Also known as

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)

• 
  Fumio Demura

  linkShito-ryu 2

  Probable

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

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

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

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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

  linkAikidō 3

  Confirmed

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

  sports_kabaddiOrange County Aikikai badge (1970-1974)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  3 sources

  fact_check

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

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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
• 
  Koichi Tohei

  linkAikidō 3

  Confirmed

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

  sports_kabaddiOrange County Aikikai badge (1974-1974)

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  1 source

  fact_check

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

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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)

• linkAikidō

  military_tech1 dan 2balance

  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

  Dan-Kyu System (1974)

  granted by Koichi Tohei, Aikikai Foundation

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  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

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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

  Uncertain - 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').

  Dan-Kyu System

  granted by Aikikai Foundation

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  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').

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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

• blockdeniedUeshiba Morihei

  Aikidō

  3

  Confirmed

  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

  expand_morefact_checkassessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  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

  assessed by FSMverified

  Frederico Muñoz

  Researcher, Martialis

  "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

Sources