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Ueshiba’s Hokkaido Saga – The Beginning
Morihei Ueshiba had felt adrift since his departure from the Army. He longed for fresh challenges and a profound purpose to dedicate his life to. This persistent restlessness ultimately led Ueshiba on an exploration journey to Hokkaido 北海道 where his life would intersect with destiny, setting in motion a series of events that would leave an indelible mark on the world of modern martial arts. During that time, the Japanese government had a vision to colonize and transform Hokkaido into a thriving agricultural and industrial area capable of supporting its growing population. This involved significant projects such as land reclamation, infrastructure development, and the encouragement of immigration to the region.…
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A Journey of Naming: From Daito Ryu to Aikido (Part I)
Aikido, renowned for its philosophy of harmony and non-resistance, has a rich history that traces its roots back to Daito Ryu Jujutsu 大東流柔術. During the evolution of Aikido, Ueshiba used various names for his art before settling on the term “Aikido 合気道”. Ueshiba had studied multiple martial arts, including Tenjin Shinyo Ryu 天神真楊流, Kito Ryu 起倒流, Yagyu Shinkage Ryu 柳生新陰流, and Judo 柔道 before encountering the martial arts master Sokaku Takeda 武田惣角. In 1915, Ueshiba came across Takeda during his exploratory journey in Hokkaido 北海道. Astonished by Takeda’s knowledge and techniques, he swiftly decided to become Takeda’s disciple. The following year, Ueshiba established a dojo in Shirataki 白滝村 and invited…
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O-Sensei’s Aliases: Moritaka and Tsunemori Ueshiba
Beyond his birth name Morihei Ueshiba 植芝盛平, O-Sensei used two other names, Moritaka Ueshiba 植芝守高 and Tsunemori Ueshiba 植芝常盛, during his lifetime. Moritaka Ueshiba was a name that Ueshiba often used in his 40s and 50s after his trip to Mongolia in 1924. The journey to Mongolia took place approximately three years after the First Omoto-kyo Incident, during which Japanese authorities suppressed Omoto-kyo by raiding their headquarters and arresting its leader, Onisaburo Deguchi 出口 王仁三郎. Deguchi, along with a group of his disciples, including Ueshiba, embarked on an expedition to Mongolia with the ambition of establishing a new religious kingdom there. The Omoto-kyo believes in Bankyo Dokon 万教同根, the concept…
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Divine Revelation and Enlightenment: Morihei Ueshiba’s Vision for Aikido
In the realm of Aikido, the founder Morihei Ueshiba embarked on a transformative journey, guided by profound divine revelations that bestowed upon him a sacred mission to manifest harmony and purification in a world fraught with turbulence. According to legend, Ueshiba received numerous Shinji 神示 (divine revelations) throughout his life. One significant revelation occurred on December 14, 1940, which coincided with Ueshiba’s birthday. At 2:00 AM that day, Ueshiba performed a one-hour Suigyo ritual, a water purification ceremony. During this ritual, he prayed for the descent of deities (kami) associated with Aikido, resulting in the arrival of 43 guardian deities. The first to descend was Sarutahiko-Okami 猿多毘古大神, followed by others,…
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Development of Dan Ranking System in Japanese Martial Arts and its Adoption in Aikido
Martial arts have been an integral part of Japanese culture for centuries. One of the most significant aspects in their development is the introduction of the dan ranking system. The term “dan” 段, which literally means “stage”, was first used by Sansa Honinbo 本因坊 算砂, the founder of the Honinbo Go school in the late 16th century. Go 囲碁 is a traditional strategy board game originated from China and introduced to Japan around the 7th century. The game is played by two players who take turns placing black and white stones on a square grid board. The objective is to gain more territory on the board than your opponent by…
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Breaking Barriers: The Pioneering Women of Aikido
Japan has a rich history of women practicing martial arts. Women of the samurai class learned naginatajutsu as part of their education and self-defense training since the Edo period (1603-1867). There are also records of women practicing kenjutsu, ko-tachi 小太刀, kusarigama 锁镰, and other weapon arts, but taijutsu was relatively uncommon. However, the situation began to change in the early 1900s when martial arts such as Judo became a regular part of school curriculums. In 1919, Ueshiba met Onisaburo Deguchi 出口王仁三郎, the founder of the Omoto 大本教 religion in Ayabe 府綾 Kyoto. The following year, Ueshiba moved his family to Ayabe and joined Omoto. Deguchi encouraged Ueshiba to pursue budo…
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Morihei Ueshiba’s Path from Kenjutsu to Aiki-Ken (Part II)
In 1927, Ueshiba moved to Tokyo and later started teaching in Kobukan 皇武館 dojo. Through his military connections, Ueshiba was later introduced to some of the top martial artists. Among them was Kosaburo Gejo 下条小三郎, a navy commander but also an expert in Yagyu Shinkage Ryu. Gejo was a top student of Yagyu 柳生厳周, the 13th generation head of the Owari Yagyu 尾張柳生 lineage. While Ueshiba and Gejo had more of a friendly relationship rather than a formal teacher/student one, it is generally believed that Ueshiba was exposed to some high level of Yagyu Shinkage Ryu techniques and concepts through this relationship. However, there is also a saying that Gejo…
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Morihei Ueshiba’s Path from Kenjutsu to Aiki-Ken (Part I)
The origin of Aiki-ken can be traced back to Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido, and his study of various martial arts styles throughout his life. Some of the major ken-related arts that Ueshiba had exposure to include Yagyu Shinkage Ryu 柳生新陰流, Yagyu Shingan Ryu 柳生心眼流, Daito Ryu 大東流, and Kashima Shinto Ryu 鹿島新当流. In 1902, when Ueshiba was 19, he moved to Tokyo to start a stationery business but returned to Tanabe in less than a year due to a health problem. It was during this short period of time that he trained in Yagyu Shinkage Ryu, but it is unclear who his teacher was. Yagyu Shinkage Ryu was…
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Ueshiba’s Jo in Aikido: Unification of Martial and Spiritual Principles
The history of the jo 杖 in Aikido can be traced back to the founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, who was known for his extensive martial arts training, including the art of the jo. The origins of the jo in Japanese martial arts can be traced back even further, to the 17th century, when Muso Gonnosuke 夢想權之助, a samurai who was defeated in a duel with the legendary swordsman Miyamoto Musashi 宮本武蔵, developed a new form of martial art that focused on the use of a short staff, which he called Shindo Muso Ryu Jojutsu 神道夢想流杖術. Shindo Muso Ryu Jojutsu 神道夢想流杖術 Over time, jojutsu was also incorporated into other martial…
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A Very Brief Biography of the Founder
Morihei Ueshiba 植芝 盛平, known as O-Sensei (Great Teacher 大先生) by his followers, is the founder of Aikido. He lived during a time of great social, political, and economic upheaval in Japan. Born in 1883 in Wakayama Prefecture 和歌山県, Ueshiba grew up in a country that was rapidly modernizing and westernizing, as the government implemented policies to modernize the country’s economy, education system, and military. As a young man, Ueshiba trained in a range of martial arts, including Jukenjutsu 銃剣術, Kenjutsu 剣術, Jujutsu 柔術 and Judo 柔道. He also served in the military during the Russo-Japanese War of 1904-1905, where he saw firsthand the devastating effects of violence and war.…
