Katsuaki Asai (born 1942 in Tokyo, JapanSensei Aikido: Katsuaki Asai) is a Japanese aikido teacher, the founder of the Aikikai in Germany and the highest-ranked teacher in that countryAikido Journal entry for Asai and teacher of aikido in Slovakia.
Asai started training under aikido's founder Morihei Ueshiba aged 13, at the Hombu dojo in Tokyo, and continued during his studies at Meiji University. He was sent to Germany by Kisshomaru Ueshiba in 1965 to teach aikido, and has lived in the country ever since.Sonntags-Post: Mecca of Aikido (German source) Retrieved March 6th 2012 His first occupation was to teach aikido to policemen in Münster,Homepage of german Aikido-Club Siegburg (German source) Retrieved August 8th 2012 and he now runs a school in Düsseldorf.Freiberg: A turn for the better (German source) Retrieved March 6th 2012
In the early days of German aikido, Asai clashed with the Deutscher Judobund (DJB) over whether his art should be included under their organisation. In this, he was opposed by Gerd Wischnewski, another student of Ueshiba, who was also a prominent member of the DJB. Although the DJB retained an aikido division, Asai remained independent of them and continued to operate as part of the Aikikai.Black Belt Magazine, March 1969, Two factions spur aikido growth as DJB and Asia battle, p10 He retains the German trademark on the term "Aikikai."Deutsches Patent- und Markenamt
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