Akira Tohei was a Japanese

Japanese people

The are an ethnic group originating in the Japanese archipelago and are the predominant ethnic group of Japan. Worldwide, approximately 130 million people are of Japanese descent; of these, approximately 127 million are residents of Japan. People of Japanese ancestry who live in other countries...

 aikido

Aikido

is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...

 teacher. He held the rank of 8th dan

Dan rank

The ranking system is a Japanese mark of level, which is used in modern fine arts and martial arts. Originally invented in a Go school in the Edo period, this system was applied to martial arts by Kanō Jigorō, the founder of judo and later introduced to other East Asia countries.In the modern...

 in the Aikikai

Aikikai

The Aikikai is the original school of Aikido. It is centered on the Aikikai Foundation in Japan, and its figurehead is the Doshu . It is represented globally through the International Aikido Federation....

.

He began his aikido practice in 1946 under Koichi Tohei

Koichi Tohei

was a 10th Dan aikidoka and founder of the Ki Society and its style of aikido, officially Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido , but commonly known as Ki-Aikido.-Koichi Tohei and aikido:...

, then the chief instructor at Aikikai Honbu Dojo. From 1956 he practiced under the direct instruction of aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba

Morihei Ueshiba

was a famous martial artist and founder of the Japanese martial art of aikido. He is often referred to as "the founder" or , "Great Teacher".-Early years:Morihei Ueshiba was born in Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture, Japan on December 14, 1883....

. In 1963, Tohei was asked by Morihei Ueshiba to accompany his son, Kisshomaru Ueshiba

Kisshomaru Ueshiba

was a prominent Japanese master of aikido. He was the son of Morihei Ueshiba, founder of aikido, and became the international leader of aikido after his father's death.-Early life:...

, on a tour of aikido dojo

Dojo

A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...

 throughout the United States

United States

The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...

. When the three-month journey ended in Hawaii

Hawaii

Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...

, Tohei remained for a further nine months and taught aikido throughout the Hawaiian Islands

Hawaiian Islands

The Hawaiian Islands are an archipelago of eight major islands, several atolls, numerous smaller islets, and undersea seamounts in the North Pacific Ocean, extending some 1,500 miles from the island of Hawaii in the south to northernmost Kure Atoll...

. On his return to Japan

Japan

Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...

 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

Asia University (Japan)

thumb|right|Asia UniversityThe is a private university located in Tokyo, Japan that offers courses in Business Administration, Economics, Law and International Relations...

, Akita Economics University (now North Asia University), Keio University

Keio University

,abbreviated as Keio or Keidai , is a Japanese university located in Minato, Tokyo. It is known as the oldest institute of higher education in Japan. Founder Fukuzawa Yukichi originally established it as a school for Western studies in 1858 in Edo . It has eleven campuses in Tokyo and Kanagawa...

, Nihon Women's University, the Japan Ground Self-Defense Force

Japan Ground Self-Defense Force

The , or JGSDF, is the army of Japan. The largest of the three services of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, the Ground Self-Defense Force operates under the command of the chief of the ground staff, based in the city of Ichigaya, Tokyo. The present chief of ground staff is General Yoshifumi Hibako...

, and the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force

Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force

The , or JMSDF, is the naval branch of the Japan Self-Defense Forces, tasked with the naval defense of Japan. It was formed following the dissolution of the Imperial Japanese Navy after World War II....

.

In 1966, Aikikai Honbu Dojo awarded Tohei the title of Shihan

Shihan

- Title of "Master" is a Japanese Honorific Title, Expert License Certification used in Japanese martial arts for Master Level Instructors. The award of the Expert License Certification is if designated by the qualification by virtue of endorsement by the [A] Association of Chief Instructors or [B]...

. In 1972, he was dispatched to America as chief instructor of the Illinois Aikido Club, where he organized the Midwest Aikido Federation, headquartered in Chicago, Illinois. With the founding of the United States Aikido Federation in 1976, he became the chief instructor of its Midwest Region. Tohei was promoted to 8th dan in 1989.

Akira Tohei taught aikido classes daily until shortly before his death in July, 1999, just before his 70th birthday.