Aikido as an art was founded by Morihei Ueshiba from Aikijutsu and Aiki-budo in 1942, the first time the word was used. He believed that a less martial approach to self defence was more beneficial to personal development. Using his earlier training in many martial arts, he developed an art which is both beautiful to watch due to the flowing movements and extremely effective. Blending with an attacker rather than meeting force with force, became a very powerful defence when combined with a technique.

The Tokushima Budo Council aikido clubs adopts the same principles in training and teaches students to be non aggressive. Students are taught to respect one another regardless of their grade and young aikidoka and those more proficient, are encouraged to train together. Those less physically fit are not excluded from training, aikido is truly an art for everyone; providing students with a sense of well being together with the ability to defend yourself should the need arise.