The Emperor in August

Let’s talk about History for bit… Aikido was developed mostly during the first half of the XXth century and, just like everything, it is the produce of its time and context. The context was the militarization and imperialism in Japan that lead to WW2.

Most of Ueshiba’s speeches have to be put in this context to be better understood, particularly regarding peace and Budo’s tradition.

To understand the state of mind of Japanese society at that time, I recommend watching this very good movie: The Emperor in August.

It is not an action movie but a tragedy about politics, conflict of values and portraying a particular time in Japan. It gives excellent keys to understanding Japan’s context during WW2.