Aikido (合気道) is a modern martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba (1883-1969). It is a distillation of the techniques that Ueshiba studied during a period of 30 years and especially the the techniques of the Daitō-ryū Aiki-jūjutsu (大東流合気柔術) school, which he learned from Takeda Sōkaku (武田 惣角,1859 –1943).
Aikido is ranked among the fighting techniques known as Jujutsu (柔術) and with the addition of the study of weapons like the sword (Ken 剣) and the stick (Jō 杖) Aikido becomes a complete Japanese martial art (bujutsu – 武術).