Yoseikan Budo (養正館武道), originally known as Yoseikan Ryu Gyokushin Jujutsu, is a comprehensive martial art that integrates various martial disciplines. Though it is most widely recognized for its pre-war aikido roots, Yoseikan Budo also incorporates elements from judo, karate, western boxing, savate, and traditional Japanese martial arts such as Gyokushin ryu jujutsu and Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto ryu.
The name "Yoseikan" is derived from three Japanese characters: yo (teaching), sei (truth), and kan (place), which together mean "the place where the truth is taught" or "place for practicing what is right." This name signifies the art’s philosophy of providing a comprehensive training environment where practitioners can discover their own sense of "truth" through a diverse study of martial techniques, philosophies, and principles.
Who was the founder?
Yoseikan Budo was founded in 1931 by Minoru Mochizuki (望月 稔, Mochizuki Minoru, April 7, 1907 – May 30, 2003). He held impressive ranks across various martial arts: 10th dan in Aikido, 9th dan in Jujutsu, 8th dan in Iaido, Judo, and Kobudo, and 5th dan in Kendo, Karate, and Jojutsu. Having one of the most amazing martial arts resumes, Mochizuki was a direct student of legendary martial arts founders Jigoro Kano (Judo), Morihei Ueshiba (Aikido), and Gichin Funakoshi (Shotokan Karate).
Mochizuki believed that the martial arts had become fragmented into specialized disciplines or sports, losing their original essence. His vision was to restore the comprehensive nature of traditional Japanese martial arts by integrating major techniques into a single cohesive system. From his dojo in Shizuoka, Japan, he guided the development of this system, attracting martial arts practitioners from around the world to study at the Yoseikan.
Current state of Yoseikan Budo
The Yoseikan dojo was passed down from father, Minoru Mochizuki, to son, Hiroo Mochizuki. While Hiroo currently leads the Yoseikan, senior instructors from the headquarters have rebranded their school as Seifukan, aiming to preserve the original style they learned under Minoru Mochizuki. As a result, there are now two distinct schools: Yoseikan and Seifukan.
Selection of Yoseikan Books
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