Reishin Kawai

Who was Reishin Kawai?

Reishin Kawai was an 8th dan aikido practitioner and acupuncturist, who held the roles of President of the South American Aikido Federation and Vice-President of the International Aikido Federation. He was responsible for the introduction of aikido to Brazil in 1963.

During his boyhood his health was fragile, which lead him to receive acupuncture treatment, and to practice Sumo wrestling and Kenjutsu. In his youth he became an uchi-deshi for 7 years in the household of Torataro Saito, who taught him oriental medicine - as well as Daito-ryu Aikijujutsu and Ueshiba-ryu Aiki-Budo. Technically, Kawai Senseis entire foundation was therefore old school, in line with that of Gozo Shioda and Morihiro Saito.

Subsequently, he studied at Tsukushoku University under the tutelage of Mishimasa Nishizawa, graduating as an M.D. in Oriental Medicine. Kawai proceeded to become an associate professor in the subjects of general acupunture and moxa technique at the Faculty of Oriental Medicine at Tsukushoku University.