Minoru Mochizuki

In June1926 Mochizuki received his shodan (1st dan) judo at the Kodokan dojo (founded by Jigoro Kano, judo's founder). He became an uchi deshi (live-in student) of Kyuzo Mifune sensei, a famous judo teacher (10th dan) and a direct student of Kano. Under Mifune's guidance Mochizuki's training intensified and it didn't take long before Kano noticed Mochizuki's talent. Kano sensei thought that judo's development towards sports became too predominant. He formed a research group for the classical bu-jitsu (martial arts) that had to preserve the traditional knowledge and values. According to Kano sports, or competition, is an important part of judo but not the ultimate goal. Kano invited Mochizuki to take part in the project to add a variety of classical disciplines to the Kodokan syllabus. Mochizuki studied various classical styles such as jiu-jitsu, kendo (swordfighting), iaido (the art of drawing a sword and striking) and tenshin shoden katori shinto ryu (a classical style which uses the sword, the spear and the halberd).

In 1930 Kano sensei sent Mochizuki to Ueshiba sensei to study aikibudo (now called aikido). In the following year Mochizuki helped Ueshiba to train the Japanese army. Later in that year Mochizuki became ill. Plans to incorporate bu-jitsu to the Kodokan program were no longer executed and Mochizuki returned to his place of birth to recover. He started his own dojo called the Yoseikan dojo. Yoseikan can be translated as 'the house where one is raised to righteousness'. Here he taught all styles that he had learned and he started to develop a vision in which all styles were integrated. In 1932 Ueshiba handed Mochizuki the Menkyo Kaiden Aiki-jujutsu. These are two scrolls that serve as proof of mastery of aiki-jujutsu.

In 1938 Mochizuki left for Manchuria (North-East China) to act as an official for the Japanese government. China and Japan had set up a joint government in this region as a result of the war with Russia in 1905. After the Second World War Mochizuki returned to Shizuoka and restored his Yoseikan dojo. In 1951 Mochizuki left for France for two and a half years. He was the first to introduce aikido in Europe. Jim Alcheik was one of his direct students. Six years later Mochizuki sent his son, Hiroo, to France to teach shotokan karate at the request of French budo pioneer Henry Plee. In 1958 Alcheik and Hiroo Mochizuki taught jiu-jitsu, judo and karate at dojos in Paris and Versailles. After Alcheik's death in 1963 his assistant, Alain Floquet, took over and became Mochizuki's assistant. In Japan Minoru Mochizuki directed the growing number of branches in the world.

During the 50s and 60s Minoru Mochizuki extended his knowledge of martial arts; he received his 5th dan Kendo and Jo Do (jo = stick) in 1956, his 8th dan Judo in 1977 and finally his 10th dan aikido in 1979 from a member of the Japanese imperial family.
Mochizuki was one of the last students of the grandmasters Kano, Mifune and Ueshiba. According to Mochizuki both Kano and Ueshiba were strong advocates of the principle of wa no seishin (the spirit of harmony). 'Wa no seishin' signifies the development of both you and your partner. This joint development stands in contrast to practising competition sports where you must prevail at the cost of your opponent. Although sports can teach you a lot, it is not the ultimate goal of budo. That goal is the joint development of the entire human race towards a higher level.

The last few years of his life Mochizuki stayed with his son, Hiroo, in Aix-en-Provence in France. He died at the age of ninety-six.

One of Minoru Mochizuki's direct students is Roland Hernaez, hanshi. He is head of the Nihon Tai Jitsu style.

Written and translated by Dennis de Booij.