Yoshitsune Jujutsu

Yoshitsune Jujutsu System was created by Junji Saito Sensei (Shihan Menkyo Kaiden Sandaikichu) of the Hakko Ryu. Saito Sensei put together a school of Jujutsu where he could share his life’s work in the study and pursuit of true Jujutsu. His original curriculum consisted of Hakko Ryu, Sekiguchi Ryu, Sosuishitsu Ryu, Kito Ryu, Jigen Ryu, Kodokan Judo, Nihon Goshindo Kenpo, plus his own family’s style of Hepi Ryu Bojutsu.

Saito Sensei had been a reporter for a Japanese newspaper and was assigned to London, England some years prior to Lloyd George becoming prime minister of England. Junji Saito after being disappointed with Kodokan Judo, first trained with an 86 year old Jigen Ryu master who taught him their special form of Jujutsu. There then followed many years of studying additional systems of Jujutsu such as: Sekiguchi Ryu, Sosuishitsu Ryu, Kito Ryu, and eventually Hakko Ryu. Junji Saito was a long time childhood friend of Ryuho Okuyama, the founder of Hakko Ryu. Saito Sensei eventually became the highest rank possible in the system, Shihan Menkyo Kaiden Sandaikichu.

Saito Sensei moved to the United States 1960 and became the first international representative of Hakko Ryu Jujutsu. Soon after arriving in the United States Saito Sensei took all of his favorite techniques from the systems he had mastered and combined them into one system that became known as Yoshitsune Jujutsu System. He felt these techniques were more suited to the larger physique and self defense needs of Americans. In additions, Saito Sensei transmitted the Hepi Ryu system of Bo Jutsu. Upon Junji Saito passing in 1988, Michael Depasuale Sr. became headmaster of the Yoshitsune jujitsu system.