Читать книгу Complete Aikido. Aikido Kyohan: The Definitive Guide to the Way of Harmony онлайн

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On about the third day of his visit, a banquet was held in O’Sensei’s honor at the Rainbow Garden Teahouse, a local inn where he was staying during his time in Honolulu. Among the invited guests were those martial artists who found themselves drawn to this new art of aikido, Suenaka included. Following the feast, O’Sensei retired early, as was his habit. Not long after his departure, Suenaka decided to get a closer look at the mysterious, diminuitive master, unaware that just a few minutes later, he would unexpectedly have his first face-to-face meeting with the Founder.

After a few moments investigation, Suenaka identified O’Sensei’s bungalow and quietly crept closer, not wanting to betray his presence and risk angering Ueshiba. Finally, he got close enough to see inside:

“He was sitting in his room—the sliding shoji screen door was slightly open, as he really liked the natural surroundings, the breeze. . . . I was standing approximately fifty feet away, in the trees behind some bushes, just watching him, just to see what he was doing in there. He was sitting in seiza, reading a book.”