Tags: Martial Artist.
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.