Aikido Kokikai was founded by Sensei Shuji Maruyama, an “uchideshi” of O-sensei. Sensei Maruyama was one of the first Aikido instructors sent from Japan to America, coming to the United States in 1966. There are now over fifty Kokikai dojos throughout the world, including the United States, Canada, Australia, Israel, Russia and Japan.
Aikido Kokikai NYC was founded by Gary Snyder, a sixth degree black belt who has practiced martial arts for more than 30 years. SIn 2005 Snyder opened East Village Kokikai Aikido, which then moved to the new Aikido Kokikai NYC location in Chelsea in 2007.
