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Old 08-29-2007, 09:33 AM   #68
David Orange
Dojo: Aozora Dojo
Location: Birmingham, AL
Join Date: Feb 2006
Posts: 1,511
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Re: AIkibudo/Yoseikan Techniques

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Darin Hyde wrote: View Post
Back in June 1996 my brother and I spent one day at the Yoseikan Hombu in Shizuoka.
You went to a real samurai's place, then.

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Darin Hyde wrote: View Post
We had one private class with Mochizuki Kancho and later on joined in with the evening class with Washizu sensei and Tezuka sensei. Kancho and his wife watched that class too.
It's amazing how much aikido that little old lady could watch. She spent hours in the dojo watching everyone train. I wish there were some way I could repay her for all her kindness and labor on our behalf.

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Darin Hyde wrote: View Post
Yes I did get to train with Washizu sensei. and I think Tezuka sensei. I thought they were both good especially with sutemi.
Tezuka was senior, but Washizu seemed more skilled in some ways. Still, after you knew them awhile, it was clear that Tezuka was senior for a reason. He was very pure. I liked Washizu more as a person and as a model, but Tezuka was a great individual as well. I think I must say he carried more weight, so maybe that made him a little more distant, but he was very helpful to me and he really served Mochizuki Sensei with loyal attention.

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Darin Hyde wrote: View Post
I found everyone to be very polite and friendly.
You probably also met Kenmotsu Sensei, who was slightly junior to Tezuka and Washizu. He was maybe the friendliest. He was a farmer and I think he really personified the "yo" of yoseikan --as in "cultivate." He really tried to "bring out" the best in the people who studied with him. Those three guys were constantly at the dojo, helping Mochizuki Sensei and sacrificing in many ways beyond the technical practice for yoseikan's sake. They all got the menkyo from Sensei, too.

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Darin Hyde wrote: View Post
Mochizuki Kancho was very approachable and I felt so privileged to have him teach us personally. He came onto the mats a few times to show explain a few kimewaza.
He could be sitting on the couch near the door and could see the details of what you were doing all the way down by the kamiza! He would come all the way over there and correct the way you were holding your fingers! One day, I was walking toward my apartment near the dojo and I passed the dojo on the other side of the street. Sensei happened to be standing in the door and he saw me across the street and met my eye and nodded. He had incredible eyesight when he was in his mid eighties.

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Darin Hyde wrote: View Post
He asked me if I could stay and train for a year, then tried to bargain it down to a month then a week. We were there only for one day and I promised to come back. I did return to Japan a few times but unfortunately never made it back to the Yoseikan Hombu.
Sensei was terribly eager to teach anyone who wanted to learn, but he especially liked to work with people who had experience and desire to learn more. He would really put himself out to help anyone. It's too bad you couldn't get back there. I wasn't able to get there after 1995 but I did go by one day in 2003 and saw that the name had been changed to Seifukai. It's a long story, but Tezuka, Washizu and many of the other old-time Shizuoka deshi started that group after some disagreements with YWF organizational policies. I understand that Sato, a prison guard, bought the old dojo and teaches there now. He was great, himself, and I think he got godan in yoseikan aikido from Mochizuki Sensei.

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Darin Hyde wrote: View Post
I saw Yoshi's video of his trip to Japan in 1990 with his son Scott many years ago. He was a lot happier back then...
Scott's probably thirty by now. He was a kid back then. We were at some place for the party and Scott asked me, "Where's the loo?"

I said, "What?"

I think he said, "The dunny. Where's the loo?"

I didn't know what he meant! We finally figured that out, though. He was a nice guy, too.

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Darin Hyde wrote: View Post
Thanks for sharing your memories of Yoshi wiht me.
I'm sure Unno Sensei doesn't remember me, but I remember him.

David

"That which has no substance can enter where there is no room."
Lao Tzu

"Eternity forever!"

www.esotericorange.com
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