Lewis Bernaldo de Quirós trained full time under the late Morihiro Saito Sensei (9th Dan) from 1986 until 1993 in the Iwama Dojo in Japan.

Prior to beginning his training in Aikido he trained for 10 years in both Judo and Karate (Shotokan Karate under the late Keinosuke Enoeda Sensei 9th Dan in London).

During his stay in Japan he also practiced Kyudo (Traditional Japanese Archery) and Zen.

Since returning from Japan he has taught Aikido on a full time basis and to date has conducted well over 300 international seminars. After returning from Japan he maintained regular contact with his teacher through seminars both as a participant as well as assistant and translator until his passing away in 2002.

Lewis received the rank of 5th Dan Aikikai from Morihiro Saito Sensei in 1999 and 6th Dan Aikikai from Doshu Moriteru Ueshiba (Hombu Dojo Tokyo) in 2009 and 7th dan in the Kagamibiraki Grading in 2024

He is the senior instructor and examiner on behalf of Hombu Dojo of a European network of Dojos (Traditional Aikido Europe) committed to developing, researching and transmitting the style of Aikido known as Takemusu Aikido (Iwama Aikido) which was transmitted directly to Morihiro Saito Sensei from the Founder of Aikido Morihei Ueshiba during his more than 23 years as a direct student at the Founder’s Dojo in Iwama Japan.

Lewis is the Dojo Cho Maru Dojo Zaragoza and Technical Director of Traditional Aikido Europe (TAE).

Lewis is a direct student of Morihiro Saito Sensei.

Morihiro Saito Sensei was one of the principal students of the Founder of Aikido Morihei Ueshiba and trained under him as his sole and only teacher for over 23 years taking over as both caretaker of the Aikido Shrine and as Dojo cho of the Founder’s Dojo in Iwama upon his decease in 1969.

Morihiro Saito Sensei passed away on 13 May 2002.