About Our Defensive Arts System
Key Principles Include:
- Maximum Impact with Minimal Effort
- Softness Always Overcomes Hardness
- Self-Control and Ethical Behavior
- Blending With and Redirecting of Attacks
- Avoiding/Deflecting Confrontation
- Efficient integration of Judo/Jujitsu, Aikido,
Karate, and Kobudo techniques
The Legendary Founder Minoru Mochizuki
Minoru Mochizuki was a Japanese martial artist who founded the dojo Yoseikan. He was a 10th dan in Aikido, 9th dan in jujutsu, 8th dan in iaido, 8th dan in judo, 8th dan in kobudo, 5th dan in kendo,
5th dan in karate, and a 5th dan in jojutsu.
Born in Shizuoka, Japan, Mochizuki was one of the direct students of
Judo founder, Jigaro Kano, Aikido founder Morihei Ueshiba and Gichin Funakoshi, founder of Shotokan Karate.
Believing that the martial arts had become distorted by specialization into separate disciplines or transformed into sports, Mochizuki achievement was to assemble the major techniques of the Japanese martial tradition into a single structure, as it was once practiced.
He oversaw the development of the system from his home in Shizuoka, Japan, where his dojo, the Yoseikan, was often visited by martial arts practitioners from all over the world. He died in Aix-en-Provence, France 2003.
During his life Master Mochizuki wrote several books that are now very rare and difficult to find.
He integrated aikido, judo/jujutsu, karate, and kobudo (jo, sword, staff) into a complete martial art system that used a common footwork to allow easy transition between the arts. Master Mochizuki emphasized effective technique and constantly evaluated them for refinement based on principles.