Nobuyuki Watanabe (July 25, 1930 – August 20, 2019) was born in the Miyazaki Prefecture. Sumo was the first Budo on his way and at secondary school, he started Judo.
He also made Jukenjutsu but really liked and considered Judo to be the best martial art possible before he got thrown with the Shiho-Nage…
Watanabe Sensei started Aikido in a club at Prime Minister’s office where he had a job at the age of 22. Classes were in the afternoon but after receiving a Shodan he entered at Hombu Dojo.
He went there in the morning (instead of the job) and in the evening (after the job).
Hiroshi Tada, Nobuyoshi Tamura, Koichi Tohei, Sadateru Arikawa were the uchi-deshis at the time Watanabe Sensei joined.
He also became one and was influenced a lot by O-Sensei and Kisaburo Osawa.
Source: Aikido/Facebook