 His education destined him to be medical doctor, but one encounter re-directed the course of his life toward the martial arts, irrevocably.In 1955, while pursuing university studies, his uncle arranged for him to be presented to a famous master of Ju-jitsu, Morihei Ueshiba, the founder of Aikido.This event proved to be decisive and that same day he decided to renounce his plans in order to become uchi deshi, an internal student of this master.