Roy Suenaka

Infobox_martial_artist
name = Roy Y. Suenaka


caption =
birth_date = birth date|1940|06|25
birth_place = flagicon|USA Honolulu, Hawaii
residence = flagicon|USA Charleston, South Carolina
martial_art = Aikido, "White Crane" Karate
website = http://www.suenaka.com

Roy Yukio Suenaka (born 1940-06-25), in Honolulu Hawaii, is an American martial arts instructor, teaching aikido and karate, and is the founder of the American International Ki Development and Philosophical Society (AIKDPS).

A native of Hawaii, Roy Suenaka was already an experienced martial artist prior to Koichi Tohei's historic 1953 visit to Hawaii|. It was during Tohei's visit that he was introduced to Aikido, and began making it his primary art. He would later meet Morihei Ueshiba for the first time when he visited Hawaii several years later.

As a young man he enlisted in the Air Force where he was stationed in Japan. Here he again met Morihei Ueshiba and began 8 years of training with him. As an Airman in the US Air Force, he not only took classes, he also began teaching them to his fellow soldiers. In 1961, he was transferred to Okinawa, where he continued to teach on base. He requested permission to open a separate off-base Aikido dojo, and was awarded a menkyo kaiden (master level) teaching certificate from Ueshiba in order to do so. Roy Suenaka was the first Aikidoka to successfully open (and keep open) an Aikido dojo in Okinawa. While in Okinawa, he met and began training with karate master Hohan Soken.

In 1972, he was transferred to Charleston, SC where he opened one of the founding schools for the new International Ki Society, an affiliation that he maintained until 1975. After splitting from the Ki Society he formed his own Aikido organization, the AIKDPS. His organization teaches Suenaka-ha Tetsugaku-ho Wadokai Aikido and Matsumura Seito Hakutsuru Shorin-ryu Karate-do. Suenaka Sensei is still living in the Charleston area, where the Hombu Dojo is located.

Suenaka is co-author of Complete Aikido: Aikido Kyohan: The Definitive Guide to the Way of Harmony

Awards and Ranks

Awarded by individuals:
* Menkyo Kaiden (teaching license, certificate of complete mastery) in aikido, awarded by aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba O'Sensei, in 1961
* Rokudan (6th degree black belt) in Matsumura Seito Hakutsuru Shorin Ryu Karatedo & Kobudo, awarded by Hakutsuru Shorin Ryu founder Hokan Soken, in 1972
* Sandan (3rd degree black belt) in Kodokan Judo and Jiu Jitsu (dual certificate), awarded by Kazuo Ito and Risei Kano, son of judo founder Jigoro Kano, in 1970
* Nidan (2nd degree black belt) in Kendo, awarded by Shuji Mikami in 1958
* Hawaiian State Golden Gloves Boxing from 1954 to 1958

Currently his is ranked:
* Hachidan (8th degree black belt) in Aikido, awarded by the International Black Belt Federation in 1977
* Hachidan (8th degree black belt) in Matsumura Seito Hakutsuru Shorin Ryu Karatedo & Kobudo, awarded by the International Black Belt Federation in 1977

References

* Suenaka, Roy and Watson, Christopher "Complete Aikido: Aikido Kyohan : The Definitive Guide to the Way of Harmony ISBN 978-0804831406
* Pranin, Stanley "Aikido Journal" http://www.aikidojournal.com/encyclopedia?entryID=633
* Suenaka, Roy "Suenaka Martial Arts" http://suenaka.com/