Saito Seminar a Wonderful Gathering
By Hans Goto
If you did not attend Saito Sensei's 1999 visit to Denver, you missed a wonderful
gathering of people from all over the United States. Saito Sensei looked thinner, but he
was in great humor and spirits. His waza was clean and precise. Our Nippon Kan hosts as
usual knocked themselves out providing food, entertainment, and information about Denver
to all of us 'tourists'. All in
all I think we all had a great time Those of you who were there, know what I am talking
about. I want to thank Aviv Goldsmith and Vince Salvatore especially for coming out to
Denver early, meeting Saito Sensei's airplane, and working hard both at the Nippon Kan
dojo and at the Buddhist Temple setting up for both the seminar and the elaborate party
that our hosts gave.
At our last Division meeting it was decided that we as a Division should communicate
better. E-mail seems to be the easiest vehicle. I will send notes out, but when you talk
or see each other please have folks contact me with their e-mail address. I will be happy
to be a central distribution point of information, but you all are also welcome to send
out info to everyone at any time.
As a point of information, I am co-ordinating with Sonoko Tanaka, who wil be flying out
from Japan to help do a Peace Pole ceremony at our local grammar school on October 22,
1999. We hope to have music, pictures, flowers, poetry and other gifts of peace presented
by the children. All of you aikidoists are welcome! Perhaps we as aikidoists can do
something similar? Give me your feedback! Let's promise to keep in touch!