塩田剛三
Terada was born in Nagasaki, Kyūshū, Japan. His martial arts life began in April 1934 at Kaisei Junior High School where he took up his first martial art of Kendo. At age 15, he received an award for the best Judo player of the year after winning a Judo championship that same year. Upon his entry into Takushoku University at age 18, he began his karate training. It was there that in 1941 he met Gozo Shioda, the future head of the Yoshinkan Aikido dojo. During the period between 1940 and 1943, Terada learned Sumo from Akutsugawa Sensei, Judo from Sone Sensei, and Kashimaryu Jujitsu from Osugi Sensei.