Kumano Hongu Taysha is important to Aikido because this ancient shrine - located in Japan's Kumano Mountains - has many ties to Aikido's founder, Morihei Ueshiba O-Sensei. O-sensei's mother prayed for a son at this site before the birth of O-Sensei. Also, close to his birthplace in Tanabe, O-Sensei hiked to this shrine on the Kumano Kodo when he was young and, in later years, he returned here annually. Far from Tokyo, visiting this shrine in his older years was quite difficult. Kuki Guji, the late priest of this shrine, would say that O-sensei would come and stay for lunch and talk about things universal; never gossiping or talking politics.