“If you are alive, then you have access to the secrets of the centuries, because the secret of the Universe lives in every human being”.
The founder of Aikido, Morihei Ueshiba, was born on December 14th, 1883, in a farm in Wakayama Prefecture, place known today as Tanabe. He was the only son of six children. He inherited the character of his father, whom was a very firm man with an interest in public business affaires, but also his mother’s interests for religion, poetry and the arts.
In his childhood, Morihei was week and frail, and he’d rather stay indoors and reed, while others were outside to play. He loved listening to the legends and old stories of their ancestors (En no Gyoja, Kobo Daishi), and was fascinated by Buddhism. He even considered of becoming a Buddhist monk.
To wake him from his daydreaming, Yoroki, his father, started to tell him about Kichiemon, Morihei’s great-grandfather, who was a very well known and powerful samurai. With this, Yoroki hoped his son would find an interest in practicing sumo, combat and swimming. Morihei realizes the necessity to be strong when his father was attacked and beaten by the men of his political rival.
He didn’t like school very much; being very energetic he preferred the physical activities instead of the theory. Morihei was disappointed by several jobs he entertained, and soon he realizes he has an affinity for martial arts. He loves jujutsu at Kito-ryu Dojo and sword fight at Shinkage Ryu. He gets ill and when he returns home, Morihei meets his future wife Itogawa Hatsu.
Getting back on his feet, Morihei decides to enroll in the army, but finds out that he is too short for military service. Working and training hard, his persistence pays off in 1903 by becoming part of the infantry unit.
His superiors were so impressed with him that they offer him a job at the National Military Academy, but because of personal reasons he refuses and also withdraws from the military.
At the end of the war, he comes home very determined to continue his training. Yoroki, his father, builds a dojo at the ranch and invites a well known jujutsu instructor, Takaki Kiyoichi, to coach his son. During his training, Morihei becomes more and more interested in politics.
In the spring of 1912, at the age of 29, Morihei moves with his family to Hokkaido, a virgin place, where they formed a small village in a few years. He develops physically very much, due to all the hard work.
When he meets Sokaku Takeda, who was instructor at Daito-ryu Aiki Jutsu, Morihei builds a dojo in Shirataki and at his invitation Takada moves to live there.
He finds out that his father got ill and sells most of his properties, but leaves the dojo to Takada, with the intention of not going back to Hokkaido.
On the way to his father’s house he stops in Ayabe, where he finds a new cult, Omoto-kyo, and he meets his founder, Deguchi Onisaburo. This detour gets him home too late; his father dies before he makes it there.
His father’s death affects him very much, so he decides to sell the parents house and moves to Ayabe to study Omoto-kyo. For eight years, Morihei learns Budo from Deguchi Onisaburo, and also gets a job as the head of the local firemen.
Deguchi was a pacifist and an advocate for non-violence and universal disarmament. He said: “Weapons and war are ways with which land owners and capitalists make profit, meanwhile poor people suffer”. Deguchi wanted to morally influence the world towards love and kindness with his religion. He dreamed of the “kingdom of peace” that he wanted to build in Mongolia, with the help of his religion. In this matter, Deguchi contacted Putienchiao religion from Korea and Taoyiian Hungwantzuhui religion from China. In 1924, Deguchi goes to Mongolia with Ueshiba, but when they get to China, because of the political instability, they found no help and more, during an attack of the local forces, they get robbed and captured. The Japanese Government obtains their freedom in 1925.
Ueshiba was very influenced by Onisaburo and Omoto-kyo religion.
Studying with Sokaku Takeda, he finds the essence of Budo and his “illumination” was completed by the Omoto-kyo studies.
He has a few revelations in 1925, and realizes that the true way of Budo is the love that connects all living creatures. This way, his life and training changed completely.
The following year more and more people attend his trainings. Two of the people are Tomiki Kenji, who later forms its own Aikido style, and the famous Admiral Takeshita. In 1927, Deguchi Onisaboro encourages Ueshiba to separate from Omoto-kyo and to follow his own Way. He moves to Tokyo and builds a Dojo in the district of Ushigome, which presently is the World Center of Aikido. He continues to study the old techniques of Ju Jitsu and privately goes to Kito School, studying under the supervision of Tozawa. Meanwhile he also goes to a Shinkage Ryu Dojo for Kenjutsu practice.
Even though his Dojo was under construction, along with the people attending, many instructors came also; one of them was Kano Jigoro. The instructors were so impressed with Ueshiba’s training that they wanted their students to practice under his supervision.
In 1931, Kobukan Dojo construction is complete. In 1932, “the Society for Budo Development” was founded, under the leadership of Ueshiba Morihei. Shioda Gozo and Shirata Rinjiro become students at Kobukan Dojo. After the beginning of World War II, Ueshiba continues to teach at Kobukan Dojo, but also he starts teaching special classes at the military and police academies.
For the next ten years, Ueshiba becomes known with every day more, being a subject in many publications as well, many of which were written by Kisshomaru Ueshiba himself, his son.
In 1942 Morihei has a divine inspiration and goes back to the country side. He used to say that “working in the farm and Budo are the exact same thing”. He leaves Kobukan Dojo to his son, Kisshomaru, and moves to Ibaraki, 120 km from Tokyo, in Iwama village, where the Aikido Sanctuary is found today: Aiki Jimja. Here he builds an open doors Dojo.
Iwama is considered the place where Aikido, the Harmony Way, was created. Initially, the name of the place was Aikijutsu and later it was changed to Aiki-Budo, being a martial arts way rather than a spiritual way. Between the years of 1942 – 1952, Ueshiba consolidates the techniques and perfects the religious philosophy of Aikido.
After the end of the war, Aikido develops rapidly under the supervision of Kisshomaru, at Kobukan Dojo, which is known today as Hombu Dojo.
Morihei Ueshiba becomes known as O-Sensei, the Great Teacher, and receives many medals from the Japanese Government.
He continues to improve his Way, training until the end of his life.
O-Sensei gives his last teachings in the spring of 1969: “Aikido is for the whole world. Start and continue training, but do this for all the people rather than for selfish reasons”.
In April 26, 1969, at the age of 86, O-Sensei takes Kisshomaru’s hand and tells him: “Take care of yourself”, and dies. Morihei Ueshiba’s ashes, lye at the family temple in Tanabe.
Every year, on April 29th, a memorial service takes place in Iwana, at the altar that was built by O-Sensei.
