O-Sensei went to Mongolia, to China on business and for religious matters. I understand he did some research on martial arts while there. The same thing occured with Chinese martial arts as when O-Sensei studied Japanese martial arts; his spirit became part of the martial art. So, for example, when O-Sensei did the Kashima sword style, it became the Aiki sword. His way of using ki and turning his hips were completely different.
– – – Morihiro Saito Shihan – Aiki News interview, June 1975, p. 6