Hiroo Mochizuki Shihan

Creator of Yoseikan Budo

Hiroo Mochizuki Shihan was born in 1936 in Shizuoka. In 1939 Japan extended its power into mainland China. The Mochizuki family moving to China being a subsequent result. He started learning the Martial arts with his father who taught him Kendo early in the morning. After the war the Mochizuki family returned to Japan where Hiroo Shihan began learning Aikido and Judo in the rebuilt Yoseikan dojo.

In the early 50s Hiroo Shihan was sent to the Aikido master Ueshiba Sensei as an "Uchi-deshi" or "internal student". He lived with the master at the dojo of Iwama.  There he learnt the extraordinary Aikido of O Sensei Ueshiba. The ability of this great master of the martial arts deeply impressed Hiroo Shihan.

He enrolled at University to study Veterinary Science, and there he began learning Shotokan Karate . However his studies were interrupted in 1957 when he was sent to Europe by his father to help Jim Alcheik, (a student and friend of Minoru Kancho) develop the Yoseikan Martial Arts. In Europe Hiroo Mochizuki Shihan demonstrated Judo,  his father's Aikido, Karate and Kobujutsu.

At the end of 1958 he went back to Japan to complete his degree in Veterinary Science. Around this period he began Wado Ryu Karate with Master Shinji Michihara, another Sensei who greatly influenced Hiroo Shihan's martial arts education.

But in 1963 Jim Alcheik's death in an accident resulted requests for Minoru Mochizuki Kancho's presence in Europe. Unable to move, Minoru Kancho again sent his son. Hiroo Shihan thought it was only a temporary assignment however he never returned to Japan to live after this time.

In France Hiroo Shihan taught Karate, taking it to the highest levels. His presence fostered and highly improved the technique and the organization of Karate and Aikido. Evidence was the extraordinary victory of the French team at the first Karate World Championship held in France in 1963.

However during this time due to the fear of the martial arts straying from the original ideas of health, welfare, self realization and development,  Hiroo Shihan began looking at on the one side the ancient samurai tradition, verses the modern sport orientated martial arts. This resulted in a long gestation period, leading, at the end of the 70s, to the conception and foundation of YOSEIKAN BUDO.

The proclamation of this new art created a lot of controversy in the martial arts world. Many refused to accept it, among them, were some of Hiroo Mochizuki Shihan's eldest and closest students. 

Many others, on the other hand, accepted it with enthusiasm. Yoseikan Budo being recognised as a viable alternative to the merely sportive and agonistic practice of many martial arts.

Yoseikan Budo now offers two main streams of practice; One aligned to the traditional practice of martial arts while the other is more sports orientated. Yoseikan Budo therefore caters for all ages and interests. 

Hiroo Mochizuki Shihan along with the Yoseikan World Federation (YWF) Technical Advisors continue developing and refining Yoseikan Budo to ensure it retains it's effectiveness and relevance into the 21st Century.