Akira Tohei
Japanese aikidoka (1929-1999)
藤平明
- Born
- 20 August 1929
- Died
- 2 July 1999, Chicago
- Sport
- aikido
- Occupation
- aikidoka
Akira Tohei (August 20, 1929 – July 2, 1999) was a Japanese aikido teacher. He held the rank of 8th dan in the Aikikai.
He began his aikido practice in 1946 under Koichi Tohei, then the chief instructor at Aikikai Honbu Dojo. From 1956 he practiced under the direct instruction of aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba. In 1963, Tohei was asked by Morihei Ueshiba to accompany his son, Kisshomaru Ueshiba, on a tour of aikido dojo throughout the United States. When the three-month journey ended in Hawaii, Tohei remained for a further nine months and taught aikido throughout the Hawaiian Islands. On his return to Japan he joined the teaching staff at Aikikai Hombu Dojo.
For the next eight years Tohei, in addition to his teaching at the headquarters, was also an instructor at Asia University, Akita Economics University (now North Asia University), Keio University, Nihon Women's University, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force.
External links
Facts from Wikidata Q4701191 (CC0); quoted introduction from English Wikipedia (CC BY-SA 4.0). Data retrieved 2026-10-22.
Data: Wikidata (CC0 1.0); Wikipedia (English) (CC BY-SA 4.0). Retrieved 2026-10-22.