Major events of the Aikikai Foundation include hosting the All Japan Aikido Embukai, usually held in May at the Nippon Budokan, the All Japan Children’s Aikido Training Meet at the Nippon Budokan in July, the All Japan High School Embukai held mainly at the Tokyo Budokan in summer, and the All Japan University Embukai at the Nippon Budokan in the fall.
Additionally, due to the inclusion of compulsory martial arts education in the Japanese junior high school Health and Physical Education curriculum, the Aikikai Foundation holds the School Aikido Instructors Training Seminar (jointly hosted with the Nippon Budokan) once a year in order to improve the quality of Aikido instruction by P.E. teachers and club coaches. Aikikai is also engaged in a variety of activities such as anniversaries in each federation, and workshops in various locations throughout the year.

Dissemination activities of Aikido overseas began in the 1950s. At this time Aikido has become established in over 140 countries and regions of the world, with around 2,400 dojos and organizations in Japan whose members experience international exchange through practice. In order to support this, the Aikido Hombu Dojo Instructor Department Shihan and Shidoin are dispatched over 100 times a year.
Since 1974, in an initiative by the Aikikai Foundation, Aikido Hombu Dojo Instructor Department Shihan and Shidoin teach around 10 traveling seminars per year in various countries where the Aikido community is still being promoted and developed.
In recent years, besides the dispatch of instructors overseas, the Aikikai Foundation has collaborated with the Japanese government in international cultural exchange, and positively accepts requests from tother countries’ governments as well. Additionally, the Aikikai Foundation supports the activities of the Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA) senior and youth divisions for Aikido.
In 1976 the International Aikido Federation (IAF) was established. Their congress is held every 4 years, with an international seminar held at the same time where people from around the world gather for exchange through Aikido. In 1984, the IAF became an official member of the international sports association SportAccord (Formerly GAISF).