MINORU MOCHIZUKI KANCHO

(11-4-1907 to 30-5-2003)

A TRIBUTE TO ONE OF THE GREAT BUDOKA OF THE 20TH CENTURY

Founder of Yoseikan Budo

10 Dan Aikido

9 Dan Ju-Jitsu

8 Dan Judo

8 Dan Iaido

8 Dan Katori Shinto Ryu

Yoseikan was founded by Minoru Mochizuki Kancho in 1931. He was born in 1907, as a child he studied both Judo and Kendo. In 1924 he attended Judo courses by Sanpo Toku, called "the demon of Kodokan", and Ju Jutsu lessons of the Gyokushin Ryu style. In 1925 he enrolled in Kodokan and became disciple of the Masters Kyuzo Mifune and Jigoro Kano, founder of Kodokan Judo. Mochizuki Kancho subsequently was accepted into an elite group, within the Kodokan, the Kobudo Kenkyuaki, an organization made up of people strictly chosen by the founder himself. This group studied a variety of classical martial arts including Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu and Shinden Muso Ryu, as well as Kendo under Haduko Nakayama.

Then in 1930 he sent by Kano to Morihei Ueshiba to learn Aikido. Later he became only one of only two aikidoka to receive a Menkyo Kaiden (Certificate of full proficiency) from Ueshiba Sensei 

In 1931 Mochizuki Kancho founded his dojo "Budo Yoseikan"  in Shizuoka, where he began to teach every thing he had learnt to his own students this included Yoseikan Aiki, Yoseikan Kubudo and Yoseikan Karate. In addition students were instructed in iaido and judo techniques as well. In 1936 Hiroo Mochizuki Shihan was born. In 1939 Mochizuki Kancho and family were sent during the war to preside over an occupied province in the Manciu-Kuo. There Mochizuki Kancho also studied the Chinese Martial arts.

In 1947 the Mochizuki family returned back to Japan. Mochizuki Kancho rebuilt the Dojo destroyed during the war, and started instructing again. In 1951 he travelled to Europe where he demonstrated Judo and Aikido. Due to an accident he was forced to stop in France where he stayed for a year teaching and spreading Judo, Aikido, and Kobujutsu.  yoseikan

Back in Japan, he kept in close contact with his French students.  In 1957 he sent his son Hiroo Shihan to support and develop Yoseikan Budo in France. Yoseikan Budo has since spread to many countries, including Canada, United States and Australia. Mochizuki Kancho continued to teach Yoseikan Budo in Japan through the 60's to the 90's.  Teaching the traditional way he believes that a good martial artist, a good fighter had to learn more than one discipline so as to be able to effectively face any situation, at any time, over any distance.