Renowned martial artist Toshishiro Obata, uchi deshi (live in disciple) under the late Gozo Shioda, relocated from Japan to America in 1980 and began development of a research organization called the "Aikibujutsu Tanren Kenkyukai" or abbreviated as Aiki-buken. While Mr. Obata was uchi deshi in Japan, he also taught at the Yoshinkan honbu dojo, universities, the Metropolitan Riot Police and the Japanese self-defense army.

Obata created the Aiki-buken to accurately rebuild concepts and techniques from the older styles of Aikibujutsu and Edo Torimonojutsu used during the feudal times of Japan. This is an ongoing process including the softer styles of modern Aikido.