Non-Ueshiba Aikido?

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Master Shodo Morita founded the art of Nihon Goshin Aikido. He was trained by Yoshiro Kitaro, an instructor of Daito ryu Aikijitsu. Master Kitaro also trained in his family's system of self-defense. In addition to training in Daito ryu, Master Morita trained in Judo, Kobudo (weapons), Karate, and the esoteric arts. After mastering these arts, Master Morita realized that although they were highly effective, no single style was complete. Each art focused on a separate element of self-defense: The karate arts focused on striking. The judo arts focused on throwing. The jujitsu arts focused on joint locks.

Master Morita incorporated principles and techniques of each system into a new system called Nihon Goshin Aikido. It is significant to note that he did not merely choose the best techniques from each system, but a variety of techniques, recognizing that what works well for one person may not be effective for a second person due to height differences. Nihon Goshin Aikido is a highly effective form of martial arts due to its variety of principles.

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This is for discussion Discussion is good, it is the heart of all knowledge, don't apologize for bringing up the discussion.

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Ok, so now that we've pretty much concluded that there is no Ueshiba influence in this style of Aikido, what do you all think of the fact that the founder called it Nihon Goshin Aikido?

We can only surmise on the reasons why. My guesses would be

1. He wanted to capitalize on the success of Ueshiba's Aikido. Although maybe not. Morita founded his style in 1946 and Ueshiba started using the name "Aikido" in 1942. Is that long enough for the art to gain popularity and facilitate facsimiles? Although it seems Ueshiba was fairly well-known before then. Am I correct there?
   
2. Certainly Morita knew of Ueshiba, he founded his art in Hokkaido, where Ueshiba studied Daito-ryu Aiki Jutsu. We could also surmise that knowing of Ueshiba and his style of Aikido that Morita saw similarities to the art he had developed and wanted to use the same name.
   
3. Other.
   
4. Mixture of all of the above.
   

What do you think?

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Well, Aikido had been in practice for a few years before being dubbed. Morihei Ueshiba had produced some amazing students in his early years of teaching and he commonly (from what I've read) did demonstrations of his art.

I think it would make sense that he would imitate the name.. Many people did the same with Karate.. They took their knowledge of Shira-te and Naha-te and created something independent of The traditional masters (Miagi, Funakoshi, Itosu and Higashiona to name some of them. ) Because they saw the "te's" being replaced by one Karate. Maybe without realizing that Aikido was something far different then Aikijutsu, he gave it the name because he thought it was the evolution of Aikijutsu just as the Te's evolved into Karate?


Thats the only "Innocent" way I could see it arising, partially out of ignorance of Ueshiba's art. Otherwise it looks like a plain and simple jumping on the band wagon mentality.


Editing Note :

The name of the art can show a lot. Direct translation makes it seem like he created an art called "Japanese Self-Defense Aikido"
Maybe he saw the spirituality in Aikido as frivilous and made an "Aikido" based solely off of Aikijutsu? Basically meaning it is an Aikijutsu NOT an Aikido. Or there are other ways it can be translated -- see below
(The two long path's of self defense?)
Nihon = Japan, or
Ni = Two, at, by, for, from, in, on, to
Hon = Book, (or a suffix for longer things, bottles, fingers, flowers, etc)
Goshin = Self Defense, or Misdiagnosis
Go = Five
Shin = Core, heart, center
Shi = Four, death, poem, teacher;master, city