He was trained by Harry Ishisaka and received 1st dan degree ( Shodan ) under the direction of Koichi Tohei.

He continued to train in aikido as a student of Seiseki Abe, Koichi Tohei ( whose aikido organization, Ki Society, Seagal refused to join in favor of staying with the Aikikai ), Kisaburo Osawa, Hiroshi Isoyama and the second doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba.

The is an aikido organization founded by Koichi Tohei in 1971, while he was the chief instructor at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo.

* Koichi Tohei: Ki in Daily Life.

* Koichi Tohei: Book of Ki: Co-ordinating Mind and Body in Daily Life.

It was at this time, at the age of 18, that Saito joined Ueshiba for training, which already included then live-in students Kisshomaru Ueshiba, Koichi Tohei, and Tadashi Abe.

Although other students such as Koichi Tohei trained with Ueshiba for more years than Saito did, Saito's work allowed him to train almost as an uchideshi, for long periods as the only student.

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is the style of aikido ( a modern Japanese martial art ) developed by Koichi Tohei.

When Koichi Tohei Sensei left Aikikai to found Ki-Aikido, Maruyama Sensei followed him.

In 1965 Koichi Tohei, the chief instructor of Aikido Hombu in the World Aikido Headquarters in Tokyo, Japan visited the Aikido schools in Manila, Philippines and held Aikido exhibitions along with Benjamin Galarpe throughout the Philippines.

Later that year, Koichi Tohei went on to promote Benjamin Galarpe to the rank of Sandan.

The schism between Aikikai doshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba and the head master Koichi Tohei in the early 1970s pressured Galarpe to take sides and choose his loyalty between the Aikikai and Koichi Tohei's Ki Society.

In the end, Galarpe chose Koichi Tohei and joined Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido.

However, three of his students, Ernesto Talag of Quezon City, Chan Hok-seng of Pampanga and Max Tian of Cebu, did decide to follow Galarpe's example and remain loyal to Koichi Tohei.

Originally from Tokyo, Japan, Yamada became interested in aikido through his father's cousin, Tadashi Abe, who trained at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo and was a friend of Koichi Tohei.