My cousin, Bob, has left a message re:grandpa that has brought back a lot of memories. I remember grandpa was a lot of fun & taught us how to sign language the alphabet & do magic tricks. One trick was to use a large circle of string & loop it around our neck in such a way that when you tugged quickly on one end instead of choking you, it looked like it passed right through your neck. He also showed us how to play games with a loop of string & magically turn that string into a bridge, a star, a broom etc. I have taught my kids those tricks also. Thanks Bob, for leaving a message & releasing these great memories.

As the oldest of his grandchildren, I guess I knew him the longest. He was an amazing person when you get to recognize what greatness is all about. He was humble, gentle, with a hearty laugh and a sense of humour that children could understand. I remember visiting him in his little house that he shared with his youngest son, charlie as we called him. While my knowledge of Japanese is distant, I remember having the most fascinating discussions with him as a very young child. I gather he was our connection to our samurai background. He was curious of everything including his grandchildren. Unlike the other adults, at that time, he took the time to get to know us, which is what grandparents do. I think he is the one who brought out the curiosity in us about life in general, as well as many others who ever got to know him. He was quite a cultured person for the post world war II period. He lived simply, but with great zen. He even painted a picture of me from a grade one photograph. It was quite a good likeness. I am sorry that many of his grandchildren did not get to know him as I did. In many ways he defines me, as he does many others of his offspring.