(20 January 1920 – 19 May 2011) was a 10th
Dan
Dan or DAN may refer to:
People
* Dan (name), including a list of people with the name
** Dan (king), several kings of Denmark
* Dan people, an ethnic group located in West Africa
**Dan language, a Mande language spoken primarily in Côte d'Ivoi ...
aikidoka
Aikidoka (合気道家'' aikidōka'') is a Japanese term for a master-level practitioner of the martial art Aikido. The term is rarely heard among native speakers of Japanese, in spite of its common use as a loanword in other countries.
Etymolo ...
and founder of the
Ki Society The is an aikido organization founded by Koichi Tohei in 1971, while he was the chief instructor at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo. The official Japanese name of the organization is Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido Kai (心身統一合気道会), but it is also kn ...
and its style of
aikido
Aikido ( , , , ) is a modern Japanese martial art that is split into many different styles, including Iwama Ryu, Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shuren Kai, Shodokan Aikido, Yoshinkan, Renshinkai, Aikikai and Ki Aikido. Aikido is now practiced in around 1 ...
, officially
Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido
or is a Japanese martial art, a gendai budo (contemporary martial art).
It is part of the martial arts derived from aikido, which appeared after its founder's death in 1969. It started in early 70's with the creation of the Ki Society of Koichi T ...
(literally "aikido with mind and body unified"), but commonly known as
Ki-Aikido
or is a Japanese martial art, a gendai budo (contemporary martial art).
It is part of the martial arts derived from aikido, which appeared after its founder's death in 1969. It started in early 70's with the creation of the Ki Society of Koichi T ...
.
Aikido
Koichi Tohei was born 1920 in Shitaya ward (下谷区), presently
Taitō
is a special ward located in Tokyo Metropolis, Japan. In English, it is known as Taitō City.
As of May 1, 2015, the ward has an estimated population of 186,276, and a population density of 18,420 persons per km2. The total area is . Thi ...
, in
Tokyo
Tokyo (; ja, 東京, , ), officially the Tokyo Metropolis ( ja, 東京都, label=none, ), is the capital and largest city of Japan. Formerly known as Edo, its metropolitan area () is the most populous in the world, with an estimated 37.468 ...
and graduated from the Economics Department of Keio University. As a boy he was sickly and frail, leading his father to recommend Tohei for
judo
is an unarmed gendai budō, modern Japanese martial art, Olympic sport (since 1964), and the most prominent form of jacket wrestling competed internationally.『日本大百科全書』電子版【柔道】(CD-ROM version of Encyclopedia Nipponi ...
studies. He trained hard and his body prospered, but soon after he began his pre-college studies at
Keio University
, mottoeng = The pen is mightier than the sword
, type = Private research coeducational higher education institution
, established = 1858
, founder = Yukichi Fukuzawa
, endowmen ...
, he developed a case of
pleurisy
Pleurisy, also known as pleuritis, is inflammation of the membranes that surround the lungs and line the chest cavity (pleurae). This can result in a sharp chest pain while breathing. Occasionally the pain may be a constant dull ache. Other sy ...
. This forced Tohei to take a year off.
Tohei was distressed at the thought of losing his newfound strength of body and his means of training it, so he decided to replace his judo studies with
Zen meditation
''Zazen'' (literally " seated meditation"; ja, 座禅; , pronounced ) is a meditative discipline that is typically the primary practice of the Zen Buddhist tradition.
However, the term is a general one not unique to Zen, and thus technicall ...
and
misogi
is a Japanese Shinto practice of ritual purification by washing the entire body. Misogi is related to another Shinto purification ritual called ''Harae'' – thus both being collectively referred to as .
Background
Every year, many people ...
exercises, learned at the
Ichikukai Dojo in Tokyo. As with his judo studies, Tohei entered the training of the mind with fervor and soon excelled despite his serious health issues. After his recovery from pleurisy, Tohei became convinced that it was his efforts in training his mind and cultivating his
ki that had helped him to heal and recover. This stimulated his later development of Kiatsu, a system of treating physical illness by pressing with the fingers and extending the ki into the ill person's body. Tohei describes this as "priming the pump" allowing the person to heal themselves.
After recovering from pleurisy he returned to judo, but Tohei wanted more than just physical training and did not think that judo was the right art for him to practise, although he did continue studying judo until he started aikido.
In 1940, when he was 19, Tohei's judo instructor, Shohei Mori, recommended that Tohei meet with the founder of aikido,
Morihei Ueshiba
was a Japanese martial artist and founder of the martial art of aikido. He is often referred to as "the founder" or , "Great Teacher/Old Teacher (old as opposed to ''waka (young) sensei'')".
The son of a landowner from Tanabe, Ueshiba st ...
.
According to Tohei, when he first met with an aikido instructor and practiced some techniques at the Ueshiba dojo, he had doubts about aikido and its value to him. That changed when Ueshiba entered the dojo and started to perform his techniques on the instructors. Tohei was still not entirely convinced until Ueshiba asked Tohei to step onto the mat and try to grab him. Tohei's attempts were unsuccessful, and after this personal demonstration by Ueshiba, Tohei asked to enroll on the spot. Tohei continued to train his mind as well as his body with meditation,
misogi
is a Japanese Shinto practice of ritual purification by washing the entire body. Misogi is related to another Shinto purification ritual called ''Harae'' – thus both being collectively referred to as .
Background
Every year, many people ...
and aikido.
Tohei trained with Ueshiba for six months before being sent as a representative (dairi) to teach at the Shumei Okawa school and the
military police
Military police (MP) are law enforcement agencies connected with, or part of, the military of a state. In wartime operations, the military police may support the main fighting force with force protection, convoy security, screening, rear recon ...
academy. This was before Tohei was ranked as either dan or kyu. Ueshiba presented Tohei with the rank of 5th dan after Tohei had begun his military service.
War years
In 1942, Koichi Tohei graduated from the Economics Department of the prestigious Keio University. In February 1944, after receiving military training, Tohei Sensei was sent leading an infantry unit into occupied China. There he understood, under enemy fire, the importance of calming one's mind in the One Point in the lower abdomen ("seika no itten"). Because of the lack of doctors, Tohei developed during the war the principles of what he later named Kiatsu Therapy, based on sending Ki through the fingertips.
He saw action in China and was stranded there at the end of the war until his repatriation in 1946. Tohei Sensei stated on several occasions that Ki principles such as "extend Ki" and "relax completely" leaving things up to the Universe helped him to stay safe during the war, along with the eighty men under his command.
Post-war years
Beginning in 1953 Koichi Tohei Sensei was responsible for the introduction of
Aikido
Aikido ( , , , ) is a modern Japanese martial art that is split into many different styles, including Iwama Ryu, Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shuren Kai, Shodokan Aikido, Yoshinkan, Renshinkai, Aikikai and Ki Aikido. Aikido is now practiced in around 1 ...
to the West, mainly through regular teaching journeys to Hawaii, but also continental US and Europe. It was the first time the Founder of Aikido allowed for the art to be taught outside Japan. For that reason, Hawaii became a center for diffusion of Aikido in the United States, and remains today an important place for Ki-Aikido.
During his years at the Aikikai, Tohei Sensei taught Aikido to many famous Shihan like Hiroshi Tada, Sadateru Arikawa, Seigo Yamaguchi, Shigenobu Okumura, Kazuo Chiba, Yoshimitsu Yamada and
Steven Seagal
Steven Frederic Seagal (; born April 10, 1952) is an American actor, screenwriter and martial artist. A 7th-dan black belt in aikido, he began his adult life as a martial arts instructor in Japan and eventually ended up running his father-in-l ...
.
In 1969, Tohei was asked by Ueshiba to accept the new rank of 10th dan, which Tohei accepted, after having previously refused the same offer. The top rank in aikido had been 8th dan, but the ranks were expanded by Ueshiba for practical as well as political reasons.
The above statement may be inaccurate as
Gozo Shioda
was a Japanese master of aikido who founded the Yoshinkan style of aikido.[Yoshinkan
Yoshinkan (養神館 ''Yōshinkan'' lit. "Hall of Spirit Cultivation") Aikido is a style of aikido that developed after World War II in the Yoshinkan Dojo of Gozo Shioda (1915–1994). Yoshinkan Aikido is often called the "hard" style of aikido b ...](_blank)
Aikido had been awarded the rank of 9th Dan by Ueshiba eight years before any other 9th dans, in 1961.
Creation of the Ki no Kenkyukai
The events leading up to the split between the main aikido organization, the Aikikai, and Tohei were fueled with the death of
Morihei Ueshiba
was a Japanese martial artist and founder of the martial art of aikido. He is often referred to as "the founder" or , "Great Teacher/Old Teacher (old as opposed to ''waka (young) sensei'')".
The son of a landowner from Tanabe, Ueshiba st ...
in 1969. His son
Kisshomaru Ueshiba
was a prominent Japanese master of aikido.Pranin, S. A. (''c.'' 2009)Encyclopedia of Aikido: Ueshiba, Kisshomaru Retrieved on March 1, 2010. He was the son of Morihei Ueshiba, founder of aikido, and became the international leader of aikido after ...
inherited the title of
Doshu
was a Provinces of Japan, province of Japan in the area of southern Shikoku.Louis-Frédéric, Nussbaum, Louis-Frédéric. (2005). "''Tosa''" in . Tosa bordered on Awa Province (Tokushima), Awa to the northeast, and Iyo Province, Iyo to the no ...
. At the time of Ueshiba's death, Tohei was chief instructor of the
Hombu Dojo
A is a hall or place for immersive learning or meditation. This is traditionally in the field of martial arts, but has been seen increasingly in other fields, such as meditation and software development. The term literally means "place of the ...
, the headquarters of Aikikai, a title he retained until his official split from Aikikai in 1974.
One of the major causes of the conflict arose from Tohei's emphasis on his principle of ki in aikido. Tohei wanted aikido to focus on these principles, using exercises to both cultivate and test ki in the daily aikido practice. He had already started teaching his new ideas during his own training sessions at Hombu dojo, but the majority of the other instructors would not. There were some who agreed with Tohei's approach, but Tohei's actions were not welcomed by Kisshomaru and most of the senior instructors. They strongly encouraged him not to teach his principles and techniques in the Hombu Dojo. Tohei replied that he had the right to teach it outside Hombu Dojo, which he did.
But the tensions remained among the senior cadre of instructors, who still did not approve of Tohei's focus upon ki. These brewing tensions together with Tohei's general dissatisfaction with the situation culminated in 1971 when he created the
Ki No Kenkyukai The is an aikido organization founded by Koichi Tohei in 1971, while he was the chief instructor at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo. The official Japanese name of the organization is Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido Kai (心身統一合気道会), but it is also kn ...
, with the purpose of promoting the development and cultivation of ki inside aikido, but outside the Aikikai "umbrella". The years of conflict finally cemented Tohei's decision to break away from the Aikikai and teach his own 'ki' style of aikido. On 1 May 1974, Koichi Tohei officially left the Aikikai organization to concentrate on his newly created Ki-aikido and Ki-society.
On 15 May 1974, Tohei sent a letter in English and Japanese to the majority of the dojos both in Japan and abroad, explaining his reasons for the breakaway and his plans involving Ki-aikido and the Ki-society. This breakup came as a shock to many aikidoka throughout the dojos of the world. Tohei was well regarded by many instructors and students. He was seen as the foremost sensei of Aikido after Ueshiba's death. This, in turn, led to several dojos breaking with the Aikikai and joining Tohei in his new style. Tohei's new objective was to coordinate all the dojos who joined him and incorporate them into the organization of
Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido
or is a Japanese martial art, a gendai budo (contemporary martial art).
It is part of the martial arts derived from aikido, which appeared after its founder's death in 1969. It started in early 70's with the creation of the Ki Society of Koichi T ...
: "Aikido with Mind and Body Coordinated". This branch of aikido is still active today even though Tohei himself retired from the day-to-day business of the Ki-aikido section and then concentrated solely on the Ki-society and further personal development of ki.
Notable students
Both before and during his position as head instructor at the Hombu Dojo, Tohei instructed many notable aikidoka. Several of these have since made lasting impacts on aikido in general.
Among these are (in alphabetical order):
* Christopher Curtis, 8th Dan, Chief Instructor, Hawaii Ki Federation, Ki Society Advisor, Europe
*
Shizuo Imaizumi
Shizuo Imaizumi (今泉鎮雄), born 1938) is a Japanese aikido teacher. He holds a rank of 7th dan from the Ki Society, but broke away from the Ki Society in 1987 to found the Shin-Budo Kai style of aikido.
Early Aikido Career
Imaizumi sensei ...
, 7th Dan Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido, who founded the independent Shin Budo Kai style of aikido.
*
Harry Kiyoshi Ishisaka
Harry Kiyoshi Ishisaka (December 25, 1927January 1978) was a leading ''sensei'', or master of the Japanese martial art of aikido. Founder and chief instructor of the Orange County Aiki Kai for much of his life, he did much to popularize aikido in s ...
, founder of the Orange County Aiki Kai in California in 1964
*
Roderick Kobayashi
Roderick T. Kobayashi (January 7, 1932June 17, 1995) was an American aikido teacher and founder of Seidokan Aikido. He is one of the teachers profiled in the book ''Aikido in America''.
Kobayashi was born in Hawaii and raised in Japan by his gr ...
, 6th Dan, founder of
Seidokan Aikido
is a style of Aikido and organization founded in Los Angeles, California in 1981 by Roderick Kobayashi, formerly a top instructor in the Ki Society. Kobayashi brought to the new organization the strong influence of his teacher Koichi Tohei, and S ...
.
*
Koretoshi Maruyama
Koretoshi Maruyama (born 5 October 1936) is a Japanese aikido instructor and founder of Aikido Yuishinkai (合氣道唯心会), he was an uchideshi of aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba and also a student of Koichi Tohei.
Aikido
Koretoshi Maruyam ...
, former Chief Instructor and President of Ki Society, who has since founded the independent
Aikido Yuishinkai
Aikido Yuishinkai (Japanese: ) is a style of aikido founded in 1996 by former Aikikai instructor and Ki no Kenkyukai president and chief instructor Koretoshi Maruyama. Aikido Yuishinkai has many dojos operating in Japan, Australia, New Zealand ...
style of aikido.
*
Shuji Maruyama
is a style of Aikido, founded by Shuji Maruyama.Gaku Homma"Silent Pioneer: Shuji Maruyama Sensei, Kokikai Founder," Aikido Journal, November 17, 2002Gaku Homma"A New Leader in Iwama," Aikido Journal, March 8th, 2004 The organization is called ' ...
, founder of Kokikai Aikido
*
Alan Ruddock, 6th Dan, introduced Aikido to Ireland, founder of the Aiki no Michi.
*
Steven Seagal
Steven Frederic Seagal (; born April 10, 1952) is an American actor, screenwriter and martial artist. A 7th-dan black belt in aikido, he began his adult life as a martial arts instructor in Japan and eventually ended up running his father-in-l ...
, 7th Dan, American action movie actor, producer, writer, director and a Blues singer-songwriter.
* David Shaner, 8th Dan, Chief Instructor, Eastern Ki Federation, Ki Society Advisor, the Eastern Europe/Russia Ki-Aikido
*
Roy Y. Suenaka, 8th Dan, founder of Wadokai Aikido
*Shinichi Suzuki, 9th Dan, Head Instructor, Maui Ki Aikido Federation
*
Jon Mamoru Takagi, 6th Dan, founder of Arizona Aikikai.
*
Fumio Toyoda
Fumio Toyoda (November 8, 1947 – July 4, 2001) was a Japanese aikido teacher and lay Zen master who taught extensively in the United States and Europe. He is one of few teachers to explicitly teach aikido from the perspective of Zen Buddhism.
...
, 6th Dan, founder of the Aikido Association of America and Aikido Association International.
Death
Tohei died at 9:14 AM, Japan time (GMT +9) on May 19, 2011, after two weeks of being admitted in hospital due to a discomfort in his chest which proved to be inflammation in the lungs. Wataru Hatakeyama, of the Ki Society Headquarters, stated "he went to intensive-care unit (ICU) twice and came back to general ward each time with his strength of Ki, however, his heart got weak little by little this morning and he passed away."
Books by Koichi Tohei
* Koichi Tohei: ''Ki in Daily Life'' - 4889960716 Oxford University Press, USA
* Koichi Tohei: ''The Book of Ki'' - 0870403796 Japan Publications, Japan
* Koichi Tohei: ''Aikido in Daily Life'' - 0870402218 Japan Publications, Japan
* Koichi Tohei: ''Kiatsu'' - 0870405365 Japan Publications, Japan
* Koichi Tohei: ''Ki Sayings'' - Ki No Kenkyukai, Japan - privately printed
* Koichi Tohei: ''This is Aikido'' - Japan Publications, Japan - out of print
* Koichi Tohei: ''What is Aikido?'' - Rikugei Publishing House, Japan - out of print
* Koichi Tohei: ''Aikido: The Arts of Self Defense'' - Rikugei Publishing House, Japan - out of print
* Koichi Tohei: ''How to Unify Ki'' - out of print
* Koichi Tohei: ''Ki Meditations'' - out of print
* Koichi Tohei: ''Ki Hygiene'' - out of print
* Koichi Tohei: ''How to Develop Ki'' - out of print
* Koichi Tohei: ''Ki Breathing Methods'' - out of print
* Koichi Tohei: ''Tempu Nakamura and Morihei Ueshiba'' - Japanese language only
* Koichi Tohei: ''Extend Ki'' - Japanese language only
* Koichi Tohei: ''Power of Ki Book'' - Japanese language only
* Koichi Tohei: ''Ki Power Book'' - Japanese language only
* Koichi Tohei: ''Aikido in Daily Life'' Rikugei Publishing House, Tokyo, 1966
* Koichi Tohei: ''The Way to Union with Ki'' - Ki No Kenkyukai, Japan - privately printed
References
External links
Official Ki Society headquarters page for Koichi ToheiBooks by Koichi ToheiKoichi Tohei Resourcesby Aikido Journal
Ki-Aikido U.S.A. Eastern Ki Federation
{{DEFAULTSORT:Tohei, Koichi
Japanese aikidoka
1920 births
2011 deaths
People from Tokyo