Shihan Aso promoted me from 8th Dan to 9th Dan, the founder’s rank.
Here is the official announcement from Shihan Aso.
“I am promoting S.A.W Daihyo Shihan Toshiyuki Ito 8th Dan to 9th Dan as the founder’s rank successor. This is because I recognise his achievements so far, his sincere drive to develop S.A.W despite his difficulties in a foreign country, his Indomitable spirit that did not give in to illness, and his perseverance even when he was afflicted by illness have made him an even greater person. I have judged him to be truly worthy of the founder’s rank of 9th Dan.
5th July 2025 S.A.W founder Hidetaka Aso”
When I think back to my teenage years, when I first started training with Shihan Aso I knew nothing about martial arts and was only interested in fighting, I never dreamed that I would reach the same rank as Shihan Aso, who had raised me to this point.
Now that I have been promoted to the highest rank in S.A.W, I am determined to work even harder and contribute to the development of S.A.W with even greater sense of responsibility.
S.A.W Daihyo Shihan Toshiyuki Ito
