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The Founder
 The Founder of
aikido, Master Morihei Ueshiba, was born on December 14, 1883. He served
in the Imperial Japanese Army and fought in the Russo-Japanese War
(1904-5). He received the rank of sergeant and was honorably discharged.
In 1912 at the age of 29, he recruited 54 households and founded a new
settlement in Shirataki, Hokkaido.
After his father's death in 1920, he moved back home. However, he
experienced profound psychological distress. He found guidance from
Deguchi Onisaburo, the religious leader of the Shinto-derived Omoto Sect.
He lived at the Omoto Headquarters in Ayabe, Kyoto Prefecture, practicing
Shinto rites. He spent eight years at this location, these were formative
in his spiritual development.
 Master Ueshiba practiced and mastered several martial arts, including
swordsmanship in the Shinkage School, jujutsu in the Kito and Daito
schools, among others. He had received the highest certification in the
Daito School from Master Takeda Sokaku. It was this jujutsu that opened
the Founder's eyes to the deep meaning of the martial arts. Principles
from the Daito School differ from Aikido's, but many techniques are shared
in common.
His years in Ayabe helped to make the Founder's dedication to Budo single
minded, primarily due to encouragement of Deguchi. Deguchi advised the
Founder to set aside a part of his residence in Ayabe and turn it into a
dojo.
The Founder opened the modest 18-tatami Ueshi Juku. People started hearing
about "The Budo Master of Ayabe" and his fame spread. The dojo was
initially intended for the young men of the Omoto Sect. But soon outsiders
began to join, students from such places as Maizuru, Tokyo and other
distant parts of Japan.
In 1922 he proclaimed Aiki-bujutsu as a new martial art form. People
actually did not immediately accept this name. They called it Ueshiba-ryu
or Ueshiba-ryu Aiki-bujutsu.
In 1924-5, two experiences helped to form a turning point in his martial
art.
One occurred during his trip to Inner Mongolia. During an attack, he
experienced an imperturbable calmness, and without moving from his
position, was able to avoid the oncoming bullets by a slight shift in the
body.
On his return, he was challenged by a young naval officer in Ayabe and
experienced sumi-kiri, the clarity of mind and body that realizes the
oneness of the ki of the universe and the ki of self.
These experiences became the foundation of his martial art. They started
the beginning of the spiritual development of Aikido, for from this point
on Master Ueshiba constantly advocated that "true Budo is the way of great
harmony and great love for all beings" and that every movement is the
working of the unity of ki-mind-body.
He went to Tokyo in 1925 and gave demonstrations for a distinguished
audience and also started conducting seminars and lessons for high ranking
officials from the army, navy, business and political worlds. In 1927 he
left Ayabe for good and moved to Tokyo.
 He established several dojo in the Shiba district of Tokyo and instructed
many people in aiki-bujutsu, including high-ranking experts in other
martial arts.
The number of students grew larger and there was need for a larger dojo.
In 1930, the Founder established a new dojo in Wakamatsu-cho, Tokyo. The
new training center received the name of Kobukan Dojo.
In 1936 the Founder decided the time had come to make the distinction
between the old martial arts and his own clear, because of the
philosophical and spiritual emphasis he had incorporated in his own art.
He abandoned the term bujutsu and renamed his art aiki-budo. It took
several years for this to take place, but in February 1942, Aikido was
officially recognized as the name of the Founder's school and new art.
The West
 Aikido
was introduced to the West in 1951 by Minoru Mochizuki’s visit to France
when he demonstrated aikido techniques to judo students.
Following his footsteps, in 1952, Tadashi Abe
came as the official Aikikai Hombu representative. He stayed for seven
years.
In 1953, Kenji Tomiki toured with a delegation of various martial artists
fifteen continental states of the United States. Consequently the same
year, Aikikai Hombu sent Koichi Tohei to Hawaii, for a full year, where he
set up several dojo.
Many further formal visits followed, hence it is seen as the formal
beginning of aikido in the United States.
In 1955, the United Kingdom joined in; Italy in 1964; Germany and
Australia in 1965.
Today there are plethora of aikido dojo available to train throughout the
world.
The Aikido World Headquarters' International Regulations were first
promulgated by Hombu Aikido World Headquarters in 1980 as rules to deal
with matters relating to the propagation and development of Aikido
throughout the world. Hombu Official Recognition is given to Aikido
organizations according to the provisions set forth in the International
Regulations.
International Aikido Now
 Hombu
recently applied revisions to the International Regulations, and the
revised Regulations became effective on the 1st of October, 2000. Major
modifications were made to the provisions relating to Hombu Recognition.
Until now it has been stipulated that Hombu Recognition should be given
only to one organization in a given country. However, taking into
consideration many factors such as the rapid expansion of the Aikido
population in many countries, the birth and growth of new Aikido
organizations in the last two decades, etc., it has been decided that
Hombu Recognition may be given to more than one organization in a given
country.
An Aikido organization which has been given Hombu Recognition is
authorized to conduct Kyu/Dan grading examinations for its members,
forming a relevant Grading Committee consisting of qualified members
(Article 2.3). In this case, such power is given to the organization
itself and not to any individual member of the organization. If a member
of the Grading Committee leaves the organization, he is no longer
authorized to conduct grading examinations. Recognition by any Aikido
organization does not mean that it becomes a representative of Hombu or
that it is affiliated to Hombu. Any Aikido organization of the world is
independent of Hombu legally and organizationally. Also Hombu Recognition
does not mean that the relevant organization can enjoy an exclusive
position to propagate Aikido in a given country. Hombu Recognition does
not have any political implication. It is a vertical relation between
Hombu and each Aikido organization for the purpose of instruction and
grading of Aikido.
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