Thomas H. Makiyama

Thomas H. Makiyama (1928-2005), born in Hawaii, was the founder of Keijutsukai Aikido and the Keijutsukai International Federation (Keijutsukai Kokusei Senmei) based in Tokyo.

Makiyama started budo at the age of 18 in 1947 after enlisting in the U.S. Army. He was sent to Japan and was stationed in Yokohama, where he was assigned to the 8th Army’s military police criminal investigation division. At the Isezaki-cho police station in Yokohama he started to train police judo.[1]

During the years, he studied Judo, Jujutsu, Gojyu-ryu Karate and Aikido among other budo arts. In Aikido, he achieved a senior eighth-dan (1977) and a certified Shihan(master-teacher) believed to be the only native American with that distinction at the time.

He also contributed to a number of articles for martial arts publications such as Black Belt. Makiyama was the author of the first book in English on Aikido during the mid-fifties and the book Keijutsukai Aikido in 1983. In Hawaii, Makiyama was instrumental in forming the first official branch of the Aikido Yoshinkai outside of Japan, at the personal request of the late Gozo Shioda, a close friend and professional acquaintance since 1948.

Makiyama created the Keijutsukai (Police/Security Techniques Association) in February 1980 after training as an independent system commenced during the early part of 1979. He was the Keijutsukai Director until his death on September 9, 2005[2]. The organization teaches Keijutsukai Aikido and Keijutsu (a specialized method of defensive tactics for law enforcement personnel).

References and further reading

• Frank Paetzold, Wu Shu, Books on Demand GmbH (2003), p 151, ISBN 978-3833001826
• Gary Bennett, Aikido Techniques and Tactics, Human Kinetics Europe Ltd (1997), p 24, ISBN 978-0880115988
• Thomas H Makiyama, The techniques of aikido, Jenkins (1963), ASIN: B0000CLSPM
• Thomas H Makiyama, Keijutsukai Aikido: Japanese Art of Self-defense, Ohara Publications Inc.,U.S. (1998), ISBN 978-0897500920