With Respect . . . Sugawara news?
I have heard rumors and, I assure you all, I merely wish to know the facts not contribute to rumors and political fighting:
We have a training relationship with Sugawara Tetsutaka (aikido) here in the U.S. I have heard that he is on the outs with Otake-sensei of Katori fame. This does not effect me one way or the other but if some sort of official action on the part of Katori-ryu, Otake-sensei, or both has come to pass with regards to Sugawara-sensei . . . It would be nice to know. Can anyone settle this for me one way or the other.
Of course I know that Sugawara has been teaching Katori technique, mostly in the context of adapting Katori to be used to heighten the realism of aiki weapons practice. I also understand the controversies surrounding Sugawara's informal (quasi-)Katori groups and their function in the context of Relnick-sensei's authority in the U.S. and so on and so forth. I understood that Otake and Sugawara maintained a cordial-if-official-formal relationship . . . anyway. What's going on in Japan, in actual fact?
Has, in fact, Otake taken Sugawara's kyoshi status from him? Again, the facts of this matter will not effect me much . . . I just want to get out of the realm of hearsay and rumor. I assure you all again that I am as far from being a rumor monger as I can get. rwd
With Respect For All and . . .
Admiration for a Few,
Robert W. Dillon, Jr.