Josh GoldFrom Module X in our new Ki Aikido course
In Iwama, Ueshiba Sensei was looking after the wife of one of his students who had died. It turned out, however, that she had begun seeing the boss of the local yakuza gang. It had become something of a scandal, but I thought it was a private matter and did not say anything.
Tadashi Abe, on the other hand, was quite enraged at the situation. He confronted the gangster when he came around to see the woman, and gave him a thrashing. He took him to the outhouse and threw him in. Then he started prodding him with a stick and daring him to try to get out. When I saw what was happening I immediately pulled Abe away and made him stop.
Well, Ueshiba Sensei found out about the incident and told his son Kisshomaru and me to go and apologize. Kisshomaru was a little hesitant but I assured him I would do all the talking. When we got to where the gang was they were all lined up and waiting. The boss knew that I was the one who had pulled Abe off him, so he was willing to listen to what we had to say. In the end we secured a promise that they would stay away and leave Abe alone.
-Koichi Tohei
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