Martial Arts Cultural Center Aikido
Tenshin Bugei Gakuen
Tenshin Bugei Gakuen, was started in the United States by Steven Seagal Sensei in 1982. The purpose of establishing Tenshin Bugei Gakuen Dojo was to spread Aikido, a Japanese Martial Art as well as the Japanese culture and traditions.
Seagal Sensei also known as Take Sensei had studied Aikido
and many other styles of martial arts in Japan. He also was a calligraphy
student of Master Seiseki Abe. In the early 1970's Take Sensei opened
Tenshin Dojo in Osaka, Japan to teach Aikido. At that time, he was
the only foreigner in Japan to operate a dojo. He was also the only
foreigner to hold master credentials in Aikido. Upon returning to
the United States in 1982, Take Sensei established Tenshin Bugei
Gakuen in Taos, New Mexico and subsequently moved to Los Angeles in 1983.
At that time, Take Sensei brought Haruo Matsuoka Sensei, who had studied
under him at Tenshin Dojo in Osaka, Japan to the United States. Matsuoka
Sensei was the chief instructor of Tenshin Bugei Gakuen Dojo until he resigned
in 1997 and move back to Japan with his family.