Christian Tissier was born on February 7, 1951, in Paris. He began training in aikido in 1962 with Jean-Claude Tavernier and soon after with Nakazano Sensei. From the very beginning, he demonstrated his talent and exceptional dedication to aikido, as evidenced by his second dan, achieved at the age of 17 in 1968.

In January 1969, he realized his dream of traveling to Japan – the world center of Aikido – to train with the greatest masters of this discipline. The planned six-month stay turned into seven years of intensive training. He trained with all the Aikikai masters, but primarily with Doshu and Seigo Yamaguchi (whose Aikido appealed to him most), as well as with Mitsugi Saotome and Osawa Sensei, the Aikikai's technical director. At the same time, he practiced ken-jutsu and kickboxing.

In addition to martial arts, Sensei Tissier studied Japanese at the Tokyo School of Japanese Language and Sophia University. To support himself, he also taught French at a high school and at the French-Japanese Institute in Tokyo.

Despite returning to France, he frequently traveled to Japan. In 1981, the Aikikai awarded him 5th dan, and in 1986, 6th dan. In 1998, Christian Sensei received 7th dan from Doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba, and in 2015, 8th dan. Today he is one of the greatest and unrivaled masters of Aikido.

Official website: www.christiantissier.com