A brief Aikido history

Aikido History spans several hundred years, but it is considered a "modern" Japanese martial art because the name Ai-Ki-Do was not coined untiul the middle of the 20th Century.

Aikido was gradually assembled during the 1920's to 1960's by Morihei Uyeshiba, who is known to his followers as O-Sensei.

No History of aikido would be complete without acknowledging the following great teachers. (There are others, too, and I apologise for omitting them in this personal listing.)

Sokaku Takeda was the master of Daito Ryu Aiki Jujutsu... He taught his art to Morihei Uyeshiba.

Morihei Uyeshiba (O-Sensei) added sword, spear and staff techniques to Daito Ryu - then added his spriritual philosphy, of non-violence. O-Sensei called his art AIKIDO.

Koichi Tohei was one of the Dojo managers for O-Sensei's Honbu Dojo. He took the concept of "Ki" to a philosophy and art in its own right. He founded the Ki Society.

Jigoro Kano is the founder of Kodokan Judo. He created this martial art (and sport) from the older Ju Jitsu schools. He also sent a senior Judo student of his, Kenji Tomiki, to learn this new Aikido from Morihei Uyeshiba.

Kenji Tomiki combined his highly-structured knowledge of Judo with Uyeshiba's new Aikido. Tomiki Sensei was the first Dojo manager at the Uyeshiba family dojo, and the first student of O-Sensei to be graded to Teacher (Master) status. His art is Tomiki Aikido, also called Shodokan Aikido or even Sport Aikido, because it has Randori - carefully-controlled competition - like Judo does.

Tetsuro Nariyama is Kenji Tomiki's successor. Nariyama Shihan was chosen specifically to promote Shodokan Aikido after Tomiki's death in 1978.

There is much more to Aikido history than the people listed on this brief page. Many others deserve recognition too, and I do apologise for the ones I have omitted.

Aikido Holds