At the moment my heart is in pieces, the same day 14th September was
Sandras
Birthday, when we were celebrating on the morning I had a phone call
from Japan to inform me of the passing of a very Dear friend that very same morning.
My Sensei of 20.years Haruna Matsuo. 8th Dan. Kyoshi, the finest
swordsman I have ever seen in Japan, the Chief Instructor of the Musashi
dojo in Ohara the family home of Musashi, not only was he my sensei but
my dearest friend in Budo, on my sword I still wear the Tsuba &
sageo he personally fitted on for me in 1990 at his home, were I spent
many happy hours with him, the Tsuba is 400. years old. In fact my home
is full of gifts he gave me when he stayed here on his visits to England
to teach, everyone knows even in Japan we had a speciel bond together
from when we first met
he was like a Father to me, but also like a brother.
In fact we had
made plans to visit him in March next year after I found out he was
suffering with cancer. He was just 7 years older than me, he was 76
years old.
The memory of him is all around my dojo, and I have many videos of him
from his visits, as always he has made me lose many hours of sleep since
I heard of his death...like now it is only 5-30.am as I answer this
email, he was the All Japan Iaido Champion 28 times and in all the
competitions he never came less the Second! on a very few times I think
4 times 3rd.
Good bye, I will never forget you my friend!
Allan
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IN MEMORY 
