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Mochizuki Territory
Author: sensei
Asian Pacific Championships is over and my job as national coach completed for the time being. Michael Panossian, Kym Buurman and Mark Golding enthusiastically followed me to the airport for the flight to Japan. Arriving at Narita Airport is an experience in itself. With the minimum of effort we passed through customs, thanks to the customs officer, who seemed more interested in our Karate than our contraband!
From Tokyo to Shizuoka we caught the Shinkensen (bullet train). I have travelled by Shinkensen many times, but it still impresses me.
We arrived at the Hombu Dojo on the Monday, about 3pm. There was no Karate that night so we decided to try our hand at Aikido. Even though I had spent three years studying Aikido in my earlier days, I still found the execution of the wrist and elbow locks painful. This was mainly due to the over-enthusiasm of some of the Japanese Black Belts, who felt they had something to prove. However, after dishing out some of what we received, we all settled down to the training.
Tuesday night was our first Karate lesson. This was more to our liking. Sano Sensei invited students from his other Dojos for our first session. The comment was passed by one ofthe uchi deschi (livein students) that we must have been important for him to do that. After the somewhat long introduction by Sano Sensei, he handed the class over to me. I was happy to take the training. I remember thinking at the time that it was a bit strange - a non-Japanese teaching Japanese how to do Karate in Japan. However the students were co-operative and willing to learn new ideas. In fact, I noticed Sano Sensei videoing some of the training. This, in itself, I found a credit to Sano Sensei. At age 60 he still had an open mind when it came to new ideas.
Wednesday was another Aikido class.
Six Black Belts, ranging from Shodan to Hachi Dan (8th Dan) trained and assisted with the teaching. After the formal bow, Mochizuki Kancho sits himself down in the armchair at the back of the dojo, passing out instructions to his senior students. Mochizuki Kancho oversees all the instruction. He controls what is taught and when. There is never any question. This is the way it is done.
Although the man speaks quietly, he commands respect. There is no doubt as to who is master. Although not a tall man, what is immediately noticeable is the extraordinary size of his ankles and wrists. At 84 years of age he still gives the impression that he would be a worthy adversary ... warning one to tread carefully. To say the least, he is an intimidating old gentleman.
At the end of the class the students repeat, after Mochizuki, the oath of Y oseikan which does not relate to the western student. The oath talks of honour, emperor and country. Even in Japan, loyalty to the emperor is fast becoming a relic of a bygone era ...
After the recitation he turns to his students and bows. He then quietly returns to his living quarters, which is above the Dojo. As he leaves, all the students of all ranks select a broom and sweep the dojo. There does not appear to be any consideration for rank. Everyone, even the 7th Dans, help sweep the Dojo.
Very rarely do you see a collection of such high-ranking Aikido exponents under one roof. In Australia we consider a student that has been training with us for 10 years as exceptional. In the Hombu dojo we're talking about 40 to 50 years.
After the class, many students stay behind soliciting knowledge from the senior students, or some just remaining for idle chatter. Whatever the reason, the atmosphere is friendly.
The man has spent nearly 80 years of his life dedicated to Budo. His knowledge spans all the disciplines of the Martial Arts. Judo, Kendo, Iai-do, Karate and Aikido to name only a few. Mochizuki Sensei had his first lesson at the tender age of five. Since that time he has devoted his life to Budo. That was back in 1912. He has studied Judo under Jigoro Kano, Aikido under Morihei Ueshiba, and Karate under Gichin Funakoshi. The three fathers of modem Japanese Martial Arts. At the turn of the 19th century, these men distilled the ancient Martial Arts of Jujutsu, Aiki-Jujutsu, and Karate into the modem arts known as Judo, Aikido and Karate-do. In many ways, each man was breaking with tradition - but each man was also reaching for the truer common essence that traditions had blocked.
Mochizuki Kancho has long stopped teaching Karate, preferring to keep it in the capable hands of Sano Sensei, 8th Dan. Sano Sensei travels annually overseas, teaching Y oseikan Karate all over Europe and North America.
Mochizuki is not, by most standards, a well-known man - even though his disciples span the globe teaching his style of Budo. Where Yoseikan has suffered is in the promotional side. Perhaps if it had been exported, like many other products in Japan, then things may have been different. Then again, maybe some of the magic may have been lost. Who knows?
There is no one student that has mastered all the areas of Budo. Most specialise in one, perhaps two, or at the most three arts.
Visiting the Hombu dojo for a short period leads one to make the following obvservation. At the Hombu Dojo the Japanese students know their position in the organisation. However not the same can be said for the uchi deschi (live-in students). They seem to consider each other and, in fact, any newcomer a threat to their position. All trying hard to be Mochizuki Kancho's closest student...
I had an opportunity to watch a junior Judo class just before we left. Mochizuki Kancho took an active interest in teaching this class. Here the observer gets an opportunity to see Mochizuki Kancho in a different light. Gone is the feeling of intimidation. The children see through the strong exterior to a gentle man. They treat him as they would an honourable grand- • culture. But one thing left a marked father. He obviously enjoys teaching the impression on my students. The friendly children. generosity of the Japanese people.
And so ended our stay in Japan. Our friends were made, with the promise of time went quickly. Both east and west further contact. And so we left with a good being brought a little closer together. My feeling, but also one of sadness. The partyoung charges experiencing the different ing of newfound friends.
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