Japanese Aikido martial arts is a comprehensive system that includes throwing, interlocking, hitting, and fixing techniques, combined with the training of traditional Japanese weapons such as swords, sticks, and knives. Aikido was established in the early 20th century by Morihei Ueshiba. He himself conducted extensive research on various armed and unarmed military systems, representing a powerful refinement of Japanese martial arts knowledge for hundreds of years. It is one of the most widely used budo or martial arts methods in the world.
However, Ueshiba (often called O-Sensei, or "Honorable Teacher") was determined to practice Aikido as more than just a fighting method. Influenced by internal and meditation disciplines inherited from India and China, Japanese martial arts often emphasize the development of internal and physical integrity.
A sword that takes lives with compassion and insight, the ideal warrior in Japanese thought is not just a simple killing machine; it is a killer. He is a model of integrity, courage, and loyalty, happily sacrificing his life (but never honor) in the name of principle and duty.
Adhering to these traditions, O-Sensei believes that Aikido is not only a means to defeat the enemy but also a means to increase the enthusiasm of ideal fighters and ultimately transcend the conflict of duality. For O-Sensei, the airway is a self-development path.
He believes that this may be a means for anyone in any country to follow the same path. Aikido is the path of practice: an intense physical and spiritual training that can perfect a person's character and cultivate true wisdom.