View Single Post
Old 02-17-2010, 09:28 AM   #15
George S. Ledyard
 
George S. Ledyard's Avatar
Dojo: Aikido Eastside
Location: Bellevue, WA
Join Date: Jun 2000
Posts: 2,670
Offline
Re: In Memory of Kuroiwa Yoshio - 黒岩洋志郎 -- 1932- 2010

I was talking to a guy who trains under Guru Dan Inosanto about being a professional teacher. He said, "yes, we all came out of the Asian system in which being humble was important... The world is full of really skilled teachers who can barely make it because no one knows who they are."

Kuroiwa Sensei, when I met him, was the least pretentious person of achievement I ever met. When I went to visit him, he called all his seniors and had them come to his place so we coud train. Of course, I too had the famous gyoza.

Kuriwa Sensei was the one who set up my meeting with Kisshomaru Ueshiba and then afterward went around the corner to the Ramen shop with me and talked for a couple of hours.

Kuroiwa Sensei was one of those people whom you wished had put himself forward just a bit more. He was such a joy to know and to train with, always coming over with a sort of child like excitement to show you something really cool. It would have been wonderful if more people could have known him. He was the kind of man who really embodied the kind of Budo that Aikido professes to strive for. I am sorry he's gone. When it's my time, I hope people remember me the way I remember him.

George S. Ledyard
Aikido Eastside
Bellevue, WA
Aikido Eastside
AikidoDvds.Com
  Reply With Quote