The Aikido Center of Los Angeles is happy to announce its return to Little tokyo
The Aikido Center of Los Angeles Second Street dojo in Little Tokyo
The Aikido Center of Los Angeles from 1974 to Today to Beyond…
The dojo when it was in Hollywood in the 1970s
Furuya Sensei at the dojo when it moved to Little Tokyo in 1984.
The dojo in the 1990's
Furuya Sensei shortly before his passing in 2007
Ito Sensei teaching at the Chinatown dojo in 2010
It all started in 1974…
When the Aikido Center of Los Angeles was founded by Rev. Kensho Furuya in Hollywood. In 1984, Furuya Sensei moved the dojo to Little Tokyo, to what he thought was his permanent home, and built it with the help of his father, Ted Furuya who died just a few years later. In 2007, the dojo was forced out of Little Tokyo by condominium developers. On the same day the dojo signed to move out of Little Tokyo, Furuya Sensei passed away.
Furuya Sensei was so revered for his adherence to Japanese traditions that even non-students and other martial artists referred to him as “Sensei.” His dojo has been one of the most traditional Aikido schools in the country.
Now, the Aikido Center of Los Angeles has the opportunity to once again be a part of the Little Tokyo Community.
The Aikido Center of Los Angeles has had three different homes: Hollywood (1974), Little Tokyo (1984), and Chinatown (2007). Now we are happy to announce that we will be returning back to Little Tokyo.
Angled view of the front of the new dojo
Artist rendering of the new FSN building
Front view of the new dojo
The Aikido Center of Los Angeles will be part of the new Go For Broke Plaza & First Street North Residences development built by The Little Tokyo Service Center. The Little Tokyo Service Center wanted to bring back the legacy businesses that made Little Tokyo, Little Tokyo. The dojo was a mainstay in Little Tokyo for over 20 years when it was forced out by gentrification. Now, the dojo has signed a long term lease in the heart of Little Tokyo. This is not just a new address.
This is a homecoming for our dojo and Furuya Sensei’s legacy.
We'll be a 3 minute walk down the pathway from the Japanese American National Museum and The Geffen Contemporary at MOCA. We will be right next door neighbors to the Go For Broke National Education Center and surrounded by the history and culture that gave Little Tokyo its rightful place in Los Angeles.
We believe this will be the dojo's permanent home:
a fitting place to carry forward the work of our founder, Rev. Kensho Furuya for generations to come.
Our goal is to preserve Furuya Sensei’s original dojo as closely as we can.
Building a dojo worthy of Furuya Sensei’s original dojo takes real resources and this attention to detail requires significant capital and manpower.
In line with costs for tenant improvements in the area, we have set a fundraising goal of $350,000 to build out and maintain the dojo properly — a space worthy of the tradition we have been entrusted to preserve.
But we cannot get there without you.
Here are five ways you can help out with this Fundraiser
1) Gift to us
You can gift things to the dojo to be used for the Silent Auction like gift cards, movie tickets, gourmet baskets, jewelry, fine wines, sakes & dinner certificates.
Your gift can be tax deductible as well.
Questions about Gifts? Contact James Takata
2) Be a Donor
Furuya Sensei set up The Furuya Foundation, a registered 501(c)(3) non-profit entity (TIN:20-0026129), before he passed away, so any donation you give will be tax deductible.
Support the dojo by making a one-time or recurring gift to help sustain the dojo: DONATE
3) Help Out
Train with us. Whether you're coming back after years away or you only tried a class once, the new dojo is the perfect time to step back onto the mat.
Teach. If you hold rank and teaching experience, we would value your presence on the mat.
Serve. Operations, administration, planning, and logistics all need capable hands.
Help with the transition. An afternoon or a few months of your time helping us build out and move into the new space makes a real difference.
Support. If you are far away, you can still help out. Contact Paul Major to find out more.
To make a financial contribution, philanthropic purchase, inquire about membership, have questions about returning to practice, or volunteering your time, please contact me directly - Stan
On May 29, 2006, Furuya Sensei wrote, “In ancient times, the dojo was considered as sacred space. What this means is not that it was a religion but it meant that the dojo was a place where one practiced and trained to develop their body, mind and spirit. Because of this, there was no drama politics as we see so much of today. I think today, it is only a "work-out" space or gym and has no significance of "cultivating" the body, mind, and spirit.
In Japan, we used the term "dojo" to mean a place where divine ceremonies or rites took place and later it came to mean a “place of training" as training was considered "sacred."
In the dojo, we watched our behavior, developed our minds and spirits and trained our bodies.
We must treat the dojo with a kind of respect as our place of training and ‘communicating’ with O'Sensei in a way and getting in touch with Aikido. The dojo is a sacred space. Can you appreciate this?”
A dojo is more than a room with mats. It is a place where people come to learn, to be challenged, and to belong. After more than half a century, ours has finally found its permanent home. With your kind support, we hope to build a dojo that Furuya Sensei would be proud of and carry on his teachings for generations to come.
The Furuya Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, Tax ID #20-0026129. The tax-deductible portion of ticket and table purchases is the amount paid above the fair market value of the meal and entertainment provided. Donations made without attending are fully deductible to the extent allowed by law.