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Period: to
Morihei Ueshiba synthesizes and develops aikido
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First mention of aikido in the US
Admiral Isamu Takeshita of the Japanese Imperial Navy took notes of the instructions of Ueshiba on aikido. The notes are left in the archives at San Francisco -
Minoru Mochizuki disseminates aikido in France
The first recognizable dissemination of aikido internationally was made by Minoru Mochizuki in France. He introduced aikido techniques to judo students. -
First disciples of Morihei Ueshiba arrive in the US
Morihei Ueshiba, founder of aikido, dispatched one of his disciples at the Aikido World Headquarters in Japan to New York City, in response to a request by a small group of willful practioners eager to learn aikido. -
Kanai Mitsunari arrives in the US
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Kanai becomes Chief Instructor of New England Aikikai
New England Aikikai, centered in Cambridge, MA, becomes the backbone for most training halls that emerged after Kanai Sensei's passing in 2004. -
Film release of "Above the Law" causes an overnight boom in aikido
Produced and starred by Steven Seagal, the movie caused a sudden rise of the number of enrollment in training halls across the nation. -
Mitsunari Kanai passes
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Yasumasa Itoh founds Aikido Tekkojuku
Itoh founds the Aikido Tekkojuku in Somerville, MA, soon after the passing of Kanai. The word "Tekko" in Tekkojuku is a compound word that Kanai created, which he never fully explained to his disciples. Tekkojuku's goal is to pass on the legacy of Kanai sensei and to pursue the true meaning of Tekko, literally meaning "weathered iron." According to Itoh, many of Kanai's disciples spread across the state and beyond each carrying on the legacy of Kanai sensei.
