The AIKIDO and TEACHER KOICHI TOHEI the Aikido, that was founded on Japan by Morihei Ueshiba, was not introduced to the world until 1953, when the teacher Koichi Tohei, at that time with 32 years of age, took an exhibition to Hawaii. Deeply spiritual as as much physical, the Aikido was not revealed to the Japanese public after II the World war. But, through the facts and actions of the teachers of Aikido, that word extended by different countries.                                                                            

A health club, in Hawaii, invited to Tohei to give an exhibition of Aikido with certain sense of reserve. The islands, inhabited in their majority by Eastern, were full of schools of Judo, Kenpokarate, Jujitsu, Kendo and others. A certain real prejudice against the concerned things of Japan existed more, and Tohei knew that it had to make a very perfect demonstration with the purpose of obtaining followers. The approach of Tohei was very logical. He was convinced that if could gain to the hawaiana police so that these accepted the Aikido like their method of self-defense, the public would change immediately of opinion. Its demonstration was spectacular with a little meter fifty and about sixty kilos of weight. Tohei selected to two men of more than 1.85 and than they weighed together more than 200 kilos. Aleccionó to these giants to that you would permancieran frente.a.frente, but to a certain separation distance among them. It was placed in a position between both, placing his left hand in the shoulder of the one of his opponents and right hand in the shoulder of the other opponent. Both men received the order to use both hands and to try to double the arms of Tohei. The pair of giants began to make efforts, tightening their muscles and beginning to sweat due to their actions. Finally they surrendered before the evidence. The arms of Tohei were constructed of something special. When the muscular pair finally watched Tohei, they took a misfortune. Tohei was relaxed completely, without apparent tension in its face or its arms. Surprised, they only could exclaim: "How you could do it! We cannot believe it ". Next Tohei said to 5 men who attacked to him. When they were rushed on him, this one moved of its lines with grace and refinement, like bailarin of ballet. At the same time it extended his arms, and with his hands it projected to his attackers towards the long cushions before no of them could touch to him. It only needed few seconds to conduct this battle. The demonstrations of Aikido were a success, but the mission had failed. The police rejected to Tohei and the Aikido. Disheartened by this initial result, Tohei decided to prepare a plan to directly sell the Aikido to the people of Hawaii. Mainly it requested the aid of Isao Takahashi (5º gives in Kendo), and Yukiso Yamamoto (5º gives in Judo). The three men gave exhibitions through the islands, in state schools, clubs and social organizations. The campaign was successful. in less of a year, Tohei did that the Aikido word was so well-known in the islands as the Judo word, and caught much people who accepted the Aikido like part of their training. Nowadays, the Aikido is taught and practiced around the world thanks, mainly, to the efforts of this man. Tohei that had been born in Tokyo, seemed less the most indicated to make physical tasks when he was young. Fragile and sickly, it had the strong obsession to improve his health, with which outpost began to study Judo to an age very. Gradually, its health improved until becoming a robust man. At the age of 16 years it was registered in the University of Keio where it continued practicing the Kudo. A day, during the practice, was struck in the shocked chest and slightly. For Tohei this one was one of the lucky blows of infortunio. Whereas one recovered of the blow, it read books on Zen, and it got to be deeply interested of this approach of the Zen to the life. After a year of hospitalization, it immediately began to practice the Zen meditation through breathing exercises and in two years it obtained a complete recovery of the damage, suffered in his chest. When it returned to his practice of Judo and applied the Zen concept to the art, its ability rose to such degree that obtained 5º give. It was then when it listened to the Aikido word in one of his instructors for the first time. An introduction letter gave the possibility him of visiting a school of Aikido, where, for the first time, she was witness of the movement of this art. Everybody seemed to be dancing. When Morihei Ueshiba knew that, founder of the Aikido, was a follower of the Zen, deeply was interested in obtaining the admission to that gupo of Aikido. In a moment it discovered that the Zen could be integrated easily with the philosophy of the Aikido, which is based on the understanding and the practical application of the laws of the Nature. Even nowadays, Tohei practices Zen daily. It has been able to make extraordinary facts, like meditating by a space of 8 hours in congealed water, with only short rests. The followers of the Aikido admire to him like a perfeccionista genius. Their contributions to the art of the Aikido are legend. It designed many of the exercises and projections that at the present time are normal, and widely taught in all the schools of Aikido, as much in Japan as in the U.S.A. Parallelly to this serious aspect, Tohei has "slight" moments more. During its Thread stay, Hawaii, was requested to him that it entertained a multitude in Luao. Surprising for everybody it danced the dance of Hula perfectly. Certain American dances, like waltz-valls modern, have gotten them to dominate in 5 minutes. Koichi Tohei is at the present time (1988) 9º give. The degree highest never dice to a medical instructor of Aikido. At the present time it teaches the art in Hawaii.

Author: Published SENSEI: SENSEI Ki Aikido

During the time at which ÓSensei Morihei Ueshiba lived tapeworm in its Dojo to its two students but advanced one were their Kisshomaru son and the other was the Sensei Koichi Tohei that was then head of instructors in the Dojo. As it were custom of ÓSensei assigned the mission to distribute the Aikido to him in the West to Tohei and by that reason I travel indeed to the U.S.A. but to Haway, there it was long time until ÓSensei Ueshiba became ill of gravity and died. As of that moment and as it is Japanese tradition assumed the position of director responsible for the Hombu Dojo the Sensei Kisshomaru Ueshiba (its son), that was not in agreement with the Sensei Koichi Tohei to teach to Aikido insisting on the energy KI. For the Sensei Tohei the concept of Ki and its correct use were extremely necessary to help the people to improve their mind and to fortify its body as it were the desire of ÓSensei but this was accepted by Kisshomaru and then it arranged that from that Tohei moment it was expelled from the Aikikai. Koichi Tohei did not occur by won and according to he himself it counts it: it could not let fulfill the order that his teacher had entrusted to him, of that form was that acceptable you order them of Kisshomaru to leave the association but not to let teach to the Aikido... at the same time many of danes more advanced of the Sensei Morihei Ueshiba they went next to Tohei also leaving it association when considering that Kisshomaru was mistaken. As of that Tohei moment it decides to found next to his companions the Ki Aikido Society to distribute to the rules of love and peace of the Budo de ÓSensei; being born shortly after SHIN SHIN TOITSUDO KI AIKIDO or as KI noncKenkyukay is known at the moment anywhere in the world. At the present time this association is one of the most known and respected worldwide to allow the western ones to know and to apply a little plus the concept of Japanese ki, nonsingle in the Aikido but also in the daily life the importance is so much that Tohei gave this subject that decided to open a school publishes for the education of the application of the ki to the daily life, opened another school for instructors of Aikido to correctly prepare them in this way towards the understanding of the Energy of the Universe, also opened to a center for the therapy kiatsu, etc. At the moment it continues giving classes to his advanced students but and dictating chair in but the important universities of the entire world. In our country the school of KI AIKIDO has Dojos in the provinces of Cordova, Mendoza, San Luis, Buenos Aires and continues expanding. Every year the Sensei Kengiro Yoshigasaki visits Argentina 8ºDan that is the chosen one by the Sensei Tohei to guide the medical instructors of ki Aikido of all America. The Sensei Yoshigasaki resides at the moment in Europe (Belgium) where dictates seminaries constantly. Source: Fernando To Cartofiel (Instructor of Ki Aikido in the Provincia of San Luis)

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