OK,
this is an interesting part of Aikido that I never get bored of. The life
of the founder, Master Ueshiba Morihei (surname: Ueshiba) is widely documented
in films and in books. If you are looking for a few good books to start,
I would recommend books by John Stevens, a Professor of Buddhist Studies
and Aikido instructor at Tohoku Fukushi University in Sendai, Japan. He
is the author or translator of over twenty books on Buddhism, Zen, Aikido,
and Asian culture. The summary below is taken mainly from his book "Invincible
Warrior".
On
the top and the right of the page are the photos of the founder in his
later years, one is the cool pose and the other is of him engaging in
his favourite past time: bouncing people off the mat effortlessly.
Below is the brief summary on the life of the founder, Ueshiba Morihei:
Born on December 14, 1883 in Tanabe, Japan, he was always described as
a restless person. As a young man, he was always anxious of what he was
supposed to do in life.
He was a tax office auditor, a businessman, and a soldier in his young
days before he left for Hokkaido (Shirataki) in March 1912 on a mission
to start a settlement in the virgin frontier. There he successfully turned
a piece of virgin land into a thriving village in the middle of Hokkaido.
Master Ueshiba had always had some martial arts skills and experience
since his young days, but it was only during his time in Hokkaido that
he met a martial arts teacher that made a great impact on his life - the
grand master of Daito-Ryu, Sokkaku Takeda.
Morihei Ueshiba eventually left Hokkaido for Tanabe when his father fell
terminally ill. On his way back, he also met another person to make a
great impact on his life, the leader of the Omoto-kyo religious group,
Onisaburo Deguchi. So great was his influence on his life that Master
Ueshiba followed him on an adventurous trip to Mongolia on a quest to
establish "Heaven on Earth".
Upon his return to Japan
from the dangerous trip to Mongolia, Master Ueshiba started to conduct
classes and spread Aikido.
Master Ueshiba's teaching touched the life of many around the world.
Many of the students who studied under him are still alive today
and are senior instructors of the art. The Master led a long life
till the age of 86. Even on his dying days, he could still send
all his attendants "flying out of the room when they insisted
on treating him like a sick old person" (Stevens,1997). He
passed away on the 26th of April 1969.
About Morihei Ueshiba
Here is a clip of the Great Master - Morihei Ueshiba 'O Sensei.
On
the top and the right of the page are the photos of the founder in his
later years, one is the cool pose and the other is of him engaging in
his favourite past time: bouncing people off the mat effortlessly. 
