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Re: Picture of Mariye Takahashi sensei on 1964 Black Belt Magazine
I count myself as being extremely fortunate in being able to say that I train and talk with Mariye Takahashi fairly regularly. For those who don't know, she helped to take care of O'Sensei when he was older and so saw a side of him that very few people ever got to know. I was lucky enough to have been a dinner guest at her home, where she showed us several priceless artifacts: several scrolls and a bokken with O'Sensei's calligraphy. Its always fascinating listening to her tales, especially about O'Sensei and aikido's development in America, since she was there, one of the great pioneers of aikido in this country.
She also makes one hell of a steak, and the most amazing peach gelato with just peaches, honey, and water.
And despite not having trained in aikido regularly for quite some time (she is a writer and a full time professor of Japanese language at either Calstate Fullerton or Cypress College, I forget), she still has all of her martial instincts. When training weapons I'd often practice a kumitachi or kumijo exercise with her, and she'd suddenly disappear. She'd have leapt into my blind spot, with her weapon pointed at the side or back of my throat, and she'd say something like "Sorry, I forgot what to do next, so i went here instead." :-)
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