Imaizumi returned to Japan after three months in California and served as an instructor at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo until 1974, when he joined Koichi Tohei in his breakaway from the Aikikai and the creation of Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido (Ki-aikido).
Imaizumi and Tohei spent 1974 and early 1975 with the consolidation of the new Ki-aikido organisation and its new holdings.
In June 1975, he was once again instructed by Tohei to travel to the United States as an ambassador of Ki-aikido, this time to New York, to help organise and run the dojos which had earlier joined Toheis new organisation.
Before this, however, he would first accompany Tohei on a tour of the US new Ki-aikido dojos, more specifically in the Honolulu, Chicago, Philadelphia (and finally) New York regions.
Tohei would later continue on to Boston alone to hold seminars while Imaizumi remained in New York to get things in order. Shiuzo held his first Ki-aikido class on the evening of July 22.
To be continued…
Source: Facebook/Aikido
