Reposted from the Aikido Sangenkai Facebook page with the kind permission of Christopher Li Sensei. This article is part of the “Exploring Historical Photos” series, produced in collaboration between Aiki-wiki and Aikido Sangenkai.
“Ueshiba Sensei said to me “You, be my successor after me”. Sensei had a daughter. Before me, Minoru Mochizuki was asked to be adopted as his son-in-law and heir. Admiral Takeshita and General Miura went to Mochizuki’s place in Shizuoka. Also after the war, Sensei would take rice and potatoes and go to Mochizuki’s place. I think that Mochizuki must have been the closest to Sensei.”
Here (on the photo) are Yoshio Sugino and Minoru Mochizuki training in Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto ryu. More from Sugino Sensei in “Interview with Yoshio Sugino of Katori Shinto-ryu, 1961”, on the Aikido Sangenkai blog: