TANABE, Wakayama -- An event will be held in early April at Kumano Hongu Taisha shrine in Tanabe, Wakayama Prefecture, honoring the founder of aikido, Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969), to mark the 50th anniversary of his death. His teachings have spread worldwide, with aikido practitioners active in 140 countries and regions.
Ueshiba Morihei Ou Kenshokai, an organization established to honor the aikido founder, will in collaboration with other organizations hold commemorative ceremonies on Saturday and Sunday at Kumano Hongu Taisha in Tanabe's Hongucho district, or elsewhere.
"By honoring his great achievements, we want to use this opportunity to further spread his legacy," a person linked to the organization said.
When Ueshiba was 19 years old, he moved to Tokyo. A keen interest in martial arts led him to develop the original discipline of aikido.
In his teachings, he explained that aikido is not about defeating an opponent, but a way to keep peace in the world.
According to the Aikikai Foundation, headquartered in Tokyo, there are about 2,400 aikido dojos and organizations nationwide, and more than 1 million practitioners in 140 countries and regions.
Ueshiba's grandson, Moriteru, 68, is the current head of the foundation.
Tsutomu Sugawa, 73, the head of Aikido Kumanojuku dojo in Shingu, also in Wakayama Prefecture, said Ueshiba was "god-like and had a good heart."
Sugawa, who lives in Hongucho, joined an aikikai dojo when he was 17. He first met Ueshiba when he was 20 years old during a visit to Tokyo's Aikikaido Hombu Dojo.
Even after Ueshiba moved to the Kanto region, he was deeply attached to Kumano Hongu Taisha. It is believed he visited the shrine over 100 times.
Sugawa said that when he told Ueshiba that he came from Hongucho, Ueshiba was so delighted. According to Sugawa, Ueshiba called himself a child of the god of Kumano Hongu Taisha and said that aikido represents the soul of the god.
After that, Sugawa saw a demonstration by Ueshiba. He recalled the scene, saying: "Amazing was the only word to describe what I felt. It really was a blissful moment."
In recent years, foreigners come to see the Kumanojuku dojo and some of them take lessons there, Sugawa said, making him feel that the popularity of aikido is growing overseas.
"Aikido is not a sport but a martial art. Having the teachings of aikido in mind, we'd like to hold a ceremony to express our gratitude," he said.
The commemorative ceremony is coorganized by Ueshiba Morihei Ou Kenshokai and other entities.
The ceremony involves many Shinto rituals, but an event to be held at Oyunohara -- where the shrine was originally located -- will be open to the public.
A special training session will be held at the Aikido Hombu Dojo in Tokyo from 2:30 p.m. on Saturday, open to the public. Visitors can see Ueshiba's great-grandson Mitsuteru, 37, and his 100 disciples practice.
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