Also known as
Steven Frederic Seagal
武榮道
Description
American actor, producer and martial artist. He studied karate under Fumio
Demura before taking up aikido under Harry Ishisaka at the Orange County
Aikikai. He received his 1st dan from Koichi Tohei in the summer of 1974, then
moved to Japan where, with his wife Miyako Fujitani, he ran the Tenshin Dojo in
Osaka as the first westerner to operate an aikido dojo in Japan. He returned to
the United States in the early 1980s and became a film actor from 1988 (Above
the Law). His claimed rank of 7th dan is disputed; the Aikido Journal
Encyclopedia records him at 6th dan.
Teachers (3)
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Fumio Demura
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
fact_check
Aikido Journal Encyclopedia states Seagal studied karate under Fumio Demura
before beginning aikido; training period not specified
"After studying karate under Fumio Demura, began practice of aikido in the
late 1960s or early 1970's at the Orange County Aikikai in California under
Harry ISHISAKA"
— Josh Gold. (2011). Steven Seagal - Aikido Journal.
Aikido Journallinkinfo
-
Ha
Harry Kiyoshi Ishisaka
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
3 sources
fact_check
Aikido Journal and Wikipedia both identify Ishisaka as Seagal's first aikido
teacher at the Orange County Aikikai
"began practice of aikido in the late 1960s or early 1970's at the
Orange County Aikikai in California under Harry ISHISAKA"
— Josh Gold. (2011). Steven Seagal - Aikido Journal.
Aikido Journallinkinfo
"First aikido teacher of Steven SEAGAL"
— Josh Gold. (2011). Harry Ishisaka 石坂ハリー - Aikido
Journal. Aikido Journallinkinfo
"Perhaps his best known pupil was Steven Seagal, who began studying under
Ishisaka as a teenager in the mid-1960s"
— Wikipedia contributors. Harry Kiyoshi Ishisaka -
Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
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Koichi Tohei
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
fact_check
Aikido Journal records that Seagal received his 1st dan from Koichi Tohei in
Orange County in the summer of 1974
"Received 1st dan from Koichi TOHEI in Orange County in the summer of
1974"
— Josh Gold. (2011). Steven Seagal - Aikido Journal.
Aikido Journallinkinfo
Ranks (2)
-
military_tech1 dan
2balance
Dan-Kyu System (1974)
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
fact_check
Award of 1st dan in 1974 documented by Aikido Journal; contested by ex-wife
Miyako Fujitani's account that the belt was granted when the judge fell
asleep, and her dating of the black belt to 1978
"Received 1st dan from Koichi TOHEI in Orange County in the summer of
1974"
— Josh Gold. (2011). Steven Seagal - Aikido Journal.
Aikido Journallinkinfo
blockdisputes
"The only reason Steven was awarded the black belt was because the judge,
who was famous for his laziness, fell asleep during Steven's presentation.
The judge just gave him the black belt."
— Wikipedia contributors. Steven Seagal - Wikipedia
(English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
military_tech7 dan
1balance
Dan-Kyu System
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
2 sources
fact_check
Rank disputed. Seagal claims 7th dan shihan per Wikipedia; Aikido Journal
Encyclopedia records him at 6th dan ('rapidly promoted to 5th dan in
consideration of his position as chief instructor of the dojo and was eventually
awarded 6th dan').
"A 7th-dan black belt and shihan in Aikikai aikido"
— Wikipedia contributors. Steven Seagal - Wikipedia
(English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
blockdisputes
"He was rapidly promoted to 5th dan in consideration of his position as
chief instructor of the dojo and was eventually awarded 6th dan"
— Josh Gold. (2011). Steven Seagal - Aikido Journal.
Aikido Journallinkinfo
Documented as NOT a student of
-
Aikidō
3
expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified
1 source
fact_check
Seagal claimed to have been a student of Morihei Ueshiba, but Ueshiba died in
1969 when Seagal was 17, five years before Seagal moved to Japan at age 22;
Wikipedia explicitly states the claim is false
"Seagal has stated that he was a student of the founder of aikido, Morihei
Ueshiba, despite the fact that Ueshiba died in 1969 when Seagal was 17 and five
years before Seagal moved to Japan at age 22"
— Wikipedia contributors. Steven Seagal - Wikipedia
(English). Wikipedia (English)linkinfo
Linked data
https://martial.is/entity/01KZSRDXQWMW7159NW1MGS7XJ5