| AIKIDO comes from the combat techniques of the Samurai, now reworked and synthesized to teach harmony and reconciliation. Morihei Ueshiba (1882-1968), renowned as O-sensei (great teacher), investigated and studied many traditional Japanese martial arts before opening his own school in 1925. He taught a new martial art which borrowed significantly from traditional sword, staff, and hand to hand styles of fighting, most notably from Daito-Ryu Aiki-jujitsu.
Ueshiba diligently applied himself to the reworking of the combat techniques he had learnt studying these styles, and synthesized them into a form that taught harmony and reconciliation rather than violence and death. In this way, he satisfied his belief that true Budo (the way of the warrior) was the way of peace. Since the 1920's, several styles of Aikido have developed. One of Ueshiba's foremost students, Gozo Shioda (1915-1994), evolved the Yoshinkan style which incorporates precision in executing techniques with the study of basic movements. Detailed instruction, and the identification of basic movements and forms, has provided a teaching methodology that is easily learned and is suitable for both practical self-defense and personal development. For this reason, Yoshinkan Aikido is called 'the Modern Martial Art' and is used by a growing number of peace-keeping forces worldwide. |