Sensei Taneda began his training in Chito Ryu in 1974 under Sensei Warren Mauer. When the style split in 1979, Taneda Sensei remained committed to the original lineage — staying with Akutagawa Sensei and maintaining a direct relationship with O Sensei, the founder of Chito Ryu, and his son Yasuhiro Chitose Sensei.
In 1982, O Sensei and Chitose Sensei travelled across Canada. Taneda Sensei accompanied them, learning the Junishi — a sequence of 12 animal throws — that represent one of the art's deepest traditions. After O Sensei passed in 1984, Chitose Sensei became Soke, and Taneda Sensei has trained directly with him ever since.
Today, Sensei Taneda is the Vice Honbucho for the Sohonbu in Japan — the highest-ranking person outside Japan in this original lineage. The Taneda Dojo has promoted over 100 Black Belts, with graduates now living and teaching in England, Greece, Japan, Australia, and across Canada.
The Okanagan Chito Ryu Society was formed to give this legacy the organizational and community support it deserves — ensuring that this extraordinary tradition continues to thrive in the Okanagan Valley for generations to come.