AIKIDO is an effective, yet non-violent, traditional Japanese martial art. AIKIDO was developed by Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969), a Japanese philosopher and master of kendo, spear-fighting, and jujitsu. O'Sensei (great teacher, as we refer to Ueshiba) was disillusioned with the endless cycle of violence and competition in the martial arts, so he designed AIKIDO as a discipline of personal refinement.