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Sueneka Sensei with Shorin-ryu Kenshinkan karate founder Fusei Kise in Jacksoneille, N.C., July, 1997.

Though unforgiving, such a test is undeniably fair. The first aikido practicioner, a yondan (fourth degree black belt) in both aikido and karate who had traveled from Japan specifically to introduce aikido to Okinawa, was unable to weather the trial, nor was the second, an even more celebrated aikidoka. In their defense, it should be noted that both men, though skilled and sincere, boasted little experience outside the controlled strictures of the. dojo, and so were perhaps as much mentally ill-prepared as they were physically to meet Kise’s blunt challenge. Consequently, its not surprising that, at the time of Suenaka’s arrival in Okinawa, the local opinion of aikido was poor, at best. This, however, would soon change.

Fusei Kise was what the air force termed a “third country national,” or indigenous worker, and was employed as an electrician on the air base. Given that Suenaka was an electrician as well, it was inevitable that the two would eventually meet. In fact, Suenaka found himself assigned to the same shop in which Kise worked. Suenaka remembers Kise as “a sort of real stand-offish guy, almost arrogant, at least during our first meeting.” The two exchanged little beyond the usual pleasantries during their first meeting. Neither knew that they would soon become friends, brought together by the very disparity in martial styles that had thus far made Kise the bane of aikido on Okinawa.