Yoseikan Karate
Encyclopedia
Yoseikan Karate or Yoseikan Ryu Karate (養正館流空手) is the name given to the variant of Shotokan
Karate
taught at the Yoseikan
Dojo in Shizuoka
, Japan
, under the direction of Minoru Mochizuki
(望月 稔 Mōchizuki Minoru, 1907–2003).
Minoru Mochizuki trained directly under Gichin Funakoshi
, the man who formally introduced Karate to the Japan
ese mainland in 1921. In the 1970’s, Minoru Mochizuki formally organised his arts into Yoseikan Budo
, including Karate, aikido
, judo
, Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu
, jujutsu
, kobudo
, iaido
, kendo
, jojutsu, and kempo
. A small number of schools through the world still focus on the traditional Karate aspect of Yoseikan, and as such refer to it as Yoseikan Karate, or Yoseikan Ryu Karate.
and then in France
, where he was invited to teach for the founder of the French Karate Federation, Henri Plee. From there Yoseikan Karate, as it became known, crept across Europe.
. Hiroo Mochizuki returned to Japan
in 1959 to finish his studies. In 1963 he returned to France in order to replace Jim Alcheik, the senior Yoseikan student in France, who had died in 1961. Hiroo Mochizuki participated in the creation of the French Karate Federation, and in 1964 he became the first technical advisor to the French Karate Federation and European Karate Union. In the 70's, under the supervision of Hiroo Mochizuki, the French Karate team became the first foreign team to defeat the Japanese team in the Karate world championships. After some time, Hiroo Mochizuki developed his own style; he initially called it Yoken, but later he changed the name to Yoseikan Budo to honour his father.
(Mr Seydel) and Italy
(Mr Malatesti). All eventually received their Shodan (1st Dan) diplomas from Minoru Mochizuki and were all asked to consider setting up national federations for the development of Yoseikan in each of their own countries. In 1956 Vernon Bell founded the British Karate Federation (B.K.F.) with the intention of forming a governing body for all Karate styles in the UK
.
Some of the first pupils trained at the Royal British Legion hall in Upminster
, Essex
. Between 1958 and 1965, Vernon Bell helped established branches throughout England
; as the B.K.F continued to grow, he also continued to encourage Japanese sensei
teachers to visit British dojo
s. In 1965, following correspondence with the Japan Karate Association
, which was at that time under the supervision of Chief Instructor Masatoshi Nakayama, Vernon bell agreed to personally sponsor a visit by a group of JKA instructors to help the future development of (Shotokan) Karate in the U.K. These included Taiji Kase
, Hirokazu Kanazawa, Keinosuke Enoeda
, and Hiroshi Shirai. Although ultimately successful for the British Karate Movement and in particular Shotokan Karate, this eventually marked the downfall of the B.K.F due to disagreements between Mr. Bell and the B.K.F committee. The B.K.F eventually disbanded in 1966, with most the members opting to join the newly formed Shotokan organisations.
As a result Vernon Bell redirected his efforts back towards the original Yoseikan Karate system he had learnt years earlier. He also promoted the arts of Jujutsu, Judo, Aikido to the few members he had left. Most of which eventually left Vernon bell to form independent groups of their own.
( For details of instructors affiliated & currently teaching for the Yoseikan Karate Association U.K, reference may be taken from the Dan grade teachers page of the official YKA web site ).
Many years later in 2001 Vernon Bell presented Chris Clarry with official documentation entrusting him with the duty of continuing the original Yoseikan Karate linage, originally bestowed to Vernon Bell by the Minoru Mochizuki, via Henri Plee. Chris Clarry (8th Dan) continues to promote the name of Yoseikan Karate, actively teaching the many students & Black belt members of the Yoseikan Karate Association U.K .
began in aikido in 1968. In that year, Phillipe Boiron began teaching Yoseikan Aikido
for Jan de Jong in Perth
, Western Australia
. This led de Jong to travel to Japan in 1969 to train directly under Minoru Mochizuki. In 1974, on an official request from de Jong, Mochizuki sent Yoshiaki Unno to Perth to teach Yoseikan Aikido. He also taught iaido
, kobudo
, and karate. One of Unno's early students was Branco Bratich, currently ranked 8th dan. Bratich, now under Teruo Sano's Yoseikan Ryu Karate International, became responsible for the spread of Yoseikan Karate across Australia, starting with his first club in 1978.
, contrary to the Shotokan, which is more widespread, more competitive and which is practised with more force, Yoseikan-Ryu puts the emphasis on the speed of the movement and the use of force only at the last moment of the movement.
In Canada
, Master Aymé Favre imported the Yoseikan style. Master Favre taught his techniques with Jacques Marleau and Jim Hartnell. The first dojo
Yoseikan-Ryu in Canada was opened in Montreal
, at the House of Radio-Canada, in 1973.
On January 21, 1999, Master Andre Bertrand, Master Jim Hartnell, Master Jacques A. Marleau and Master Michel Shaheen registered the name "Association Yoseikan-Ryu." It acts as an association of Karate operating mainly in the area of Longueuil
, Pointe-aux-Trembles
and La Prairie
.
In Québec city, a branch of Yoseikan Karate called "Yoseikan Karaté-Do" was founded by Giancarlo Borelli-Lucchesi. The present master is Marc Asselin, Hanshi, 9th dan yoseikan karate and 6th dan yoseikan jiu-jitsu.
Shotokan
is a style of karate, developed from various martial arts by Gichin Funakoshi and his son Gigo Funakoshi . Gichin was born in Okinawa and is widely credited with popularizing karate through a series of public demonstrations, and by promoting the development of university karate clubs, including...
Karate
Karate
is a martial art developed in the Ryukyu Islands in what is now Okinawa, Japan. It was developed from indigenous fighting methods called and Chinese kenpō. Karate is a striking art using punching, kicking, knee and elbow strikes, and open-handed techniques such as knife-hands. Grappling, locks,...
taught at the Yoseikan
Yoseikan
is the name given to a dojo built in November 1931 in Shizuoka, Japan.-The Dojo:The brother and friends of Master Minoru Mochizuki built this dojo for him while he was recovering from pleurisy and pulmonary tuberculosis. When the dojo was built, a friend of the Mochizuki family called it Yōseikan...
Dojo in Shizuoka
Shizuoka Prefecture
is a prefecture of Japan located in the Chūbu region on Honshu island. The capital is the city of Shizuoka.- History :Shizuoka prefecture was formed from the former Tōtōmi, Suruga and Izu provinces.The area was the home of the first Tokugawa Shogun...
, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, under the direction of 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....
(望月 稔 Mōchizuki Minoru, 1907–2003).
Minoru Mochizuki trained directly under Gichin Funakoshi
Gichin Funakoshi
was the creator of Shotokan karate, perhaps the most widely known style of karate, and is attributed as being the 'father of modern karate.' Following the teachings of Anko Itosu, he was one of the Okinawan karate masters who introduced karate to the Japanese mainland in 1921...
, the man who formally introduced Karate to the Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
ese mainland in 1921. In the 1970’s, Minoru Mochizuki formally organised his arts into Yoseikan Budo
Yoseikan Budo
Yoseikan Budo may be classified as a sogo budo form , but is used here to indicate a martial art into which various martial ways have been integrated...
, including Karate, aikido
Aikido
is a Japanese martial art developed by Morihei Ueshiba as a synthesis of his martial studies, philosophy, and religious beliefs. Aikido is often translated as "the Way of unifying life energy" or as "the Way of harmonious spirit." Ueshiba's goal was to create an art that practitioners could use to...
, judo
Judo
is a modern martial art and combat sport created in Japan in 1882 by Jigoro Kano. Its most prominent feature is its competitive element, where the object is to either throw or takedown one's opponent to the ground, immobilize or otherwise subdue one's opponent with a grappling maneuver, or force an...
, Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu
Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto-ryu
is one of the oldest extant Japanese martial arts, and an exemplar of koryū bujutsu. The Tenshin Shōden Katori Shintō-ryū was founded by Iizasa Ienao, born 1387 in Iizasa village , who was living near Katori Shrine at the time...
, jujutsu
Jujutsu
Jujutsu , also known as jujitsu, ju-jitsu, or Japanese jiu-jitsu, is a Japanese martial art and a method of close combat for defeating an armed and armored opponent in which one uses no weapon, or only a short weapon....
, kobudo
Okinawan kobudo
Okinawan kobudō is a Japanese term that can be translated as "old martial way of Okinawa"...
, iaido
Iaido
is a modern Japanese martial art associated with the smooth, controlled movements of drawing the sword from its scabbard, striking or cutting an opponent, removing blood from the blade, and then replacing the sword in the scabbard...
, kendo
Kendo
, meaning "Way of The Sword", is a modern Japanese martial art of sword-fighting based on traditional Japanese swordsmanship, or kenjutsu.Kendo is a physically and mentally challenging activity that combines strong martial arts values with sport-like physical elements.-Practitioners:Practitioners...
, jojutsu, and kempo
KEMPO
KEPCO may refer to:* Korea Electric Power Corporation, a South Korean power provider* Kansai Electric Power Company, a Japanese power provider...
. A small number of schools through the world still focus on the traditional Karate aspect of Yoseikan, and as such refer to it as Yoseikan Karate, or Yoseikan Ryu Karate.
Yoseikan Karate in Europe
In 1954 Minoru Mochizuki taught the first European students Yoseikan Karate, first in SwitzerlandSwitzerland
Switzerland name of one of the Swiss cantons. ; ; ; or ), in its full name the Swiss Confederation , is a federal republic consisting of 26 cantons, with Bern as the seat of the federal authorities. The country is situated in Western Europe,Or Central Europe depending on the definition....
and then in France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
, where he was invited to teach for the founder of the French Karate Federation, Henri Plee. From there Yoseikan Karate, as it became known, crept across Europe.
France
In 1957, Minoru Mochizuki sent his eldest son, Hiroo Mochizuki, to France to teach Karate in EuropeEurope
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
. Hiroo Mochizuki returned to Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
in 1959 to finish his studies. In 1963 he returned to France in order to replace Jim Alcheik, the senior Yoseikan student in France, who had died in 1961. Hiroo Mochizuki participated in the creation of the French Karate Federation, and in 1964 he became the first technical advisor to the French Karate Federation and European Karate Union. In the 70's, under the supervision of Hiroo Mochizuki, the French Karate team became the first foreign team to defeat the Japanese team in the Karate world championships. After some time, Hiroo Mochizuki developed his own style; he initially called it Yoken, but later he changed the name to Yoseikan Budo to honour his father.
England
In 1955 Henri Plee, the founder of the French Karate federation, invited Vernon Bell to study Yoseikan Karate along with other representatives from GermanyGermany
Germany , officially the Federal Republic of Germany , is a federal parliamentary republic in Europe. The country consists of 16 states while the capital and largest city is Berlin. Germany covers an area of 357,021 km2 and has a largely temperate seasonal climate...
(Mr Seydel) and Italy
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
(Mr Malatesti). All eventually received their Shodan (1st Dan) diplomas from Minoru Mochizuki and were all asked to consider setting up national federations for the development of Yoseikan in each of their own countries. In 1956 Vernon Bell founded the British Karate Federation (B.K.F.) with the intention of forming a governing body for all Karate styles in the UK
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
.
Some of the first pupils trained at the Royal British Legion hall in Upminster
Upminster
Upminster is a suburban town in northeast London, England, and part of the London Borough of Havering. Located east-northeast of Charing Cross, it is one of the locally important district centres identified in the London Plan, and comprises a number of shopping streets and a large residential...
, Essex
Essex
Essex is a ceremonial and non-metropolitan county in the East region of England, and one of the home counties. It is located to the northeast of Greater London. It borders with Cambridgeshire and Suffolk to the north, Hertfordshire to the west, Kent to the South and London to the south west...
. Between 1958 and 1965, Vernon Bell helped established branches throughout England
England
England is a country that is part of the United Kingdom. It shares land borders with Scotland to the north and Wales to the west; the Irish Sea is to the north west, the Celtic Sea to the south west, with the North Sea to the east and the English Channel to the south separating it from continental...
; as the B.K.F continued to grow, he also continued to encourage Japanese sensei
Sensei
' is a Japanese word that basically means "person born before another." In general usage, it means "master" or "teacher," and the word is used as a title to refer to or address teachers, professors, professionals such as lawyers, CPA and doctors, politicians, clergymen, and other figures of authority...
teachers to visit British dojo
Dojo
A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...
s. In 1965, following correspondence with the Japan Karate Association
Japan Karate Association
Japan Karate Association is one of the most influential Shotokan karate organizations in the world...
, which was at that time under the supervision of Chief Instructor Masatoshi Nakayama, Vernon bell agreed to personally sponsor a visit by a group of JKA instructors to help the future development of (Shotokan) Karate in the U.K. These included Taiji Kase
Taiji Kase
was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate who was one of the earliest masters responsible for introducing this martial art into Europe. He taught his style of karate, Shotokan Ryu Kase Ha, in France from the late 1960s to the mid-1980s. In his later years, he travelled across the world teaching...
, Hirokazu Kanazawa, Keinosuke Enoeda
Keinosuke Enoeda
was a Japanese master of Shotokan karate. He was a former Chief Instructor of the Karate Union of Great Britain. Enoeda was ranked 8th dan in Shotokan karate, and was widely renowned as a formidable karateka . Following his death, Enoeda was posthumously awarded the rank of 9th dan.-Early...
, and Hiroshi Shirai. Although ultimately successful for the British Karate Movement and in particular Shotokan Karate, this eventually marked the downfall of the B.K.F due to disagreements between Mr. Bell and the B.K.F committee. The B.K.F eventually disbanded in 1966, with most the members opting to join the newly formed Shotokan organisations.
As a result Vernon Bell redirected his efforts back towards the original Yoseikan Karate system he had learnt years earlier. He also promoted the arts of Jujutsu, Judo, Aikido to the few members he had left. Most of which eventually left Vernon bell to form independent groups of their own.
( For details of instructors affiliated & currently teaching for the Yoseikan Karate Association U.K, reference may be taken from the Dan grade teachers page of the official YKA web site ).
Many years later in 2001 Vernon Bell presented Chris Clarry with official documentation entrusting him with the duty of continuing the original Yoseikan Karate linage, originally bestowed to Vernon Bell by the Minoru Mochizuki, via Henri Plee. Chris Clarry (8th Dan) continues to promote the name of Yoseikan Karate, actively teaching the many students & Black belt members of the Yoseikan Karate Association U.K .
Yoseikan Ryu Karate in Japan
Yoseikan Ryu Karate in Japan, as with other counties, traces its origins back to Minoru Mochizuki and the Yoseikan. Today Teruo Sano, a student of Minoru Mochizuki, oversees Yoseikan Ryu Karate in Japan, and around the world under his organisation, Yoseikan Ryu Karate International. Affiliated groups exist in Australia, as well as Canada and Europe.Yoseikan Ryu Karate in Australia
The origins of Yoseikan Karate in AustraliaAustralia
Australia , officially the Commonwealth of Australia, is a country in the Southern Hemisphere comprising the mainland of the Australian continent, the island of Tasmania, and numerous smaller islands in the Indian and Pacific Oceans. It is the world's sixth-largest country by total area...
began in aikido in 1968. In that year, Phillipe Boiron began teaching Yoseikan Aikido
Yoseikan Aikido
Yoseikan Aikido is the aikido taught at the Yoseikan Dojo in Shizuoka, Japan, under the direction of Minoru Mochizuki ....
for Jan de Jong in Perth
Perth, Western Australia
Perth is the capital and largest city of the Australian state of Western Australia and the fourth most populous city in Australia. The Perth metropolitan area has an estimated population of almost 1,700,000....
, Western Australia
Western Australia
Western Australia is a state of Australia, occupying the entire western third of the Australian continent. It is bounded by the Indian Ocean to the north and west, the Great Australian Bight and Indian Ocean to the south, the Northern Territory to the north-east and South Australia to the south-east...
. This led de Jong to travel to Japan in 1969 to train directly under Minoru Mochizuki. In 1974, on an official request from de Jong, Mochizuki sent Yoshiaki Unno to Perth to teach Yoseikan Aikido. He also taught iaido
Iaido
is a modern Japanese martial art associated with the smooth, controlled movements of drawing the sword from its scabbard, striking or cutting an opponent, removing blood from the blade, and then replacing the sword in the scabbard...
, kobudo
Kobudo
or Ko-budō, a Japanese term meaning "old martial way", may refer to:* Koryū: in contrast to budō, which has become more competitive, a type of martial art which has kept its ancient mode of training and has been preserved and handed down from generation to generation .* Okinawan kobudō: the martial...
, and karate. One of Unno's early students was Branco Bratich, currently ranked 8th dan. Bratich, now under Teruo Sano's Yoseikan Ryu Karate International, became responsible for the spread of Yoseikan Karate across Australia, starting with his first club in 1978.
Yoseikan Ryu Karate in Canada
In QuébecQuebec
Quebec or is a province in east-central Canada. It is the only Canadian province with a predominantly French-speaking population and the only one whose sole official language is French at the provincial level....
, contrary to the Shotokan, which is more widespread, more competitive and which is practised with more force, Yoseikan-Ryu puts the emphasis on the speed of the movement and the use of force only at the last moment of the movement.
In Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, Master Aymé Favre imported the Yoseikan style. Master Favre taught his techniques with Jacques Marleau and Jim Hartnell. The first dojo
Dojo
A is a Japanese term which literally means "place of the way". Initially, dōjōs were adjunct to temples. The term can refer to a formal training place for any of the Japanese do arts but typically it is considered the formal gathering place for students of any Japanese martial arts style to...
Yoseikan-Ryu in Canada was opened in Montreal
Montreal
Montreal is a city in Canada. It is the largest city in the province of Quebec, the second-largest city in Canada and the seventh largest in North America...
, at the House of Radio-Canada, in 1973.
On January 21, 1999, Master Andre Bertrand, Master Jim Hartnell, Master Jacques A. Marleau and Master Michel Shaheen registered the name "Association Yoseikan-Ryu." It acts as an association of Karate operating mainly in the area of Longueuil
Longueuil
Longueuil is a city in the province of Quebec, Canada. It is the seat of the Montérégie administrative region and sits on the south shore of the Saint Lawrence River directly across from Montreal. The population as of the Canada 2006 Census totaled 229,330, making it the third largest city in...
, Pointe-aux-Trembles
Pointe-aux-Trembles
Pointe-aux-Trembles was a municipality, founded in 1674, that was annexed by Montreal, Quebec, Canada, in 1982. This was the last city to be merged into Montreal until the 2002 municipal reorganization of districts and municipalities as boroughs....
and La Prairie
La Prairie, Quebec
La Prairie is an off-island suburb of Montreal, in southwestern Quebec, Canada at the confluence of the Saint-Jacques River and the Saint Lawrence River in the Regional County Municipality of Roussillon...
.
In Québec city, a branch of Yoseikan Karate called "Yoseikan Karaté-Do" was founded by Giancarlo Borelli-Lucchesi. The present master is Marc Asselin, Hanshi, 9th dan yoseikan karate and 6th dan yoseikan jiu-jitsu.