Kraus Sensei Go Dan (5th degree black belt) Founder/Instructor, Vicksburg Aikikai
Our founder, Nicholas Kraus, studied Aikido and Aiki jo at Aikido Hombu Dojo (Aikido Headquarters Dojo) in Tokyo for 7 years, attending regular classes several times a day with many different Master teachers. He also took private lessons for more than 5 years with Seijuro Masuda Sensei, a Master teacher who was an apprentice of O-Sensei. While practicing at Hombu Dojo, he taught Aikido to Japanese citizens and to foreigners at a number of public gymnasiums, under the supervision of Masuda Sensei. Kraus Sensei received yon dan rank (fourth-degree black belt) at Hombu Dojo. Prior to going to Japan in 1973, he started practicing Aikido in Buenos Aires Argentina in 1971. In 1972, he established the first Aikido Dojo in the state of Minnesota, the University of Minnesota Aikido Club,
associated with the Midwest Aikido Center and the late master teacher Akira Tohei.