When you schedule a visit to observe a class at Multnomah Aikikai, you’ll have a chance to meet the Chief Instructor and observe class. You’ll get a sense of the dojo atmosphere, take in the vibe, and imagine yourself practicing with the students and teachers you see.

No one will pressure you to sign up for anything. It’s just a free friendly visit.

As you click through the booking form you will see options to observe the type of class you are interested in: adult aikido, children's aikido, or iaido (adult).

If you choose to observe an adult aikido class, you will see options on Wednesday evening or Saturday morning. We’ve chosen these two adult aikido classes for you to observe so that you can be sure to meet the Chief Instructor, Suzane Van Amburgh Sensei. Here’s what you can expect if you visit on either of these days:

On Saturdays, class begins at 10:30am and we encourage you to arrive about five minutes early so that we can greet you. The class runs one hour and you’ll have a chance to speak with the Chief Instructor right after class. Saturday class includes a full warm-up period, a bit of solo exercises, and then partner practices. Usually Sensei teaches a focused theme, building a skill layer by layer, then applying it to just one or two techniques. Beginning students often enjoy this class as well as senior students.

On Wednesday evenings, we hold back-to-back classes: Jon Paul Oliva Sensei teaches 6-6:50pm then we take a 10 minute break to care for the dojo and Suzane Van Amburgh Sensei teaches 7-7:50pm.

The booking portal shows your appointment time to be 6:30pm. This arrival time allows you to catch the last few minutes of one class, chat with the instructors during the break, and then watch the next class, taught by Van Amburgh Sensei. However, you are welcome to come early to observe any portion of the first class too.

Oliva Sensei’s class is usually energetic and attracts both beginners and experienced students. Van Amburgh Sensei’s 7pm class is a bit more geared toward experienced students.

Kids are encouraged to join in and practice with us when they visit.  Classes are beginner friendly, low pressure and easy to follow along with. It provides a great feeling for how we practice and many people fall in love right away.

Please have your child wear clothes they can move in with no belts or jewelry, and be prepared to go upside down and be barefoot on the mat.

If you would like to observe an iaido class please book your visit through the iaido calendar for Monday or Friday. After booking, please check your email inbox for further instructions. We will ask you to fill out a brief form ( a link can be found on our iaido information page). Iaido classes are held on Mon, Tue or Fri evenings. We schedule observation days on Mon or Wed. This allows you to meet the Chief Instructor. You will have a chance to speak with her right after the class.