Everything began from Yoshitsune, at least giving right to ancient stories. Yoshitsune, unhappy rampollo of Minamoto (younger brother of the leader Yoritomo, helped to defeat the hated Taira, was later persecuted by these and forced to flee sung in many legends from which, according to the most imaginative versions, saved refuge in China where he became an adviser to Kublai Khan), had been raised by the youth of Mount Kurama Tengu, spirits elves half man half bird abilissimi riding in the sword. There are those who do not see these legendary spirits (of Chinese origin) the personification of ninja or hermits of Shugendo.
According to another version, being the offspring of imperial Minamoto, were educated in ancient Chinese techniques (there are different versions of the Tigre Books of Yoshitsune leading military instructions and descriptions of techniques defence) where the great skill of martial Yoshitsune, capable to beat the strong armed monaco Benkei his halberd, saltellando spalletta on a bridge without stop playing the flute.
The science of combat Minamoto then passed to another famous family: that of Takeda and especially the branch ruled that the feud of Aizu. Last depositary, both techniques warriors of the now disappeared Aizu clan (Oshikiuchi) than defence court (Gotenjutsu) was Sokaku Takeda, which codified in what he called daito ryu, where there was a Hiden section defined Aiki.
Among the more than three thousand disciples who Sokaku had, in his life errabonda, there was what was perhaps the last truly great genius of martial arts: Morihei Ueshiba, who was a fan of martial arts and also an expert in runs (hozoin ryu ), sword (Shin Kage ryu or a variant) in sumo. In addition to being a student of Takeda, Ueshiba had taken lessons from many other masters such as T. Tosawa style tenshin shinyo ryu, M. Nakai of Gotoha Yagyu Shingan jujitsu and K. Takagui the Kodokan Judo. Portato to mysticism (the fact that it was a follower of Reverend Onisaburo Deguchi, the highest authority of the sect Omotokyo later banned in'22, brought many troubles, but also gave probably the key to its esoteric experience), a Ueshiba tried ' experience of waking up during shipment made in the wake of'24 Deguchi in Mongolia.
Already its techniques were much changed from those of daito ryu and spoke of Ueshiba ryu, in 1925 during a duel with a master list of kendo (armed with bokken, while Ueshiba used a simple range) had the following lighting which revolutionized its combat system calling aikibudo first and then aikido. The aikido was immediately followed between senior members of the government and armed forces, with the support of some influential personalities including Admiral Takeshita and the prince and Shimizu was thanks to their solicitations that Morihei Ueshiba in 1927 moved from Ayabe where he lived (near the headquarters dell'Omotokyo, whose influence on Ueshiba and his experience should even be examined in depth) in Tokyo, where in'31 establishes the Kobukan today dell'Aikikai headquarters. A few years after building the dojo of Iwama, in the countryside, where O sensei lives with uchi-deshi training and working the land.
In the 1940 case last mystical experience of revelation, Ueshiba is visited by the spirit guardian dell'aikido that brings down the last barriers is by now that aikido can be considered complete, the name will also officially registered in 1942. Ueshiba O sensei, who was born in 1883, died in 1969, having spread throughout the world his message. Although the term aiki pride in other traditional schools, usually at the "high" or "secret" of the system created by Ueshiba also on the basis of his experience, can be considered unique.
There are stories, poorly substantiated that the founder has studied during his stay in Manchuria in the at Chinese schools, but that, if anything happened, has not had a minimal influence on a system that is typically Japanese .
Ueshiba O sensei, speaking dell'aikido once said that it fully expressed the Kojiki (one of the first Japanese texts in which there are the foundations of religion Shinto). Today, in addition all'Aikikai, headed by Dosshu Ueshiba Kisshomaru, there are many currents dell'aikido, created by students in more or less remote school leavers to establish its own system. Among them remember the yoseikan of M. Mochizuki, the yoshinkan G. Shioda, style Tomiki created by master homonym, the shinei taido of Inoue, the shin shin toitsu aikido K. Tohei, the iwama ryu of M. Saito, but even today there is a centripetal movement that aims to bring together or together all the various students and recognize them, despite their distinct characteristics, part of a whole.
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This article was translated by a machine translation software and not by one person.