• by Masaaki Hatsumi
• Hardback book
• Great read

PREFACE

At this juncture, as we celebrate the 100th Anniversary of the Birth of the Founder of Aikido, Ueshiba Morihei, it behooves us to reflect deeply on at least two things. The first is the greatness of the Founder of our art, who single-handedly and in only one generation established one of the major modern Japanese Budo. The second is the way in which his Aikido has developed and taken on a strong and firmly rooted life of its own while preserving his teachings in their true meaning and intent. Of course Aikido was the fruit of the Founder's own severe budo training and his genuinely single-minded and unceasing devotion to seeking a personal "Way" of the spirit. But beyond that it proved to be a concrete and practical way for him to manifest a spirit of "Loving protection for all things;" a quality which was brought into being through a far-seeing magnanimity of universal proportions, and his ability to observe with an enlightened eye.
Today we see hundreds of thousands of people meeting in harmony and exerting themselves together toward these same goals.
Moreover, his Aikikai Foundation stands firmly at their center as the mainstream of the arts orthodox traditions. Who could not but realize how significant and deserving of celebration this 100th Birthday Anniversary of the Founder truly is.
As a most appropriate part of these festivities, we have brought together here in one volume several hundred precious photographs, mainly of the Founder. It is my sincere hope that all trainees of the art will keep this volume by their sides to peruse from time to time in remembrance of the Master, and that doing so will prove a useful way of renewing their spirit and dedication to continue in helping the Founder's art and legacy to flourish even more.

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