At Rocky Mountain Ki Society we follow the teachings of these three instructors. Our teaching staff continues to learn from them personally.
Koichi Tohei Soushu
Koichi Tohei (藤平光一) (born January 1920, died May 2011) was a 10th Dan Aikidoka and founder of the Ki Society and its style of Aikido, officially Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido (literally “Aikido with Mind and Body Unified”), but commonly known as Ki-Aikido.
Tohei Shoushu was born in Shitaya ward of Tokyo in 1920. At three years of age he returned to his hometown in the Tochigi Prefecture. He is a graduate of Keio University. He studied Aikido since the age of 19, obtaining the highest rank of 10th Dan. Since 1953 he frequently traveled to America and Europe in efforts to spread Aikido. After organizing the Ki Society International (Ki no Kenkyukai) in 1971 he made a great effort to spread the principles of Ki-Aikido.
He was long famous for teaching Ki to many well-known athletes including Sadaharu Oh and his one-legged batting stance, as well as taking care of Chiyonofuji’s dislocated shoulder. Furthermore, Ki Society International is the only facility specializing in the study of Ki in Japan, having been approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare in 1977. In order to spread Ki, he opened the Ki Health Institute and created an “at-home” course in which students become Ki Health graduates in their own homes. His books include Ki no Iryoku (“Power of Ki”), Seiko no Hiketsu wa Ki ni ari (“The Key to Success is Ki”) and countless others. His latest booke is Ki ni ga Suru no Michi (“The Way to Union with Ki”). An English translation is soon to be available.
TIMELINE OF EVENTS
1920
Born on January 20 in Shitaya ward of Tokyo. At the time of his birth, his mother was suffering from a severe case of pneumonia. As a result, he is sickly throughout his childhood.
1937
At 16 years of age he enters the Keio Preparatory School. During Judo practice, he falls hard on his chest and develops pleurisy, causing a year’s absence from college. From his return to his studies he feels keenly the weakness of his mind and as a result of this subjugation devotes himself to Zen Misogi training. He studies Zen and misogi at Daitokuji in Kyoto with temple head, Josei Ota Roshi, who was the top student of Yamaoka Tesshu Kyoshi. He also studies in depth with Tetsuju Ogura Sensei and his successor, Tesso Hino Sensei.
1939
He studies aikido under Morihei Ueshiba Sensei (later attaining the highest rank of 10th-Dan)
September 1942
His graduation from Keio University is advanced a half year at which time he enlists in the Utsunomiya Eastern Division. After that he enters the Toyohashi Officers Preparatory Academy. At the time of graduation he is awarded the commissioner training prize (Kyoiku Sokansho).
February 1944
At 23, he is dispatched to a platoon near the Central China front. Showered with bullets, he realizes through personal experience that true battle is very different from sports matches. A sports match should not be any different from life situation such as in a real battle where the instant you slacken your Ki could mean death. That is, you must master keeping one point.
August 1946
Demobilized from Central China, he once more studies misogi and aikido while at Gokokuji in Otowa, Tokyo. He also studies Tempudo with Tempu Nakamura Sensei.
February 1953
At 32 years of age, he begins to spread Ki Principles and aikido in Hawaii. Since that time, he has been spreading Ki Principles in America and Europe for 40 years.
September 1971
He establishes the Ki Society International in order to spread Ki Principles.
October 1977
Recognizing that Ki Principles contribute greatly to the promotion of national health, the “Ki no Kenkyukai” (Ki Society International) foundation is approved by the Ministry of Health and Welfare.
April 1983
He establishes the Ki-Aikido Academy.
October 1990
The 20th anniversary commemorating the founding of Ki Society International is held at the newly constructed Ki Society Headquarters complex, Ki no Sato. The Tochigi site will be the world headquarters for the foundation.
April 1991
At the Tochigi world headquarters he establishes the Tochigi Ki Health Institute.
For more details about Koichi Tohei Soshu please visit the Official Ki Society biography.
Shinichi Tohei Sensei
Shinichi Tohei Sensei was born in 1973. He graduated from Tokyo Institute of Technology, school of Bioscience and Biotechnology.
Shinichi Tohei Sensei has been learning Ki Principles through Shinshin Toitsu Aikido (Ki-Aikido) from Master Koichi Tohei, Aikido 10th dan and Shinshin Toitsu Aikido Founder, since childhood.
Now, as successor to Master Koichi Tohei, he teaches Shinshin Toitsu Aikido in Japan and throughout the world. By using Ki principles in the development of human resources and communication skills, he also teaches business personnel, executives, and educators at seminars and workshops.
Recently he accepted an offer from a Major League Baseball team, the Los Angeles Dodgers, to teach Ki Principles to their players. He has been teaching Ki Principles in special training camps to further the players’ development since January 2010.
He is the master teacher of Keio University Shinshin Toitsu Aikido club. Also, he teaches Shinshin Toitsu Aikido in general education at Keio University as a part-time instructor.
Shinichi Tohei is the President (Kaichou) and Chief Instructor of Shinshin Toitsu Aikidokai and Ki Society HQ.
More than 50,000 people study Shinshin Toitsu Aikido in the world. We all walk the same road in overcoming the differences of languages, cultures and religions.
Koichi Kashiwaya Sensei
Kashiwaya Sensei was born in December, 1949 in Yamagata Prefecture, Japan. He began Aikido training in 1969 while he was a student at Risshou University. Upon meeting Tohei Sensei in 1971, he was struck by Tohei Sensei’s words,If the mind moves, the body follows.Thereafter he trained with him exclusively until completing his Business Management degree at the University in 1973.
At Tohei Sensei’s request, Kashiwaya Sensei traveled to Seattle in 1973 and assisted Hirata Yoshihiko Sensei, who had founded Seattle Ki Society in 1971 (Initially founded as Seattle Aikikai in 1969). In 1975, Kashiwaya Sensei returned to Japan and continued professional intensive training as uchi deshi for Tohei Sensei. Upon completiton of uchi deshi training in 1977, Kashiwaya Sensei moved to Boulder, Colorado where he founded Rocky Mountain Ki Society. During this time he also founded The Midland Ki Federation with dojos in Denver; Kansas City, Lawrence KS; St. Louis, MO; and Austin, TX. During this time Kashiwaya Sensei gave many public demonstrations and lectures for the Consule of Japan at Kansas City, Cherry Blossom Festival at Independence, MO, Japan week at the St. Louis Botanical Gardens. He was made an Honorary Citizen of Kansas City, MO by the mayor, and taught professional athletes such as the defensive line for the Denver Broncos football team, and Alexi Grewal, the Gold Medalist for the Los Angeles Olympics in road race cycling.
In 1983, Kashiwaya Sensei was appointed Chief Instructor for Ki Society USA by Tohei Sensei. He also oversees dojos in Brazil and Canada. In 1990, he relocated to Seattle and continues to travel nationally to conduct numerous seminars, workshops, and intensive training sessions in his role as Chief Instructor USA. He now occasionally performs for the public particularly at the Seattle Cherry Blossom Festival. Currently, Kashiwaya Sensei holds the rank of Hachidan in Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido, Okuden in Ki Training, lecturer in teaching for Ki Society International, and is a judge for the International Taigi Competition. In 1998, Kashiwaya Sensei was instrumental in setting up and organizing the First US OpenTaigi Competition and Demonstration for the Western Region, which took place February 1, 1998, in Seattle, WA.
As the Chief Instructor for Midland Ki Federation, Kashiwaya Sensei guides the development and implementation of instructional programs, instructor training and certification, and grading, testing and evaluation for 25 member schools in the USA, Brazil and Canada. He teaches workshops in Colorado two–three times each year.