| The major styles of aikido each have their own | | | | was a long time uchideshi of O Sensei, beginning in |
| Hombu Dojo in Japan, have an international | | | | 1946 and staying with him through his death. |
| breadth and were founded by direct students of | | | | Many consider that Saito sensei was the student |
| Morihei Ueshiba. Although there has been an | | | | who spent most time directly studying with O |
| explosion of "independent styles" generally only | | | | Sensei. Saito sensei said he was trying to |
| the first five listed have been considered major. | | | | preserve and teach the art exactly as the |
| Iwama Ryu is a debateable sixth as, although its | | | | founder of aikido taught it to him. Technically, |
| influence is major, it has until recently been part | | | | Iwama-ryu seems to resemble the aikido O |
| of the Aikikai. | | | | Sensei was teaching in the early 50s mainly in the |
| 1. Aikikai | | | | Iwama dojo. The technical repertoire is fairly large. |
| The largest aikido organisation, and is led by the | | | | Iwama Ryu Aikido, currently headed by Saito |
| family of the founder. Numerous sub-organisations | | | | Hitohiro, is a separate organisation from the |
| and teachers affiliate themselves with this | | | | Aikikai. The Iwama Dojo is currently affiliated to |
| umbrella organisation, which therefore | | | | the Aikikai and is not considered a separate style. |
| encompasses a wide variety of aikido styles, | | | | Many instructors who were deeply influenced by |
| training methods and technical differences. | | | | Saito Morihiro consider themselves Iwama Style, |
| Prominent sub-organisations include numeral | | | | however. |
| national Aikikai, as well as several US based | | | | 7. Shin'ei Taido |
| including United States Aikido Federation (USAF) | | | | Founded by the late Noriaki Inoue, nephew of |
| and Aikido Schools of Ueshiba (ASU). | | | | Morihei Ueshiba. |
| 2. Yoshinkan | | | | 8. Yoshokai |
| Founded by Gozo Shioda, this branch has a | | | | Yoshokai aikido, begun by then-hachidan Takashi |
| reputation for being the most rigidly precise. | | | | Kushida-sensei of Yoshinkan aikido, is a |
| Students of Yoshinkan aikido practise basic | | | | remarkably centralised style of aikido, with test |
| movements as solo kata, and this style has been | | | | techniques yearly passed down with explanations |
| popular among the Japanese police. The | | | | from the home dojo. The syllabus contains a |
| international organisation associated with the | | | | considerable amount of weapons study, and like |
| Yoshinkan style of aikido is known as the | | | | Yoshinkan, Yoshokai includes many solo |
| Yoshinkai, and has active branches in many parts | | | | movements and exercises. |
| of the world. | | | | 9. Tendoryu Aikido |
| 3. Yoseikan | | | | Headed by Kenji Shimizu. |
| This form was developed by Minoru Mochizuki, | | | | 10. Shin Budo Kai |
| who was an early student of O Sensei and also | | | | Headed by Shizuo Imaizumi. |
| of Jigoro Kano at the Kodokan. This style includes | | | | 11. Kokikai |
| elements of aiki-budo together with aspects of | | | | Kokikai aikido, founded by Shuji Maruyama in |
| karate, judo and other arts. It is now carried on | | | | 1986, focuses on minimalist but effective |
| by his son, Hiroo Mochizuki, the creator of | | | | technique. It emphasises natural stances and |
| Yoseikan Budo. | | | | ukemi that do not require high breakfalls, and |
| 4. Shodokan Aikido | | | | deemphasises atemi and techniques that cause |
| Often called Tomiki aikido, after its founder, this | | | | pain or undue discomfort to uke. As such, it is |
| style use sparring and rule based competition in | | | | considered by some to be a "soft" style of aikido. |
| training as opposed to most others. People tend | | | | 12. Seidokan |
| to compete to train rather than to train to | | | | Headed by Rod Kobayashi. Tends to utilise |
| compete. Kenji Tomiki, an early student of O | | | | movements which are very small and economical. |
| Sensei and also of Judo's Jigoro Kano, believed | | | | Encourages students to discover an aikido which is |
| that introducing an element of competition would | | | | truly their own, stresses the importance of doing |
| serve to sharpen and focus the practice since it | | | | away with the extraneous and focusing on that |
| was no longer tested in real combat. This latter | | | | which works. |
| view was the cause of a split with O Sensei's | | | | 13. Nippon Kan |
| family who firmly believed that there was no | | | | Headed by Gaku Homma. |
| place for competition in aikido training. Tomiki said | | | | 14. Tenshin |
| that at no point did O Sensei actually cast him out. | | | | Headed by Luis Santos. The style of Steven |
| 5. Ki Society | | | | Seagal. It is considered a "hard" style of aikido, |
| The Ki Society, founded by former | | | | focussing on the practical side of aikido and using |
| head-instructor of the Hombu dojo 10th dan Koichi | | | | techniques that in real world situations would be |
| Tohei, emphasises very soft flowing techniques | | | | effective and sometimes brutal. Though there are |
| and has a special program for the development | | | | few dojos in the United States, the number is |
| of ki. It also has a special system of ki-ranks | | | | growing. |
| alongside the traditional kyu and dan system. This | | | | 15. Nihon Goshin Aikido |
| style is called Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido (or Ki-Aikido). | | | | Headed by Richard Bowe. It is considered a "hard" |
| 6. Iwama Ryu | | | | style of aikido, combining techniques from Karate, |
| Iwama Ryu emphasises the relation between | | | | Judo and Daito-Ryu Aikijutsu. There are roughly a |
| weapon techniques and barehand techniques, and | | | | dozen dojos in the United States and none left in |
| a great deal of emphasis is placed on weapons | | | | Japan. Founded by Shoto Morita in Japan circa |
| training. Since the death of its founder Morihiro | | | | 1950. Derivative styles include Nihon Goshin |
| Saito, the Iwama style has been practiced by | | | | Aikijutsu founded by Walter Kopitov in 2000. |
| clubs within the Aikikai and an independent | | | | 16. |
| organisation headed by Hitohiro Saito. Saito sensei | | | | |