Aikido – The Art of Peace

aikido is widely known as the martial art that aims not for victory by destruction, but rather for peaceful resolution of conflict in all its forms. The founder of aikido was Ueshiba Morihei (1883-1969). He had a strong interest in spiritual development and meditation and studied a variety of traditional jujutsu systems including Kito-ryu, Goto-ha Yagyu-ryu and Daito-ryu. However, at the peak of his martial skill he became dissatisfied with the violent ideals that permeated his society and turned to find a way to fuse physical techniques with spiritual discipline.

After a period of study and practice, he developed aikido, which is based on harmonious resolution of conflict. He remained committed to the growth of his art and sent many of his students to spread it to the world. Some of the most notable were Kisshomaru Ueshiba, Koichi Tohei, Morihiro Saito, Gozo Shioda and Minoru Mochizuki.

Today, aikido is taught in many countries around the world by many highly qualified instructors. The art is rooted in traditional Japanese philosophy, but is open to students of all faiths and cultures. It is a holistic system of training that treats mind, body and spirit as interconnected. This translates into physical relaxation and confidence that are reflected in a solid, well-balanced physique.

In 1964, Aikikai’s Kisshomaru Ueshiba made his first tour of the United States and stimulated increased interest in the art. The following year Yoshimitsu YAMADA was dispatched to the US by Akira Tohei and became a major Aikikai figure in New York City.