Shin’ichi explained to the astonished member: “This is the fastest way to get around. It makes it possible for me to attend more meetings.”

Sapporo Campaign, 1955.

A scooter approached, but the women’s division member didn’t pay much attention to it. Then she heard a voice: “Hi! Sorry to have kept you waiting!” When she turned around, Shin’ichi was standing at her side.

She had thought that Shin’ichi would surely arrive by taxi or car; it never occurred to her he would come riding on the back of a motorbike. Shin’ichi explained to the astonished member: “This is the fastest way to get around. It makes it possible for me to attend more meetings.” Shin’ichi didn’t care about outward appearances. Victory was his only concern.

At the time, many of the back streets and alleyways in Sapporo were either unpaved or quite bumpy. Riding along behind Odaka, Shin’ichi bounced up and down. At times he was jarred so badly that his back hurt. Nevertheless, determined to win in every struggle, he continually chanted daimoku under his breath as they went. In addition, around this time, his health wasn’t very good. His appetite was poor, and some days it was all he could do to drink water or juice.

Shin’ichi had decided in his heart that he would praise and encourage them with all his might.