) was born on October 1954 and is one of the five founding fathers of Aikido in Singapore. Having caught the martial arts bug early in his life, Shihan Philip Lee first got acquainted with martial arts training at the age of 9. His keen interest led him from one martial art to another. First being acquainted with Chinese Martial Art (Wushu) before finding himself learning a repertoire of various martial art, ranging from Judo to Tai Chi to Kodachi Goshindo (now commonly known as Sports Chanbara) and Karate for the next two and a half Decades.


In 1971, at the age of 17. Shihan Philip started his journey in Aikido. Following his keen passion towards Aikido, in 1981 Shihan Philip made an extended visit to the Aikido World Headquarters, Japan to pursue his passion under the “Uchideshi” programme, training under the supervision of the second Doshu – Kisshomaru Ueshiba. Thereafter, Shihan Philip not only maintains a strong relationship with the Aikido World Headquarters, but have made it a point to organize annual trips to the Aikido World Headquarters.

Bringing back to Singapore his experience and passion gained during his stay at the Aikido World Headquarters. In 1988, Shihan Philip founded and established Aikido Shinju-Kai. Over the years, Aikido practice in Singapore was considerably categorized as an internal community. Till, one day where Shihan Philip made a significant breakthrough in Singapore by successfully introducing Aikido training to the Singapore Armed Forces (SAF) -The Guards Unit and the Gurkha Contingent of the Singapore Police Force (SPF) from 1999 till 2009. In the year 2001, Aikido Shinju-Kai received the Official Recognition from the Aikido World Headquarters, Japan and was then that in 2003, did Shihan Philip gave up his Interior & Construction Company to become the first full-time Aikido Instructor in Singapore.

Shihan Philip received the title of “Shihan” in January 2014 and was awarded the grade of 7th Dan in January 2017 during the Annual Kagami Birakai held in Japan. Under Shihan Philip’s leadership, Aikido Shinju-Kai now helms one of the largest independent Aikido organization in South East Asia, accredited by both the Singapore government as well as many leading governing authorities. Today with close to 60 training centres in Singapore and more than 40 affiliated training centres within the region. Aikido Shinju-Kai is supported by a cadre of more than 80 instructors and 100 assistants, facilitating the growth to more than 10,000 members’ database