Aikikai

 

Aiki 合気 stands for "aikido" in shortened form, and "kai" 会 means organization in Japanese.

The Aikikai is the original international organization for the aikido that belongs to the lineage represented by the Ueshiba family – the family lineage (iemoto in Japanese) of the creator of aikido.

The top leader of the Aikikai is Doshu – Moriteru Ueshiba, the grandson of the founder of aikido.

 

Hombu Dojo has the official name "Aikido World Headquarters" and is managed by the "Aikikai Foundation". (財団法法合気会 Zaidan Hōjin Aikikai).

 

The full name refers to the organization's status as an institution, recognized in 1940. Aikikai is represented internationally through the International Aikido Federation.

Aikikai Hombu Dojo 合気会本部道場

The Hombu Dojo in Tokyo is the headquarters of the Aikikai. The place is sometimes called Aikikai Hombu to clarify the difference in relation to other later non-affiliated Aikido organizations. Hombu (本部 hombu / honbu) is a common word in Japanese that means "headquarters."

The dojo was founded in April 1931 by the founder of aikido - Morihei Ueshiba. Its original name was Kobukan Dojo (Imperial Warrior Hall Dojo) - popularly also called "Hell's Dojo", because of the hard training that was the norm back then.

Hombu Dojo is located in Wakamatsu-cho, Shinjuku, Tokyo, Japan. In 1967, the original single-story wooden building was replaced with the current modern concrete building, consisting of five floors. The training takes place in three different halls. The main training area is 170 square meters.

Hombu Dojo has approximately 30 instructors, most of whom are Shihan (chief instructors, 6th dan or higher). There is training from morning to evening throughout the week, in several different training rooms distributed throughout the building. Beginner and general classes are open to anyone who wants to train. It just requires that you become a member of Aikikai, which you can do upon your arrival at the training.

There is also a smaller group of "uchi deshi" - special students who live permanently in the dojo. The uchi deshi group has a kind of apprentice function, where they are both involved in the daily cleaning and maintenance of the place, solving practical and administrative tasks at the same time as attending to their daily training.

Training in Hombu Dojo is a great experience for all aikido practitioners. The atmosphere during the training is truly inspiring, where people from many parts of the world meet with the regular Japanese practitioners to enjoy the training together.

Here you feel how O-Sensei's great wish that aikido should connect people from all over the world as one family has been realized.