As a child in Hiroshima, Japan, Sato-sensei learned Soroban at a very young age.  As part of the school curriculum, every child is taught to move the beads, but, Sato-sensei became particularly skilled.  Her teachers entered her into many regional and nationwide contests.  She competed well, but found her real passion while standing in front of the classroom.  She taught in Japan for several years before following her family to the United States in 1965.

 

For several years, her only contact with the world of soroban was self-practice.  Busy with a new career and two small children, she hardly had time to devote to soroban.  Finally, in 1977, Sato-sensei sat down at her kitchen table with two children (her six-year old son and his friend) to teach them soroban.

 

Without realizing that they were actually studying, the children were learning to manipulate numbers at speeds that made college professors envious.  Soon, her four-year old son showed interest, and he joined his older brother at the table.  The seeds of The Soroban School had been planted.