Although Aikido was born in Japan late in the first quarter of this century, it made its first big jump into the world arena only in the early 1950s, after the liberalization of the post-war occupation regulations which banned all train ing in martial activities. Today, how- ever, it is said that the number of trainees world-wide has reached one million; an exceptional growth that is definitely continuing.

Pre-war Period

It was in 1922 that the Founder of Aikido, Ueshiba Morihei, began teaching the "Way" he would later name Aikido. From that year until 1945 and the end of the World War 11, he dedicated his most strenuous efforts to enriching the content of his art and promoting it, mainly inside Japan.

However, during this turbulent period immediately after the birth of Aikido, the social and political background of the times had significant influence on the way the art progressed. Morihei mainly intended to spread Aikido to a very limited group of intellectuals and others of high social standing and never went quite so far as to suggest that it be spread to the general public. Therefore, all instruction was done by The Founder himself or under his strict supervision. He was thus too busy to exert any great or general influence on society.

Post-war Period

After the end of the World War 11, the changing times brought major reassessments of the administration policy of Aikido. In 1948, the government in the form of the Ministry of Education formally recognized a new body, the Aikikai Foundation (Zaidan Hojin Aikikai), as the sole official, national organization dedicated to the promotion of the art of Aikido. At that time Founder Ueshiba Morihei put his son, Kisshomaru, in charge of all matters including the administration of the organization and the spreading of the art. He himself had decided to remain in his country retreat outside Tokyo where he could exert himself singlemindedly toward making greater strides in the content of Aikido itself. It was there that he had built the Aiki Shrine (Aiki Jinja) as a spiritual focus of his movement. The Shrine honors the Shinto gods whom he viewed as the guardians of Aikido. (After his death in 1969 the Founder's own spirit was also enshrined there.)

Having been given responsibility for the art as a whole, the author, Ueshiba Kisshomaru, decided to popularize Aikido, not only in Japan, but among the general public all around the world. He took as his goals the fostering of a correct understanding of the art and its greater development. With these aims in mind he set about the tasks of establishing instruction methods, constructing an organizational framework, modernizing administration procedures, and so forth.

Domestic Growth

By about 1955, the completion of a functioning administrative organization lead to social exposure that marked a strong step in spreading the art nation-wide. From the beginning of the nineteen sixties, university student Aikido organizations began to be formed until at present (in 1984) nearly 200 Japanese universities have Aikido clubs which receive instruction from teachers sent to them from the Aikikai Foundation.

In 1976, the "All Japan Aikido Association" was inaugurated to enhance mutual friendship and interaction among Japanese Aikido practitioners whether they belong to one of the existing Aikido associations, a club sponsored by some business organization, or the Self Defense Ministry Aikido Association. The Aikikai Foundation continues to play its central role as the umbrella organization in correctly spreading the art in Japan.

International Growth

In the meantime, the international development of Aikido has shown strong development in many nations on every continent. The main reason for the art's great and growing popularity seems to be its unique and substantial spiritual element. Many non-Japanese trainees feel that these deeper components of martial art are more prominent in Aikido than in the other Japanese budo that have spread abroad.

Beginning in the early 1950s, visits by various experts in the art stimulated the first signs of a "take off" of Aikido as an international phenomena. Initially, it was introduced into Hawaii, in the United States, and France, in Europe . Its deep, oriental spirituality immediately captured the minds of intellectuals and the art spread around the world in almost no time.

In 1975 a preparatory committee met in Madrid to discuss the formation of an "International Aikido Federation."

About thirty countries were represented. Then, in 1976, the Federation was formally inaugurated and began functioning. As of this writing in 1984, more than forty national Aikido federations and organizations have joined.

The art is especially flourishing in the United States; France, Italy, England, West Germany and other European countries; and Brazil in South America. Recent years have seen growth in Southeast Asia. Australia and other places. There a re three major Japanese martial arts that have become most popular outside of Japan; Judo, Karate, and Aikido. Despite its relatively short history, Aikido is said to be attracting the most attention of late because of the high standard of its content.

The Hombu Dojo

As we have seen, there are numerous Aikido organizations inside Japan, including the "All Japan Aikido Association" and "All Japan Student's Aikido Association." Internationally, the previously mentioned "International Aikido Federation " and its regional administrative units are evolving on a great scale. Nevertheless, the recognized center of all these organizations remains the "Aikikai Foundation" in Japan and its training facilities known as the "World" Aikido Headquarters Dojo (Aikido Hombu Dojo).

The Founder Morihei opened the "old" Hombu Dojo at the present location (17-18 Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo-to, Japan 162) in 1931. In 1968, the single-storied wooden structure was replaced by a large, 5-story dojo that is more suited to the needs of the greatly increased number of practitioners. At present, about 600 trainees attend the daily classes. In addition, there are about 400 officially recognized branch dojo around Japan, not including those affiliated with the previously mentioned subsidiary organizations. The total number of practice sites is thus in the area of 1,200 to 1,300.

The Aikikai Foundation issues grading certificates and serves as a central registration and distributing office for such grading. Certificates of "black belt" ranks are issued over the name and seal of the present "Doshu." Doshu is the title of the hereditary leader of the Aikido world, the direct descendant of the Founder. The present Doshu is the author of this book, Ueshiba Kisshomaru.

The Hombu Dojo also sends instructors abroad regularly and its interaction with overseas dojo has become closer and more frequent thanks to the support from the International Cultural Exchange Foundation, the Japan Maritime Promotion As sociation, and other generous groups. Today, the Aikido Headquarters Dojo, headed by Dojo-cho (Director) Mr. Osawa Kisaburo, carries out administrative activities on an ever broadening scale that occupies the vigorous activity of some thirty full-time shihan (licensed teachers) who have gathered there around the second Doshu.