Roy Suenaka

Roy Suenaka (born 1940) is an American aikido practitioner and author.

Early life

As a child in Hawaii, Suenaka suffered from severe asthma, which was treated by his grandfather with reiki. He began martial arts training with his father, Warren Suenaka, from an early age, learning the family styles of jiujitsu and kenjitsu. Suenaka credits this training with the remission of his asthma.

As well as training with his father, Suenaka also studied under Henry Okazaki and James Mitose. He also studied judo. Suenaka attended Koichi Tohei's aikido demonstrations in 1953, and at his father's behest begain training primarily in that art. He also took up the study of kendo in 1955.

Military career

In 1958, Suenaka enlisted in the United States Air Force. Although he originally planned on becoming a pilot, by 1960 he had abandoned the ambition, dissuaded by the academic requirements. Instead, he worked primarily as an electrician and engineer. At his request, he was transferred in 1961 to Tachikawa Air Base in Japan, which enabled him to study directly under Morihei Ueshiba at the Hombu dojo in Tokyo.

Effectively employed as the personal electrician of his commanding officer, Suenaka was able to subcontract most of his work to the barracks houseboy. This enabled him to spend most of his time in Japan living and training at the Hombu dojo. He also spent time training at the Kodokan under Kyuzo Mifune.

In 1961 he was transferred again to Naha, Okinawa. At the airbase there, he set up his own dojo, and aikido became popular with the servicemen stationed there.

Aikido career

Suenaka presently teaches in Charleston, South Carolina, but also teaches seminars elsewhere in the United States. He is the founder of the Wadokai style of aikido.