Minoru Hirai (平井 稔 March 1903 - 16 October 1998)[1] was a Japanese martial artist and creator of the korindo style of aikido.
[2] As a youth, he studied many different martial arts including Togin-ryu, Okumura Nito-ryu, Takenouchi-ryu, Kito-ryu and Saburi-ryu.
[1] His own style, Korindo aikido (光輪洞合気道, Kōrindō Aikidō), was founded in 1938 [3] and combined elements from classical jujutsu and traditional Japanese weaponry with the early teachings of Ueshiba.
Korindo's taisabaki consists of seven forms or kata: kesagiri, kote-sabaki, irimisabaki, shihosabaki, isogaeshi, tsuiage, and ushirosabaki.
Minoru Hirai's unique taisabaki forms, which constitute the basis of his Korindo Aikido, can be practiced empty-handed, with a sword, short staff, or spear.