Aikido Tacoma Aikikai

Aikido Tacoma Aikikai is a martial arts school in Tacoma founded in 2016 by instructor Ea Murphy to share Aikido with Tacoma and the South Puget Sound region. The school teaches a traditional Japanese martial art shaped by lineage from Daito Ryu jujitsu, sword, spear, and spiritual practice, with instruction centered on effective technique, clear mechanics, timing, structure, and control. Training includes joint locks, throws, strikes, and pins used to neutralize an attacker while emphasizing responsiveness over brute force and connection over competition. Murphy and Eric Gillet, both Godan (fifth-degree black belt), bring many years of Aikido study to the school, with Gillet’s background in circus arts contributing to strength and flexibility development alongside disciplined self-defense practice.