Greeting words from Saito Hitohira sensei
I am profoundly grateful today; even though we are amid this COVID pandemic, we can still welcome you today to this unveiling ceremony. This award monument was built with support from all the people related to Morihiro Saito Sensei and overseas support to assist this cause. My father, Morihiro Saito, held a deep loving feeling for the founding couple. However, my parents were newlyweds at that time, and I think my mom had struggled to understand the accent from Wakayama prefecture initially.
In his later years, when his wife Hatsu was bedridden, and due to her state, my mother conveyed her words to the founder when he couldn’t understand her. The founder felt great respect for her sincere dedication towards his wife.
She supported her for 18 years while she was bedridden. As brothers, we all admired her sincere generosity and the great example she set for us.
After the death of the founding couple, my parents continued to take care of the dojo and the Aiki shrine. They always showed great respect for the founder and his wife. The strong bond they had with the founding couple is the honour of the Saito family.
I consider the same applies when it comes to handing down Aikido to future generations.
The spread of the Iwama style all over the world was an outstanding achievement of Morihiro Saito Shihan. Thanks to the continuous support of my mother and companions, we have built this honouring monument.
Morihiro Saito sensei never stopped pursuing the spirit and technique of the founder, and we will also continue to follow his steps.
There is no end to the story, but I would like to greet everybody today, hoping that every one of us will pursue the significance of the award monument as a source of life and enjoyment.
Finally, I would like to thank my parents and family again.
I sincerely Thank you, everyone.
齊藤仁平
Saito Hitohira
Translated to English by Busenkai Tokyo
