October 2001. Mic relates: “A couple of days before the ‘Iwama Town Matsuri’, Saito Sensei was upset by visitors to the Aiki Jinja parking their cars in the small clearing across the street from Hitohiro’s restaurant. Sensei put up a sign and a barrier asking people who visit the Jinja not to park there. As you can see, it was a reasonably substantial log.” (It was still there, as of June 2002, but later was moved).
Photo: Mic Marelli