Aikido

1883–1919: Morihei Ueshiba and his training

Morihei Ueshiba was born in 1883 in Wakayama Prefecture, Japan. He studied various martial arts and was particularly influenced by Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu, which he studied under Takeda Sōkaku from 1915 onward. He is also associated with Tenjin Shin’yō-ryū, Gotōha Yagyū Shingan-ryū, jūdō, and Japanese weapons training.

From 1919 onward: Ōmoto-kyō and an evolving vision

After leaving Hokkaidō in 1919, Ueshiba came into contact with Onisaburō Deguchi, a spiritual leader within the Ōmoto-kyō movement. This relationship influenced Ueshiba’s religious and philosophical development. In his later vision, harmony, reconciliation, and minimizing harm took on a greater role.

The influence of Ōmoto-kyō is not interpreted in the same way by every modern aikidō school. The historical relationship explains part of Ueshiba’s personal development, but does not make aikidō a single uniform religious practice.

1920s–1942: development of aikidō

In the late 1920s and 1930s, Ueshiba developed his own synthesis of earlier martial arts influences. During this period, his art was referred to, among other names, as Aiki Budō. The technical influence of Daitō-ryū remained important, while Ueshiba’s teaching and philosophical explanations changed over the course of his life.

The name aikidō was officially used in 1942 as part of a reorganization of martial arts supported by the Japanese government. However, the use of the name and the institutional development were part of a longer process, so 1942 should not be regarded without qualification as the art’s sole year of origin.

1942–1969: Later development and transmission

Ueshiba withdrew to Iwama in 1942, where he continued to train and teach. In his later work, philosophical and spiritual themes became more prominent for many students. After his death in 1969, students and successors developed different interpretations and independent lineages.

From 1951: International spread

From 1951 onward, aikidō was demonstrated and taught outside Japan, initially in countries including France. In the following years, it spread through Japanese teachers and international students to the United States, the United Kingdom, Italy, Germany, Australia, and other countries. Sources give varying figures for the number of countries where it is practiced.

After Ueshiba’s death, multiple organizations and styles grew. Aikikai remained connected to the Ueshiba family lineage, while Yoseikan, Yoshinkan, Shōdōkan, Shin Shin Tōitsu, and Iwama-related lineages, among others, developed their own curricula and organizations.

From the 1960s: aikidō in the Netherlands

According to Dutch and international aikidō sources, aikidō was introduced in the Netherlands in the early 1960s. Peter Beljaars was an important early pioneer who established a martial arts school and an aikidō tradition in Tilburg. During the early period, Dutch practitioners also trained abroad, while Japanese teachers visited the Netherlands for classes and seminars.

Dutch development subsequently took place through various federations, foundations, dojos, and style organizations. The precise role of each organization, their affiliations, and the claim that Tilburg was the Netherlands’ only birthplace of aikidō are described differently depending on the source.

Aikidō and self-defense

Aikidō includes techniques for dealing with grabs, strikes, punches, and sometimes weapon forms. This does not mean that every aikidō school primarily teaches self-defense or that training automatically prepares you for a real violent situation.

Those who choose aikidō for self-defense would do well to ask how much resistance, timing, scenarios, and realistic attacks are included in the lessons. De-escalation, creating distance, and seeking help remain sensible choices whenever possible.

Safety and injury prevention

There is a risk of injury in every martial art. In aikidō, injuries can include those to soft tissue, joints, fingers, and toes. Responsible training requires a suitable mat, proper ukemi, appropriate speed and force, communication between partners, and an instructor who intervenes when necessary.

Hazing, deliberately forcing techniques, and reckless throws have no place in safe training. A technique must be stopped immediately when a partner taps out, indicates pain, or loses control.

What can you expect from a class?

A class often begins with greetings, a warm-up, and exercises for posture, footwork, or ukemi. Partners then practice an agreed-upon attack and technique, switching roles. Depending on the dojo, the class may end with repetition, free-form exercises, or meditation-like relaxation.

Aikidō is suitable for people of different ages and skill levels, but the intensity and type of contact should be appropriate for the participant. Ask in advance about trial classes, clothing, injuries, level of contact, exam rules, and how beginners are supported.

Bron-critical summary

Aikidō is not a single uniform system worldwide. The history, kanji explanations, philosophical interpretations, training objectives, and organizational claims come from different types of sources. Ueshiba’s own vision, an organization’s tradition, and the current practice of a Dutch dojo must therefore be distinguished from one another.

In this entry, historical claims about Ueshiba, the Dutch pioneers, and international dissemination are phrased cautiously. It is not claimed that aikidō is practiced the same way everywhere, that every school is free of competition, or that the art is automatically effective for every form of self-defense.