Kawahara sensei, my Aikido teacher for almost 20 years and head instructor for Aikido in Canada passed away in Victoria last night. He has been ill for some time so it’s not a surprise but his absence will be felt across the world today. He started his training in Osaka at the age of 17 in 1957 and trained and taught continuously since then. He has been teaching in Canada since 1975.
I had the honor of receiving his technique while he demonstrated a joint lock for the class in Edmonton a month ago. Although he was very ill and unable to finish the class his strength and skill were still unmatched. Unfortunately this turned out to be one of the last times he taught.
