1990’s

1990. Hitohiro and Saito Sensei prepare a Springtime Aiki-Yakisoba with Miles Kessler (left), Derek Minus (center) and on the right is Stephan Koeck from Germany.

Photo: Mic Marelli

1990s. Sensei walking in the Aiki Jinja grounds with his staff. Peace pole in the background. This wizardly staff is a bit of a mystery. Apparently, it was given to him by Peter, from the UK, an uchi deshi over 1986-87. Does anyone have more information?

Photo: Carlos Nogueira

1991. Tony Sargeant was telling Sensei how he was enjoying the “gentle” Aikido that Sensei taught. Sensei looked puzzled and then Tony revealed his torn gi trousers and top and which point Sensei burst out laughing.

Sensei, Bill Witt, Tony Sargeant, and Louis Jumonville. September seminar potluck at Aikido of San Leandro.

Photo: John Longford

1991. One September evening a tremendous storm toppled a large pine tree. It snapped about 1.5 meters above the ground and crashed down, just missing the dojo, its crown brushing the wooden dojo steps. It was quite an alarming sight to awaken to. After morning keiko, Sensei and Hitohiro cut the tree into logs for the uchi deshi to carry off and stack for future winters.

Photo: Joerg Beile

1992. “Entertaining at a dinner party for uchideshi from Reno and the local sotodeshi”

Photo: Aviv Goldsmith

1992. Iwama. The Saitos: Saito Sensei, okusan, and Hitohiro.

Photo: Aikido Journal

1992. Saito Sensei and Shibata in the All Japan demo

Photo: Aikido Journal

1992. Mrs. Saito and Saito Sensei in regal formal attire at his huge first party in Iwama’s Kabuki Wedding Palace, celebrating his promotion to 9th dan by Honbu Aikikai and the 50th anniversary of aikido in Iwama. There followed an informal party of mighty proportion at the dojo, and later a third, smaller party around the indoor campfire at Hitohiro’s house nearby, although my own memory grew a bit hazy around this point…

Photo: Aikido Journal

Reading from “Budo”, by OSensei. “See? This is just like I showed you…”

Photo: Stan Pranin, who rediscovered the original book. Photo from Aikido Journal

1992. Iwama. Saito Sensei’s version of a “fireside chat” revolving around O-Sensei stories and demos with the deshi. Luis DeQuiros on the right. Uke: Miles Kessler

Photo: Aviv Goldsmith

A casual lunch in California with towels for hats. Wolfgang Baumgartner, Patricia Hendricks, and Sensei

Photo: Patricia Yarrow

1993. Reno, Nevada. Uke is Simon

Photo: Aviv Goldsmith

1994. Iwama snowbattle. Real steel in the snow! Wish you were here.

Photo: Aikido Journal

1994. Saito Sensei applying the “Ai-Ki” brand to new bokken.

Photo: Aviv Goldsmith

1995. Saito Sensei’s delivery service. Ever the gracious host, he is driving another visiting sensei and everyone’s luggage to the Iwama train station.

Photo: Aviv Goldsmith

1996. Fuglsoe, Denmark. In action with the 5th kumijo. Uke: Shibata Ichiro

Photo: Mats Alexandersso, Stockholms Aikido Club, Stockholm, Sweden

1997. Saito Sensei in Denver, Colorado

Photo: Stan Pranin

November 1997. The first uchi-deshi from Russia with Saito Sensei in Iwama dojo, Ibaraki.

From left to right: Saito Sensei, Oleg Yakimov, Sergey Botov.

Today:  Oleg Yakimov representative ‘Takemusu Aikido Russia, 6 Dan, shihan Aikikai’
Botov Sergey representative ‘Iwama Shin Shin Aiki Shurenkai by Hitohito Saito in Russia; 6 Dan, shihan.’

Photo: Pavel

1998. Cutting his birthday cake in style

Photo: Jean Marc Serio

1998. Mr. and Mrs. Saito visit Nikko, a favorite spot an hour drive away from Iwama.

Photo: Aviv Goldsmith

1998. The Westlake Village Aikido crew in Denver, Colorado, at Gaku Homma’s Nippon-kan dojo.

Standing – Christopher S. Field, Chris Powell, Franklin Wise, Allen Twarowski, Scott McGinnis, and their Sensei, David Alexander.

Seated – Shigeru Kawabe and Morihiro Saito Sensei, September 1998.

Photo: David Alexander

1999. Saito Sensei at work in his extensive garden. Gardening and aikido are a perfect combination.

Photo: Joran Fagerlund

1999. Saito Sensei surveys his work during the morning jo practice.

Photo: Michele Marolla (Italy)