On the day of Sensei Robert's arrival in Tokyo he by chance ended up in a cafe near the Aikikai Hombu dojo with Endo Shihan and a hand full of Aikido students. Endo Shihan asked Robert why he studied Aikido. Sensei Robert answered frankly "because it's so beautiful". The other students laughed and one even said "I do it for the pain". Not surprisingly that answer resulted in Endo Shihan asking Robert to be his private English teacher.
All "English lessons" were on the topic of Aikido and Sensei Robert had the chance to "pick Endo Shihan's brain" for the following 4 years.
Endo Shihan completed his own dojo in Saku city (a few hours drive north west of Tokyo) in 1993.
Endo Sensei seminar article 2007 in the Athens Banner-Herald.
http://www.onlineathens.com/stories/042007/news_20070420047.shtml
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