The founder of Aikido

Aikido originated with Morihei Ueshiba, born on December 14th 1883 in the Wakayama Prefecture, now known as Tanabe. Commonly referred to as O-Sensei (=Great Teacher). O-Sensei was a bit small at birth and rather sickly as a child. He was the only boy next to his four sisters. O-Sensei, while growing up he was very actively busy building up his body. Working on the local fishing boats, he also took up Sumo wrestling and swimming after being encouraged by his father Yoroku to do so. One day his father was beaten up by a band of thugs. He studied jujutsu at the Kito-ryu dojo and swordsmanship at the Shinkage Ryu. In 1902 he married Hatsu Itogawa and prepared to enlist in the army.

During his time in the military he continued to train several martial arts. After his discharge from the military, he began to act strangely, shutting himself in his room for hours and disappeared in the woods for days. One time he stood on the beach exposing him to the power of a typhoon. He continued pursuing several martial arts during this period and continued making his body stronger and stronger. In 1909 he cam under the influence of Kumagusu Minataka (1867 - 1941), an eccentric scholar. In 1912 he went with eighty-four settlers to Shirataki (in Hokkaido) to colonize it. He helped to build the place and served on the community council. Here too he continued to practice martial arts. He was undefeated until he met the legendary Sokaku Takeda (1859-1943). Sokaku Takeda was born in Aizu, home of some of the fiercest warriors known in Japan. He was taught to fight with his hands, a sword and a spear by his severe samurai father from a very early age. After meeting Morihei Ueshiba he described him as "The last of the old time warriors".

Sokaku Takeda was teaching Daito-Ryu Aiki Jujutsu. After being handled with ease by Sokaku Takeda, Morihei Ueshiba enrolled in a 10-day Diato-Ryu training course and spent the next four years training under Sokaku Takeda. Even though he had learned a lot from Sokaku Takeda, Morihei Ueshiba continued his main quest, which was always more spiritual. In December of 1919 he received a telegram saying that his father was very ill and had to go back to Tanabe. For some strange reason he took a detour through Ayabe, the headquarters of the Omoto-kyo sect and met the grand Shaman Onisaburo Deguchi (1871-1947). Very much intrigued by the cosmic theology and the emphasis on the inborn divinity of each and every human being he stayed in Ayabe for several days and by the time he got back in Tanabe his father had passed away. He moved to Ayabe and joined the Omoto-kyo. He had two small children, a girl and a boy and his wife was expecting a third child. During his first year in Ayabe his second son was born, he lost both due to illness. In 1921 he became father to a healthy baby boy named Kisshomaru Ueshiba (Second Doshu), he was the only surviving son.

Word spread quickly of the "martial art wizard" (Morihei Ueshiba). He sent every single one who challenged him flying. In 1931 he opened the Kobukan Dojo in Tokyo and he had many supporters, namely military and political elite. His personal students were selected after careful screening, these were the best of the best. By this time Aikido was named Aiki-Budo. In 1942 Aikido was formally used and between this year and 1952 the techniques were consolidated and the philosophy was perfected. O-Sensei was confident Aikido "divine techniques that don't kill" would survive after the end of the war in 1945.

U.S. occupation forces banned martial arts (except karate). Many believed that Aikido would seize to exist by the end of World War II. In 1948 the "Aikikai" (Aikikai Association) was founded to promote Aikido in Japan and Internationally. Everyone was too busy rebuilding from the war so anyway there were very few students. In Iwama a small group of disciples trained with O-Sensei. Iwama is considered by many to be the birthplace of Aiki-do, "The Way of Harmony". Regular training resumed in Tokyo around 1950. During the coming twenty years Aikido spread in Japan and overseas. A number of Japanese instructors traveled overseas and some of them settled permanently, teaching their knowledge of Aikido. People also came to Japan to study Aikido, many would return to their home countries and open their own dojo, so expanding Aikido more and more.

During the last years of O-Sensei's life, much of his time was spent in prayer, meditation and study, but traveled a lot and causing great impressions on the people who had the opportunity to see him perform his Aikido techniques. His explanations of Aikido confused may, because of his mysterious way of explaining. The necessity to unify body and mind, conflict resolution instead of confrontation, everyday life as an act of worship, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, the importance of regular meditation and concern for and care of the environment were some of the things he tried to explain. O-Sensei's health declined. In 1968 O-Sensei started to suffer from liver cancer.

On the 15th of April his condition worsened and he gave his last instructions: "Aikido is for the entire world. Train not for selfish reasons, but for all people everywhere". Early on the morning or April 26th, O-Sensei, now 86 years old took his son's hand, smiled and said, "Take care of things," and died. About two months later his wife Hatsu joined him. O-Sensei's ashes were buried in the family temple in Tanabe and parts of his hair were enshrined in Ayabe, in the Aiki Shrine and in the Kumano Juku Dojo. A memorial is held every year on the 29th of April at the Aiki Shrine in Iwama.