TESTIMONIES
I believe I met Professor Hayashi in 1958 or 1959. I wanted my son about 6 years old to get started in some form of self defense. I had no experience in martial arts, but I had been the Regimental welterweight boxing champion at New Mexico Military Institute, so I thought martial arts might be good for both of us. I asked about a martial arts school at one of the local sporting goods stores and was given Mr. Hayashi's name.
I went to see Mr. Hayashi and told him of my interest for my son. He suggested Judo, because in his experience, kids my son's age did best in Judo because they could wrestle with other kids. Other forms of self-defense could come later. I signed up both of us up for Judo and we became part of the Bujutsukan. My son didn't take to Judo like I had hoped, but I did. So began my long journey with Hayashi Sensei.
I was involved with the Air Force Reserve during this time and traveled to a lot of Army and Air Force installations. At each one I inquired about martial arts since I was a beginner and wanted to learn how other people did martial arts, Judo at that time. Over the years I found that Professor Hayashi was, in my opinion, the best technical instructor I had found. He knew the techniques and how and why they worked. After he showed something and explained how it worked, he usually left you alone to figure it out yourself. Then he would help you perfect it.
During some of this time, I lived almost in walking distance from the Dojo on Nashville street. This was good and bad. For instance, when he would be in a depressed mood, he would call me and say "Mr. Boone, can you come to the Dojo for a little while?" He wanted to work off some steam and I was his uke for an hour or so. He would say, "Mr. Boone, I am going to throw you right here." He would point to a spot on the mat, with a leg sweep or whatever he was using, and he did that at the spot he had picked. He did it more than once and it helped me. Although there were times were I wondered if I would live long enough to enjoy it.
There were also good things about being this close to the Dojo. When he would have visitors from Japan, he would call me over. I was able to meet and work with Mr. Hamitani (Judo) and Mr. Nishiyama (Karate). Hamitani sensei came to my house one time and performed the tea ceremony for my wife and I, and then had dinner with us.
During the early years with Hayashi sensei, his classes did demonstrations outside the dojo. For example; New Mexico State University -at one point he taught classes there, at Fort Bliss, the Sheriff's Department, Juarez, Mexico, at local malls, the YMCA, TV stations. etc. I believe that these outside activities helped create the original Federation and maintain it for many years.
It is the goal of the Legacy Board/Federation to preserve such memories and I hope these memories will stir other memories in our members. Hayashi sensei believed in "perfection of character" in his students.
My name is Diane and Professor Hayashi was my father-in-law, so I have a unique set of memories and perspective that I am honored to share. I often share some of these stories with his granddaughter Kayla, as she didn't get the chance to know him as well, and his great granddaughter Destiny, who never met him at all. When Taichi and I were dating, I started training in the martial arts. One of my first memories was taking my first class at the home Dojo on Nashville street. Needless to say, I was extremely intimidated and quite scared. One of his first instructions was for us to go into meditation; he told me how to sit and told me not to move until he said I could. As a white belt, I took that so literally that I did not even blink! Soon, tears were running down my face as my eyes began to water. I know now that's not exactly what he meant.
Years and years of training in the basement followed. Because I lived upstairs, it was very hard to sleep late or miss a class just because you didn't feel like going. I remember my bedroom was directly above the mat, and if I was not in class on time, I would often hear his cane hitting the dojo ceiling -my floor- and I knew that was his message to get down there to class.
I developed a deep respect and admiration for Professor Hayashi. I learned more about his kind heart, his fighting spirit, his brilliant mind, and his love for the martial arts, people and animals in general. I was always fascinated by the hundreds of books he had on medicine, engineering, gardening, and of course, martial arts.
I will never forget when I was training to fight Jennifer Hann in a kickboxing match that would be held in the El Paso County Coliseum, in front of a huge crowd and tv audience. He was one of y 3 or 4 trainers for that fight.
Those training sessions included thousands and thousands of japs, crosses, uppercuts, and hooks, all on the hardest hanging bag I have ever hot. As I pounded away, he would sit in his chair, one hand on his cane, and the other hand on his little silver counter. Just when I thought he had dozed off, I slowed down a little bit, just before he would say "Keep going, you're not done." One day when I showed up for training, one of his other students, Henry, was there. I think Henry was at least 6'2, and his arms were as long as my legs. I know he had been training with Professor Hayashi for quite a while. At first I was not sure why he was there, but I quickly realized when Professor said "OK, spar." that he was there just for me. For what seemed like an hour, and was probably more like 10 minutes, I continued to be popped and pounded, with growing frustration of not being able to get inside his reach; I was exhausted, physically and emotionally. After it was over, I remember walking out back and sitting on the steps of the porch with my hand in my head. I admit I was a little beat down. But now I know why he did that. I later realized that he put me through that punishment because he knew if I count handle that, there's nothing this young girl my size could do to me that would phase me, rock or rattle me during the real fight.
One of the last things that I would like for you to remember is the impact that he made on so many lives. This was extremely apparent on the day of his funeral. The funeral home filled up with hundreds of people, that there was standing room only. Those in attendance were given the opportunity to say a few words. One after the other, for hours, people who had been impacted by Professor Hayashi came up to pay their respects. It was extremely powerful and overwhelming in an amazing way. Taichi and I were truly grateful to be able to hear their words at that difficult time. Although he has passed, we continue to share this memories with his family, and honoring him by keeping the spirit of his teachings, the Federation, and the art and the forms that he created alive and passing them on from generation to generation.
GALLERY
