| The Aikikai Hombu Dojo (合気会本部道場Aikikai Honbu Dōjō?) is the headquarters of the Aikikai which is an umbrella organisation of various national, as well as smaller, aikido organisations.[citation needed] Although the name strictly refers only to the main training hall (dōjō), it is often used by extension to refer to the Aikikai organisation itself.[citation needed] The dōjō was founded by Morihei Ueshiba in 1931 under the name Kobukan.[citation needed] The current building, which stands on the same site as the original Kobukan, dates from 1967. Aikido Founder Morihei Ueshiba was moved to establish a formal dōjō in Tokyo as a result of the increased following of his martial art. In April 1931, he established the Kobukan Dōjō (皇武館道場) in the Ushigome District of Shinjuku, Tokyo.[citation needed] The one-story, wooden structure served as the first permanent home of Aikido. The popularity of Aikido increased both overseas and domestically after World War II, which prompted the construction of a larger, modern structure. The structure of the Kobukan Dōjō (called "Hombu Dōjō" after World War II) was torn down in 1967.[citation needed] The current Hombu dōjō was completed on 15 December 1967 and dedicated on 12 January 1968 in the same place as the older structure. The five-story dōjō includes three separate training areas totaling 250 tatami. |
