King's Kung-Fu& Tai Chi

Minoru Hirai

Japanese aikidoka

Born
March 1903
Died
16 October 1998
Citizenship
Japan, Empire of Japan
Sport
aikido
Occupation
samurai, aikidoka

Minoru Hirai (平井 稔 March 1903 - 16 October 1998) was a Japanese martial artist and creator of the korindo style of aikido.

As a youth, he studied many different martial arts including Togin-ryu, Okumura Nito-ryu, Takenouchi-ryu, Kito-ryu and Saburi-ryu. By 1938, he became a master in iaido and jujutsu and established his own dojo, the Kogado dojo in Okayama.

In 1938, he met Morihei Ueshiba at Okayama, who told him about the technique of "aikibudo" he created and invited him to his dojo in Tokyo. Hirai found similarities in Ueshiba's art based on circular motions with his own style of jujutsu he was developing and decided to enter Ueshiba's Kobukan dojo.

During World War II, Hirai was the head of the jujutsu department of the Japanese Army's military police school and was instrumental in developing a new arrest technique employed by the military police.

External links

Facts from Wikidata Q1521329 (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.

Last posts

  1. Best Padded Sticks for Self-Defense Training and Safety
  2. Best Lightweight Escrima Sticks for Speed and Quick Strikes
  3. Mixing Stick Lengths in Crafting and Construction
  4. Do Carved-Grip Escrima Sticks Improve Weapon Retention
  5. Best Short Sticks for Close-Range Drills and Training
  6. Best Escrima Books for Beginners and Clear Technique
  7. Are Aluminum Trainer Knives Safe for Beginners
  8. Best Rubber Training Knives for Kali Practice
  9. Best Eye Protection for Stick Training and Sparring
  10. Best Hand Protectors for Kali Drills by Training Intensity