Letters

Thank you for creating http://www.saitosensei.com/ ! One year ago I started Aikido training in the Iwama Ryu Dojo in Frankfurt/Main, Germany http://www.kgu.de/aikido/ and today while surfing through the web, I enjoyed reading and watching all your photos of Saito Sensei. Never before I went into Aikido history, but heard of many names and about different styles during the past year, now they all became to pictures/faces. Thank you, that’s all I wanted to write you! Mit bestem Gru

Dominik A. Ewald, MD -2003 Sept 03

My name is Francesco Claudio Cipolletta 1st kyu Iwama Ryu, disciple of Paolo Leonetti 2nd dan Iwama Ryu. I’m the webmaster of www.iwamaryunapoli.org the homepage of Iwama Ryu Aikido for Naples. On the site is active the Italian section and soon comes the English section. I’ve signaled your website in my pages. I hope you do the same. Kindest regards,

Francesco Claudio Cipolletta, Webmaster of Iwama Ryu Napoli (www.iwamaryunapoli.org) -2003 Sept 16

Dear Patricia, compliments for your web site which is a rich source for everybody. We would like to let you know that in our site there are photos that we have taken at Hitohiro Saito Sensei’s seminar in Italy – Senigallia : Gasshuku + Kosshukai 6/25-29/2003. Feel free to use them and/or you can also include the link to our site which is the following: (www.aikidoravenna.com)

Mirka Mazzavillani, Shin Dojo Ravenna (Italy) -2003 Sept 24

Thank to you and lots of thanks for the beautiful work on www.saitosensei.com …Your website is very beautifully designed and is a pleasure > to view. 🙂 Really touching. See you,

Francesco Claudio Cipolletta Webmaster Iwama Ryu Napoli (www.iwamaryunapoli.org) -2003 Oct

Hello from Andreas/Melbourne, Australia…Greetings Patricia, It has been a long time since we have talked but I happened upon your website today and was thoroughly overjoyed at viewing all these wonderful photographs. You may not remember me, but I was uchideshi at Iwama during the Autumn/Winter season 1999. We also shared accommodation together in Tokyo for a few days and I cannot thank you enough for that…P.S. I will never forget raking through that leaf mound for 5 hours looking for those 23 berries (that’s 23 not 24n not 22, – 23) I had thrown out not knowing Sensei was collecting them. Reading Hagakure for the first time that night had relevance! Sincerely,

Andreas Markos, Media & Marketing Manager, 3 ZZZ 92.3 FM, Melbourne’s Multicultural Radio -2003 Oct 31

Aiki-greetings from France. I’ve discovered your website dedicated to Saito Sensei long time ago. As I am reorganized our link pages (our new directory will be online before Sunday evening – European time -), I take this opportunity to congratulate you a lot for your valuable website. All the best for you and your projects,

Eric Savalli / 3e Dan Iwama Ryu, E* de Daniel Toutain – 6e Dan Iwama Japon, Responsable du site (http://Aikido-France.net) -2001 Nov 01

I just wanted to let you know that you have done such a super job with the Saito Sensei site. Also, for reference, the picture of Sensei in the Pink Shirt “Taking a break in the garden” in the 1990’s collection of pictures was actually taken on 2000 when we cleared the ginja of 60 of it’s trees. That photo was actually taken by me, not Stanley, not that I have a problem with you using it , I just thought you might like to know the background of the picture. Take care and I shall see you on the mat somewhere!

Stephanie Yap -2003 Nov 25

Your web site-‘www.takemusu.org’, the official website of “Saito Sensei”, has been Great! I observe that your site consists of many information of Saito Sensei . The contents of your site like Best Photos, Memories, Hitohiro, etc are quite interesting. The pictures featured on the site were really eye-catching. I enjoyed browsing your site.

Lisa Rose -2003 Dec 06

Thank you for building a site dedicated to our so wonderful Sensei. It’s a wonderful occasion to remember him, his wonderful teaching and his importance in our aikido. Really thank you a lot. Your in Aiki,

Luigi Ottaviani, Aikido Grosseto, Italy -2004 Jan 17

My friend (who got me interested in Aikido and training with Bill Witt) just sent me the link to the web page…What a trip it was to go back down that memory lane. I am Corri Geffen (shown in the picture with Saito Sensei at the airport) and I went to Iwama with a group of women from Bruce Klickstein’s Oakland dojo in the spring of 1975. Thank you for this website….. it brought back some wonderful memories.

Corri Geffen -2004 Jan 19

I have located my pictures from 1973…They include one of Saito Sensei at our waterfall field trip, and Saito Sensei making soba noodles for the students. I sent my 2 children to a school (Marin Country Day School) which teaches Aikido to everyone as part of the regular curriculum. My son Kaleem, who is now 27, has recently begun to practice seriously. It is in response to his recent enthusiasm that my interest has been renewed.

Mary Bartlett -2004 Aug 14

It was worth looking at. I think the picture 1994 – Snow Battles has got to be a classic. It conveys so many images: purity, peace, conflict, reflection. Thank you for what you have done — & are doing.

George Kirby -2004 Aug 14

Dear Pat! This picture by Daniel Schaeublin is from one of the early seminars (probably 1988) in Fiesch, Switzerland, in the Alps. They were weeklong events in a live-in setting with about 6 hours of keiko every day. Sensei always took some time before keiko to just stand with the mountain.

Roland Spitzbarth -2004 Aug 27

It’s great to see your tribute site to Sensei growing so well…I think you are doing a good thing. It’s important to keep the memory of Saito Sensei alive, especially when it appears some people are trying to revise Aikido history without him in it.

Jason Wotherspoon, Australia -2004 Dec 08

I would to communicate some update for the link to Iwama Ryu for Naples in your wonderful Saito Tribute page: the new link is (www.iwamaryunapoli.tk) and if you can upgrade my aikido level. In November 2003 I received the Shodan from the hands of Paolo Corallini shihan 🙂 Domo arigato gozaimashita and best regards,

Francesco Claudio Cipolletta, webmaster (www.iwamayunapoli.tk) -2005 Feb 09

Wonderful and moving going through your page. Saito Sensei has been my hidden guide in the practice of Takemusu Aikido since many decades ago. About 1981/82 I met, here in Brazil, Masanao Ueno Sensei, a Xinto monk from Shizuoka who also had the same posture and ideals as Saito. He passed away in 2003, just about a year after Saito Sensei. Sad news for a new century. However, their inheritance will certainly remain with those who had the privilege of having them as masters. And being as careful with their memory as you are with Saito´s. Thank you! Best regards from far away,

Leo Reisler -2005 May 02

If Sensei is anywhere out there in this wonderful universe, I know for sure he has a great beaming smile for you, you have done such wonderful things with Saito.com. I hope everyone appreciates your hard work.

Justin -2005 Nov

What an evocative collection of photos, stories, events… and honoring of a great Sensei. I happened across the site today — an unexpected flash to the past, to when I stayed at Iwama Dojo for 6 or so months in 1974. Great photos/captions, and wonderful to see old and new images of people I trained with in Iwama and San Francisco . Thank you for a beautifully rendered tribute.

Sarah Young, Seattle -2006 Nov 03

2007

Sometime I go and have a look in your website. It is very interesting for people that loved Morihiro Saito Shihan.

Alessandro Tittarelli -2007 Mar 09

I would like to thank you for your work which gives us a bridge to the memory and a way to never forget the work of MORIHIRO SAITO SENSEI AND HIS FAMILY in favor of our Art.

Carlos Nogueira, Brazil