Zenzaburo Akazawa comes from the place where Ueshiba spent the last 27 years of his life – Iwama. He came from the Omoto kyo family. In 1933 he became uchideshi in Tokyo.
Zenzaburo Akazawa was born in Iwama, in 1919. His family was a supporter of the Omoto kyo sect. In 1932, at the behest of the sect leader, Onisaburo Deguchi, their martial arts organization was formed – Budo Senyokai and Morihei Ueshiba became its first chairman. Branches where various martial arts were practiced (but especially Morihei’s Aiki Budo) were established all over Japan.
In Iwama, he led the trainings of Yoshikatsu Fujisawa, who was trained at the Omoto Center in Takeda. The trainings took place in the house of the local postman – Mitsunosuke Akazawa, the father of young Zenzaburo.
In August 1932, their relative and also a Omoto kyo supporter, Shigemi Yonekawa, attended a seminar in Iwama organized by Budo Senyokai. Shortly afterwards, Yonekawa became an uchideshi in Tokyo with the help of Zenzabur’s father.
Young Zenzaburo, however, due to his age, could not become uchideshi Kobukanu until another year, when he finished school.
To be continued
Source: Facebook/Aikido
