Aikido was founded by Morihei Ueshiba, an extraordinary martial artist from a samurai (warrior class) family of Japan's Wakayama province. Ueshiba's small physique presented challenges as he pursued the martial arts, but his determination came through, and by the time he was twenty years old, he had mastered Jujitsu and Japanese weapons arts.
When war broke out in 1904, Ueshiba enrolled as a soldier. He continued training during his service and some sources even say that he was a skilled fighter on the field. But just when he seemed the most devoted to the martial arts, Ueshiba met Shinto prophet Onisaburo Deguchi. Deguchi's spiritual advice caused Ueshiba to see martial arts in a different light; he realized that victory was being attained in the wrong way - through destruction of another person.
For four years, he lived in a house on a mountain in the town of Ayabe with Onisaburo contemplating what to do. He changed the motivation of martial arts training he had studied for years. Aikido, the way of harmony, was born. The non-violence and sincere relationship between practitioners with pre-determined roles made it especially unique from the other arts.
In 1928, Ueshiba opened his first dojo named the "Kokubai", known nowadays as the Aikikai. He later resided in Iwama, Japan where he lived the austere life of a farmer and Sensei. He developed the more modern form of Aikido there. Highly respected by his students, Ueshiba was and continues to be referred to as "O Sensei," the Great Master.
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