Kanai Sensei established New England Aikikai as a center for technical Aikido in 1966. He was one of the last uchi-deshi (apprentice students) of Moreihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido. He studied intensively with O Sensei for over ten years. Kanai Sensei passed away in 2004. New England Aikikai continues to carry on in his spirit of training.