Background
He was born into a samurai family in Gifu prefecture (his father was the village headman and ran a kendo dojo) known to have been active during the Sengoku period.
持田 盛二
He was born into a samurai family in Gifu prefecture (his father was the village headman and ran a kendo dojo) known to have been active during the Sengoku period.
A graduate from the Budo Senmon Gakko (and later an instructor, before becoming head kendo instructor at the Chiba prefecture branch of the Butokukai), having studied under Naitō Takaharu, he was well known in his exceptional ability as a kendoka during his youth, winning several local and national championships.
In 1957, he became one of only five kendoka ever awarded the 10th-dan rank in kendo (9th and 10th-dan are no longer awarded). In May 1929, Mochida participated, alongside 31 other elite swordsmen, in a competition before the Emperor. The final bout was between Mochida and Takano Shigeyoshi.
The victorious Mochida was awarded a Bizen Osafune sword from the Imperial Court.
After I turned 50, I started the real training. I wanted to perform kendo using my mind and spirit.
When you reach 60, your lower body weakens. I used my mind to try to reverse the drawbacks.
When you"re 70, your whole body weakens.
That"s when I trained my mind to be imperturbable. With a still mind, the mirror inside you reflects the opponent"s mind."
At the time of his elevation to 10th-dan in 1957, Mochida was a kendo shihan with the Tokyo Metropolitan Police.