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21-year-old Suenaka Sensei demonstrating ikkyo on student Allen Wagstajfin Zemke Gym, Kadena Air Force Base, Okinawa; Fall, 1961.

Suenaka first encountered Shimabukuro Sensei through Kiyotaka Nema, owner of the local sporting goods store where Suenaka purchased his gis and other supplies. (Although Fuse Kise was a student of Shimabukuro’s, as noted earlier, Suenaka hadn’t met him.) Suenaka mentioned to Nema his desire to open a dojo in town. “Nema said, ‘Oh, you don’t want to do that.’ He warned me. He said, ‘I don’t think aikido is going to go over very big in town. You want to stay on the base.’ But I told him I did, and he said, ‘I know a person who can help you.’” Nema took Suenaka to Shimabukuro’s dojo, about five miles outside of the air base. After observing a class, Nema introduced the two and told Shimabukuro of Suenaka’s plans. It’s remarkable that Shimabukuro, one of a scant handful otjudan (tenth degree black belt) in the area, in addition to being one of Okinawa’s most highly regarded karateka, was so willing to help. “He was a great master. For someone of his stature to say, ‘Okay, young man, I’ll help you,’ was really something,” Suenaka says. “He could have just as easily said ‘Look kid, why don’t you come and learn under me?’ But he respected me for wanting to teach aikido, and we became good friends. I had a lot more respect for him than he did for me, I’m sure, because of what he did for me.”