How many aikido associations exist?
Obviously, the big one is Aikikai – started by O Sensei and still run by O Sensei’s descendants. Other big name organizations are: Ki Society (or Shin Shin Toitsu Aikido) – started by Koichi Tohei, the ex-head instructor at Aikikai. Shodokan Aikido – started by Kenji Tomoki, an early student of both O Sensei and Jigoro Kano Yoseikan Budo – started by Minoru Mochizuki, more closely related to Aiki Jujitsu and Judo Yoshinkan – started by Gozo Shioda, again more closely related to O Sensei’s pre-war style, so closer to Aiki Jujitsu Yoshokai Aikido – started by Takashi Kushida, originally a student of Gozo Shioda and for a time Senior Assistant Instructor at Yoshinkan Iwama Ryu (partially Aikikai, also Shinshin Aikishuren Kai) – started by Hitohiro Saito, the son of Morihiro Saito who trained with O Sensei for 23 years, though later than some of the other styles listed so far. Wadokai Aikido (Suenaka-ha Tetsugaku-ho Aikido) – started by Roy Suenaka, an American Aikidoka who trained with Ko
