Meeting an amazing Aikido Sensei...

I posted this originally on a Japanese Martial Arts forum and copied it here...Hence the different format! ... I met this amazing Aikido Shihan quite by accident...i was wondering if there was any Aikido practice i could film and watch. I didn't bring my Keiko Gi w/me since i am recuping from some injuries...my wife who is Japanese found this dojo by chance thru a friend who lives here in Kimiidera but does not train in any MA...she called and an elderly gentleman answered and was pleased to have an American come to his dojo to watch...we arrived at this smallish dojo located in the narrow streets of this small old school town during the kid's trianing class and found it packed to the rafters w/kids from grade school thru HS all training together...probably 50 or so w/parents sitting on the mats edge...every one trained w/every one else...so you have 6 year olds w/powerful little kiai's going at it w/15-16 year olds twice as tall w/yudansha rank and Mr. Takenaka 8th Dan weilding an ancient shinai amongst them keeping them moving and teaching "tachi-dori" in the midst of this total "randori"...This was truly like stepping back in time to an earlier age of Aikido practice...when keiko was over i was introduced as a visiting sensei and every one bowed and thanked me for coming to their dojo...during the break between adult and kids training tea and cookies were served by Takenaka Sensei...he lives in the back of his dojo and his wife prepares these snacks and hands them down for all to enjoy...Sensei came over and we talked he then had me do some Ki work...i found his Ki power to be completely off the charts...i have trained for over 30 years w/some famous Sensei and have NEVER felt that kind of Ki...EVER!!!! He told me at age 18 he began to train w/O'Sensei and stayed w/O'Sensei until his passing....he was awarded 4th Dan by O'Sensei and has trained and taught for 60 years! Sensei told me that before O'Sensei died his Ki was so strong no one could receive it fully in practice...he said O'Sensei's Ki seemed coming from some place deep w/in him and was so strong no one could stand against it. Takenaka Sensei then went on to conduct the adult class and i must say i have never seen such "kime" in any dojo ever. After keiko he again announced me as a visiting American Sensei...and i must say after 2 and 1/5 hours of watching and learning the last thing i think of myself as is a sensei...after so many years training i felt completely dumbfounded by this man on every level he has almost no ego and is as kind as he is powerful...i can only imagine what O'Sensei must have been like to train with. After an hour of very serious but friendly keiko tea was again served w/cookies and every one bowed and thanked me for coming to their dojo... Sensei told me just show up and train in a tee shirt and my Kung-Fu pants...dont worry about a Gi and Hakama...Sensei has 11 other small dojo's in Wakayama and has a group of 300 students studying under him...he mentioned going out for drinks soon and please come back and practice..."You not get more hurt here...please come back". When i mentioned all my injuries i've collected over the years Sensei said O'Sensei never hurt anyone...only bad sensei will hurt student. So i will go back for keiko w/a tee shirt no hakama of black belt...older and less fit and become a beginner again...just like so many who have come to my dojo...in a tee shirt and sweat pants... I look forward to beginners mind and a new understanding of Aikido. A clip of Sensei in action...enjoy! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zgZA...layer_embedded