Toshiyuki Arai Shihan

Toshiyuki Arai, also known as Arai Shihan, was born on 11^th of May, 1936 in Tokyo, Japan. He started Aikido when he first met the founder, Morihei Ueshiba, in 1957, when he was 21 years old. He studied in Tokyo National University of Fine Arts and Music and celebrated his graduation in 1962.

After 14 years of Aikido practice with great teachers including O’Sensei himself, he started teaching Aikido in Gunma Prefecture. Later in 2005, the Gunma Aikido Federation received the Budo Excellence Group Award from the government of Japan.

Arai Shihan has held many classes and seminars in different countries such as Finland and Sweden in 2005, New Zealand, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan in 2006, and France, Monaco, Hawaii and Korea in 2007. He was also Japan’s representative in Germany’s World Games in 2005 which is specific to non-Olympic sports.

Arai Shihan has had 2 trips to Iran in the years 2008 and 2015. On his first trip, he was invited to Iran by Ali Aghsaghloo Sensei and was accompanied by Kobayashi Shihan and Samadi Sensei. On the second trip in 2015, Arai Shihan and Samadi Sensei came to Iran to participate in the opening ceremony of Iran Aikido Arai Dojo with Reza Samadi Sensei as the head of this dojo in Iran. There was a group practice after the ceremony along with an extraordinary Aikido demonstration on the next day.

Arai Shihan is now an 8^th Dan Shihan and is the chairperson of the Gunma Aikido Federation and director of All Japan Aikido Federation.

Later in 2005, the Gunma Aikido Federation received the Budo Excellence Group Award from the government of Japan.

Arai Shihan has held many classes and seminars in different countries such as Finland and Sweden in 2005, New Zealand, Malaysia, Thailand and Taiwan in 2006, and France, Monaco, Hawaii and Korea in 2007. He was also Japan’s representative in Germany’s World Games in 2005 which is specific to non-Olympic sports.

Arai Shihan has had 2 trips to Iran in the years 2008 and 2015. On his first trip, he was invited to Iran by Ali Aghsaghloo Sensei and was accompanied by Kobayashi Shihan and Samadi Sensei. On the second trip in 2015, Arai Shihan and Samadi Sensei came to Iran to participate in the opening ceremony of Iran Aikido Arai Dojo with Reza Samadi Sensei as the head of this dojo in Iran. There was a group practice after the ceremony along with an extraordinary Aikido demonstration on the next day.

Arai Shihan is now an 8th Dan Shihan and is the chairperson of the Gunma Aikido Federation and director of All Japan Aikido Federation.