Last year I was very fortunate to visit Japan for the first time. For most of us, the $3,000 or so to make such a trip takes years of saving and planning, and usually something comes up which takes precedence. This time I had the money and, come hell or high water, I was going. I was very lucky to be going with my close friend and instructor Greg Kowalski. Greg had lived in Japan for 4 years and studied with Soke and the other Shihan and speaks fluent Japanese.

At the very least I thought his skills would get us from dojo to dojo. As it turned out it did much more than that. We wound up staying at Muramatsu Sensei's house! Here is a guy that I would cut off my left arm to train with and he was letting us stay with him. Any of you who do not know who Muramatsu is, ask someone who has been around for a while. They will tell you he is the closest thing to a real "Ninja" left alive. And if you doubt that just talk to Steve, Bud, Jack, Bill or any number of guys who have trained with him. Anyway I could fill books talking about this trip and my training in Japan, but I really want to share with you one special moment.

We had planned our visit to be able to go to the once a year Budo festival in Meji Park. This event brought out every martial art including the Zen Archers on horse back! It was a drizzly day but we were not going to let a little rain ruin this very special event. During the morning Greg introduced Muramatsu Sensei to a little old lady about 4 feet tall who's name I apologize for not remembering. She was, we found out from Greg, a teacher of Naginata-Do. Upon meeting her Muramatsu was to say later to us that she was a "treasure". Anyway during the course of the day this Shihan of Naginata was to demo along with her class. The demo was awesome and obviously everybody who could recognize what they saw were really impressed. As this tiny lady made her way back out of the demo area, out of all the countless martial artists, who would appear with umbrella in hand but Muramatsu. As he offered her his umbrella, he got down on his knees in the wet grass and wiped her feet off with a towel so she could put her feet clean and dry into her slippers! I looked over at Greg who was wiping tears from his eyes and understood what the true meaning of the Warrior was. For me this was one of the highlights of this trip and certainly an important lesson to remember.

Leon Drucker has been studying Martial Arts for over 30 years. His background includes a Shodan in Judo under Professor Ishikowa, 20 years of practicing and teaching Tai Chi Chuan and Northern Shoalin Kung Fu under BC Chin and 6 years of study in Ninjutsu, not counting the Stephen Hayes Seminar stretching back 12 years ago. He is a practicing Massage Therapist residing in New Hampshire, and facilitates a small training group under the supervision of Greg Kowalski. For comments or questions please contact him via e-mail: Shadowaryr@aol.com.