Chicago Aikikai

[Language note - Traditional titles have been omitted for ease of writing and understanding by newcomers to aikidō. No disrespect intended.]

In 1961, nisei (2nd generation Japanese Americans) originally from the West Coast and Hawaii began meeting in the basement of a building on Clark Street near Wrigley Field, then the Lakeview neighborhood’s post-WWII unofficial Japantown. They tried teaching themselves aikidō using the book Aikido: The Arts of Self-Defense (1957) by Koichi Tohei. Later, they found Chester “Chet” Sasaki (1941-2023), a University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign undergrad from Hawaii who studied aikidō in Honolulu, who then commuted on weekends to serve as their chief instructor. Leasing a storefront across the street, they built their first dōjo, and in 1963 incorporated as Illinois Aikido Club, adopting a circular mirror (sun symbol) as their logo.
In 1963, Sasaki was succeeded by friend (and later noted instructor) Francis Takahashi (1943-2023); stationed in Chicago for 2 years with the army. In 1965, Japan-trained Yoshihiko Hirata (1942-1994) began teaching, also while in the army, and stayed until 1969. Also at this time, Francis Takahashi’s father, pioneering instructor Isao Takahashi (1912-1972), alternated between here and LA Aikikai.
In 1969, the dōjo moved to a second-floor space on Bryn Mawr Avenue in Uptown, and in 1971, Takahashi retired to Los Angeles.
During this period, Illinois Aikido Club grew, welcomed non-Japanese Americans, held children’s classes and gave demos at Japanese American events. In 1964, it twice hosted Koichi Tohei (1920-2011, then-chief instructor of Hombu Dojo).
In 1972, Hombu Dojo sent Akira Tohei (1929-1999) to be chief instructor and help strengthen the organization of aikidō dōjo internationally. His tenure included the founding of Midwest Aikido Federation and a 1973 seminar with Kisshomaru Ueshiba (1921-1999), son of Morihei and second Dōshu (leader of aikidō). However, disagreements with founding members led to Tohei and several students leaving to start Midwest Aikido Center (MAC) in 1975.
In December that year, Illinois AIkido Club members attended a training camp held by Sarasota Aikikai in Florida and were impressed upon meeting Mitsugi Saotome, a former Hombu Dojo instructor who relocated to the U.S. In 1976, Illinois Aikido Club joined Saotome’s new organization Aikido Schools of Ueshiba (ASU), and were sent Saotome’s student Shigeru Suzuki, who served as chief instructor until returning to Japan in 1981.
The next chief instructor was Kevin Choate (1954-2012) who began training at the dōjo in 1975 and was its first non-Japanese leader. In 1985, the dojo moved to a new location on Howard Street and assumed its current name, Chicago Aikikai.

Class photo taken during 1973 seminar at Illinois Aikido Club taught by Kisshomaru Ueshiba (1921-1999), son of aikidō founder Morihei Ueshiba and second Dōshu (leader of aikidō). Person half-kneeling in center is Joe Takehara.

Announcement of the passing of Isao Takahashi (1912-1972) in the June 1972 issue of Black Belt Magazine.

May 20, 1966 Chicago Tribune article about Illinois Aikido Club. Bottom left photo features instructor Yoshihiko Paul Hirata (1942-1994) and Jon Eley, founder of Chicago Ki Society. Eley also appears in the right-hand photo taking ukemi for Ellyn Iwaoka.

May-June 1964 Black Belt Magazine post announcing Koichi Tohei (1920-2011) visiting dojo in the United States. He will make two stops at Illinois Aikido Club in 1964 and 1965.

Photo from reception for Koichi Tohei (1920-2011) in 1964.