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Martial Arts Legend Yoshimitsu Yamada Passes Away at 84; Daughter Gives Reason for Death

Published 01/28/2023, 2:00 PM EST

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While there have been multiple interesting news in the MMA world, another sad news came out a few days back regarding a martial arts legend. Yoshimitsu Yamada, who many consider the person responsible for pioneering Aikido in the US, sadly passed away on January 15th. Yamada was 84 years old at the time of passing. His daughter, while announcing his death, also mentioned a heart attack to be the cause of his demise. Yamada passed away in Manhattan.

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His academy, New York Aikikai, also commemorated his demise through an Instagram post on January 16th. While sadly announcing his death, the post mentioned he died peacefully at Mount Sinai Hospital beside his family.

Yoshimitsu Yamada, the pioneer of Aikido in the US, dies of a heart attack

After his passing Yamada’s daughter, Mika disclosed his death as a heart attack. Although there was no public funeral, his family had made private funeral arrangements. While sharing the news, New York Aikikai urged his students and fans to respect their privacy. 

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Sensei, as he is lovingly known among his students, arrived in the US back in the 1960s. He started in New York city by demonstrating Aikido in front of audiences in karate tournaments and fairs. Eventually, he built a strong foundation of loyal students and their love can be seen pouring now after his demise.

Yoshimitsu Yamada’s legacy as a martial artist

Yamada first came to the US after his sensei Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, sent him and a few other students to different countries. He eventually ended up as the head instructor of New York Aikikai. From there onwards, he continued building a successful Aikido community in America.

In an old interview, Yamada narrated his initial days in America, and how went about promoting Aikido.

“Even if you love karate, you can get a bit bored watching the same thing for two hours straight. For 10 minutes, I’d show something that looked so different from karate — it really amazed people.” pointed Yamada at how he used to visit karate tournaments to demonstrate Aikido. “Then I’d disappear, and people would wonder, ‘What was that?’ Sooner or later, people would start to seek us out.”

Now New York Aikikai is a successful academy, and it was all down to Mr. Yamada’s efforts as an instructor. Along with his coaching, it was his charisma and personality that attracted his students as well.  

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Josh Gold, the editor of Aikido Journal, points out: “He had a unique ability to bring people together and build a community”.

‘Sensei’ started out attracting students from different fields of life. From war veterans to hippies, people all flocked to him, owing to their personal reasons. And it was this common theme of bringing folks together through his unique teaching capacities that always stood out among his students.

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Steve Pimsler, the chief instructor at his academy, couldn’t have stated it better: “One of my favourite quotes from Oscar Wilde is ‘Nothing that is worth knowing can be taught, And he kind of operated like that. He just inspired you. And you taught yourself.”

Ultimately, his passing is definitely sad news for martial arts and Aikido practitioners. It is also interesting to note that Aikido as Nick Diaz, brother of Nate Diaz, also practiced martial art. Although Yamada has moved on, the legacy he set up and the foundation he laid down is evident for all to see.

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Written by:

Pragjyoti Singh

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Pragjyoti is a UFC writer at EssentiallySports. He is extremely passionate about MMA and has a good understanding of the sport and its technicalities. Having trained in the sport along with a passion for journalism, it has helped him develop a keen interest in the UFC and anything related to the promotion.
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Edited by:

Vineet Nandwana