Aikido is a Budo (martial art) created by Morihei Ueshiba (O'Sensei, 1883-1969).


After the Founder's passing in 1969, his son Kisshomaru Ueshiba was inaugurated as Aikido Doshu. At present, Moriteru Ueshiba, grandson of the Founder, has succeeded his father as Aikido Doshu.

O'Sensei created Aikido out of his exhaustive study of armed and unarmed methods of defense. Influenced by the charismatic spiritual leader and artist Onisaburo Deguchi, the aspect of Aikido as a path to spiritual self-development became increasingly important to him. A famous motto of O'Sensei, "Masakatsu Agatsu", contains the essence of the spirit of Aikido: "True victory is victory over the self."

Untill his passing away in 1969, O'Sensei was practicing and teaching Aikido, combined with farming, misogi (purification) and reading.
He never stopt saying "I'm only a beginner".

His son Kisshomaru played an important role in orga-nizing and spreading Aikido throughout the whole world. Aikido is now practiced by over a million-and-a-half people worldwide, of all ages and backgrounds.