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 (4)

• 
  Fumio Demura

  sports_martial_artsShito-ryu Probable

  Probable

  Aikido Journal Encyclopedia states Seagal studied karate under Fumio Demura before beginning aikido; training period not specified

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  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 Journallink history info
• person
  Harry Kiyoshi Ishisaka

  sports_martial_artsAikidō Confirmed

  Confirmed

  Aikido Journal and Wikipedia both identify Ishisaka as Seagal's first aikido teacher at the Orange County Aikikai

  The evidence establishes the claim: it is sufficient and consistent, and any conflicting evidence is resolved.

  location_onOrange County Aikikai badge (1970–1974)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  3 sources expand_more

  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 Journallink history info

  “First aikido teacher of Steven SEAGAL”

  — Josh Gold. (2011). Harry Ishisaka 石坂ハリー - Aikido Journal. Aikido Journallink history info

  “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)link history info
• 
  Koichi Tohei

  sports_martial_artsAikidō Probable

  Probable

  Aikido Journal records that Seagal received his 1st dan from Koichi Tohei in Orange County in the summer of 1974

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  location_onOrange County Aikikai badge (1974)

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source expand_more

  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 Journallink history info
• 
  Ueshiba Morihei

  sports_martial_artsAikidō Refutedbalance

  Refuted – conflicting evidence recorded

  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

  The evidence establishes that the claim is false: it is incompatible with the claim, and nothing credible supports it.

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  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”

  — Wikipedia contributors. Steven Seagal - Wikipedia (English). Wikipedia (English)link history info

  blockdisputes

  “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)link history info

Lineage

• Shito-ryu Fumio Demura ← Ryusho Sakagami ← Kenwa Mabuni · 3 generations
• Aikidō Harry Kiyoshi Ishisaka ← Koichi Tohei ← Ueshiba Morihei · 3 generations

Ranks (2)

• sports_martial_artsAikidō

  military_tech1 dan Probablebalance

  Probable – conflicting evidence recorded

  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

  The evidence favours the claim and nothing credible contradicts it, but it falls short of establishing it.

  Dan-Kyu System (1974)

  granted by Koichi Tohei, Aikikai Foundation

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  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 Journallink history info

  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)link history info

  military_tech7 dan Possiblebalance

  Possible – conflicting evidence recorded

  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').

  Some evidence points to the claim, but it is thin, indirect, or in unresolved conflict with other evidence.

  Dan-Kyu System

  granted by Aikikai Foundation

  fact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  2 sources expand_more

  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)link history info

  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 Journallink history info

Sources

Identifiers