15/05/2026
When I lived in Japan as UCHI-DESHI, I not only lived with Minoru Mochizuki Shihan, but with his wife too, whom we addressed as Oku-san.
Every time I look at this photo, I think back to that moment with the master in the kitchen. And to the next day, when his wife took me to the market to teach me what I should buy in order to eat healthy.
What particularly touched me was that one evening, after a long day of hard training, master Mochizuki saw that I was not eating good and nutritious food. Actually, I got hit on the head by the master and to my surprise he went preparing a meal just for me, late in the evening. Because of my budget, I could only afford rice with an egg.
He had, of course, watched me for a while and was waiting for me that night. When I came upstairs, I plopped down on a chair that was in the kitchen. That was probably a fixed ritual that I wasn’t aware of. The kitchen was on the top floor and consisted of a long hallway. This kitchen was divided into two; a part for the master and his wife and a part for the resident students.
After fifteen minutes, when I had regained my senses and gathered strength to prepare my simple meal, the master came out of his room adjoining the kitchen. He beckoned me to make a healthy meal, officially together, but actually the master did everything himself. It was an unforgettable moment for me, especially when I think back on it now.
This taught me to look at Budo differently.
These lessons go far beyond technique. They live in the way a teacher sees you, corrects you, cares for you, and helps you grow as a person.
That is what brings us together at the Mochizuki Memorial Seminar.
Join us? Details are here: https://sogo-budo.com