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Aikido was created by Ueshiba Morihei Sensei, throughout the mid 20th century, and can be translated as meaning “the way of harmonizing the spirit”. It is through Ueshiba Sensei’s countless years of training in a multitude of traditional Japanese Budo (which include arts such as the sword, spear, naginata, etc.), which led to the creation of his Aikido. Ueshiba Sensei’s message through Aikido is one of peace, perseverance in training, as well as the unification of mind and body.

This particular style of Aikido was started by Shioda Gozo Sensei, one of Kai Sensei’s Budo instructors and a direct student under Ueshiba Morihei Sensei (creator of Aikido); The Yoshinkan organization was established following the Second World War. Born in 1915, Shioda Sensei trained diligently in Aikido as a “jiki deshi” (direct pupil) of Ueshiba Sensei for almost a decade. This early period in Aikido’s history could be described as one with a “harder” training method, which would reflect itself later in the flavour of training within Yoshinkan. This flavour of Aikido is seen as being more aggressive and direct in nature, and has strong emphasis on self-defence techniques; as such it is also one of the martial arts taught to the Tokyo Police.

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This system of Budo uses the opponents force and speed against them, by teaching its practitioners to be in harmony with the opponent. Both the body and mind must be "flexible". The Aikidoka must be aware of the opponent and sense their feelings. The initial aim is therefore not to damage, but to cultivate a feeling of "harmony" with the opponent. Circular Movements (Marui) are the secret of gaining advantage from your opponent’s power. Almost none of the Aikido movements follow a straight line: the feet, the body and the arms describe an arc and furthermore they are tri-dimensional - that is to say they follow the shape of a sphere or, sometimes, of a spiral. The Circular Movements allow the Aikidoka to add his weight and his power to his opponent's ones without fearing any harsh collision.

YOSHINKAN AIKIDO

Morihei Ueshiba Sensei

Shioda Gozo Sensei