Interviewing Sensei

Well, some folks have mentioned that it's a shame that Sensei Yaguchi's portion of the book is actually not that long...about a hundred pages. The fact is, it's an interesting situation to try interviewing someone who is as humble as Sensei. Couple that with the fact that he really doesn't like talking about himself, plus the issue that I'm a novice interviewer, and you have a rather short book.

What I like, though, is that so many other people were willing to contribute their stories, impressions, and commitment to Sensei Yaguchi. Even people who simply can't understand his English no matter how hard they try. It's sometimes kind of humorous watching Sensei talking with a small group around him, and you can see them straining to understand. The fact is, if you're not around him all the time, you will probably have a hard time. But he understands this, and he is so appreciative of how hard people try to listen to him and communicate with him. He has a gentle, wise soul. Sometimes he is as open and excited about the things around him as a child, and sometimes he seems as wise and ancient as the hills.