Category: 1980’s

New Heavy Bokken

Fall of 1984. Iwama. Bruce Klickstein was only there for one week with Teja Bell. Jason Yim was staying for 6 months. Saito Sensei had received a small stack of “Japanese Red Oak” from a friend and asked if they wanted to learn how to make a Bokken in the traditional way. He had them construct a paneling stand with 2″ x 4″. They were just making regular bokkens, not “Heavy Bokken”. But due to the length of the wood they were able to make bokkens of 42″ length. Only the plane and sandpaper were used.

Photo: Bruce Klickstein

All Japan Aikido Embukai

1981. Rob Okun taking ukemi for Saito Sensei’s demonstration of the 9th Kumijo, during the 1981, “All Japan Aikido Embukai”, in Tokyo’s Nippon Budokan stadium. This was the first time Saito Sensei publicly show 31 Kata Kumijo and the new 8-9-10 Kumijo. Both these practices were first developed in 1978 when Rob Okun, Craig Brown, Berry Knight and I lived in Iwama for 2 years and Saito Sensei started to teach Asa no Keiko 7 days a week for the uchi deshi.

Photo: Jason Yim

Sailing

1981-82. Saito Sensei’s second visit to California included a sailboat trip around San Francisco Bay. Tuuli lived on this boat. Sid is her dad.

Ryuji Inagaki took a long trip to travel and lived in the Bay Area for 6 months. The photo was taken in Sausalito where the Messer docked their boat.

In front, Bruce Klickstein, Sally Klickstein (at that time), Saito Sensei, and Bill Witt. In back, Tuuli Messer in red shirt, Ryuji Inagaki, David Alexander in hat, and Sid Messer

Photo: David Alexander

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