Very emotional Saturday evening for me. The OB-Kai held a farewell dinner for Master Toyotaro Miyazaki as he is permanently moving back to Japan after 50 years in the USA. His Parkinson's disease has worsened and he is returning so that his family can care for him there.
Master Miyazaki was a tournament champion in Kata, Kumite, and Kobudo for more than 30 years since the mid-1960s. He is an excellent sensei, role model, legend, and man, having influenced thousands of karateka worldwide. To know the perfect control he had over his body, and now to see how the disease has affected him is upsetting. To see that he still gets on the deck to do the best he can is awe inspiring.
Above is a letter I presented to him touching on a few special personal memories I have of him. I wish you well, sensei. Domo arigato gozaimashita (deep bow) Osu!
Some of these thoughts, stories, and personal history appeared in our newsletter, "Dō Gakuin News". Few members have been with us since our first issue in 1993. As such, ideas on this page may have been printed before, but are worth telling again.
Saturday, October 15, 2016
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