Aikikai

 ( Aikido Organizations ) 

The system of having the heir of a martial arts school be the previous headmaster's son (either natural or adopted for the sake of succession) was common in koryū (traditional schools) and such heirs often are referred to as iemoto.

• Founder (開祖 Kaiso) Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969) originated the art of Aikido. Sometimes referred to as dōshu during his time, but more commonly known as O-sensei (great teacher).
• Second dōshu Kisshomaru Ueshiba (1921–1999) took over leadership of the organisation and assumed the title of dōshu in 1969 upon the death of his father, the founder. Kisshomaru was the first person in aikido to be widely referred to by the title dōshu.
• Third dōshu Moriteru Ueshiba (born 1951) is the current holder of the title. Grandson of the founder. Succeeded to the position in 1999 upon the death of his father.

According to the tradition, Moriteru is expected to be succeeded as dōshu by his son, Mitsuteru Ueshiba (born 1981).

The Hombu Dōjō is officially named Aikido World Headquarters, and is entirely operated by the Aikikai Foundation. It is sometimes called the Aikikai Hombu to distinguish it from the headquarters of later aikido organisations.

Hombu Dōjō has about 30 instructors, and most are shihan. The instructors include the Doshu and Hiroshi Tada 9th dan.

The location of Hombu Dōjō is in Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. (This same location was formerly the Ushigome District of Shinjuku.)

The dōjō was established in April 1931 by the founder of Aikido. It was originally named Kōbukan Dōjō (, imperial warrior training hall) but was called Hombu Dōjō after World War II. History of Aikido, Aikido FAQ.

In 1967 the original single-story wooden structure was replaced by a five-story modern building. Training takes place in three rooms which total about 250 tatami in area. The main training area has 105 tatami mats (170m²). The other two training areas, containing 72 and 42 tatami mats respectively, are often used for beginner's classes, children's classes, women's classes, or fixed term and enrollment "academy" courses.

Classes are held seven days a week. Beginners' and regular classes are open to all Aikido practitioners that are or become Aikikai members.

Overseas, there are about 100 foreign aikido organisations recognised by the Hombu. These are ostensibly national aikido organisations that each represent many dojos and many students. The gradings of students in these organisations are certified specifically by the Hombu. (The Hombu has procedures for examinations and recommendations of aikido grades and instructor titles, and ideally this ensures a degree of international consistency and serves to prevent local instructors from boastfully exaggerating their own ranks.) However, regardless of recognition, all foreign aikido groups remain organisationally independent from the Aikikai Foundation.

The students of recognised dojo worldwide are loosely referred to collectively as the Aikikai school of aikido, although this "school" is not an official organisation. Their aikido technique may be referred to as Aikikai style, although this encompasses a wider spectrum of technical styles characteristically than later (and smaller) schools of aikido.

Morihei Ueshiba's own style evolved significantly over his lifetime. The pre-war aikibudo techniques taught by Morihei Ueshiba were generally closer to aikijujutsu whilst flowing technique was more emphasised as he became older, and this is reflected in the aikido of people who studied at different periods in time.

[[Seiseki Abe]] said: 
"As far as the Aikido [O-Sensei] practiced in his later years, even young girls, old people and children could do [the techniques]. That is a big difference. I suppose you could say that it was a difference in the severity or the strictness of the training. Before the war, it was severity and strong technique, as opposed to the (kind of) techniques that invigorate our partners as we have now."[http://www.aikidojournal.com/article.php?articleID=151 Interview with Seiseki Abe]  by Stanley Pranin (February 1982)
     

Kazuo Chiba has implied that the style of training in Hombu concentrated less on physical rigor because of its demographic:

"A large portion of the membership at Iwama Dojo consisted of local farmers, hard workers who spent all day in the fields. They had thick bones and great physical strength, combined with a peculiar local character known as "Mito kishitsu," a type of manliness close to gallantry. Altogether, it was quite an opposite culture from Hombu Dojo in Tokyo. Because it is in the capital of Japan, Hombu’s membership consists of white-collar workers, intellectuals, businessmen, politicians and university students."T.K. Chiba, Memorial Address for Saito Sensei , Aikido Journal.

It has been noted by aikido researchers affiliated with other styles that many of the senior teachers at the Aikikai spent little time training under Morihei Ueshiba, and that Kisshomaru Ueshiba and Koichi Tohei (and following Tohei's departure, Kisaburo Osawa) were largely responsible for the Aikikai curriculum. As a result, it has been argued that the teachings of the Aikikai are derived from those of the second Doshu, Kisshomaru, and that the art promulgated by the Aikikai differs from that taught by the founder, Morihei Ueshiba.

• "The travelling Aikidoka's guide to practice at Hombu Dojo". Information and answers to frequently asked questions about travelling to Tokyo in order to train at the Aikikai Hombu Dojo.