CompleteMartialArts.com - Samurai Fighting Arts: The Spirit and the Practice
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List Price: $35.00
Our Price: $23.10
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Manufacturer: Kodansha International
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Average Customer Rating: 
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Binding: Hardcover
Dewey Decimal Number: 796
EAN: 9784770028983
ISBN: 4770028989
Label: Kodansha International
Manufacturer: Kodansha International
Number Of Items: 1
Number Of Pages: 230
Publication Date: 2003-05-16
Publisher: Kodansha International
Studio: Kodansha International
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Editorial Reviews:
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This book introduces the world of traditional Japanese martial arts and will provide readers with a deeper understanding of Bushido and Japan. Also known as Kobudo, these traditional martial arts can be seen as a continuation of samurai culture and comprise a number of styles formulated in the samurai era that are still being taught today.
Aiming to develop Bujutsu (martial arts) and Heiho (strategy) to the highest possible degree, the samurai devised a code consisting of over eighteen arts. A samurai should have impeccable manners and be an expert in martial arts, but he should never be a killer. His swords contained his soul, which he cultivated by learning poetry and art, and by practicing Zen meditation.
The author is the world-famous Kobudo grandmaster. He knows all the Kobudo styles, and his teaching of arts such as Iaijutsu and Jujitsu fascinates many students around the world. This is his first book in English, and it offers readers the opportunity to learn the lesser known arts of Kobudo,particularly the way of Nito Ryu-the two-swords method created by the famous samurai Miyamoto Musashi, and to understand the spirit behind it.
Lavishly illustrated with around 700 photographs, Samurai Fighting Arts reveals many secret skills of Kobudo. It is divided into five chapters: Kobudo and its history; Kumiuchi Hyoho; Nito Ryu - the two-sword method; Iai and Kenpo; and Classical Kenjutsu and its application.
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Spotlight customer reviews:
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Customer Rating:
Summary: Possibly the greatest book I have ever read
Comment: This truly is one of the greatest books I have ever read. This book has not only taught me about arts that I do not have to much formal training in but it has also expanded my knowledge on the arts that I am trained in. I am a Nidan(second degree black belt) and as a martial artist I recomend this book to any other martial artist especially those who study Japanese or Okinawan arts. I also recomend this book to anyone even remotely inteerested in matial arts or ancient warfare. This book just makes me more eager to go to Japan to study martial arts. Read this book, study it, and aborb it.
Customer Rating:
Summary: THE BEST on the subject
Comment: This is my best book about samurai swordsmanship so far. I've bought a lot of books and dvd's over the years about the subject but this one is outstanding. It's not an A to Z practice book of a Ryu but it gives a very good historic view, not to mention the making of the katana thru many techniques described and very well made pictures to them. So it's just the BEST on the subject so far.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Samurai Fighting Arts
Comment: This book is a unique blend of the physical and mental skills of the samurai. While most books are one or the other, this one is both. This book also contains the history and culture of feudal Japan.
This book is about sword-fighting, two sword-fighting, defending yourself from an opponent with a sword when you have no weapon, and defending yourself with a sword from an opponent with a yari, naginata, bo, or shuriken.
This book was very helpful to me in the ways of the samurai, both in spirit and in practice. I recommend it to anyone interested in swordsmanship, and I write this review in hopes that the author will write more books concerning the martial arts of Japan.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Phenomenal Book
Comment: Worth every dollar I've spent. Detailed chapters on all aspects of samurai fighting arts; such as Kobuto, Jujutsu, Kenjutsu, and classical and modern Budo. This book also contains information on the sword against other weapons, such as the Yari, bo staff and Naginata. Includes information on Japanese medieval historical eras. This book is also includes detailed illustration for all chapters. Best Samurai book out on the market, a must own for all sword enthusiasts.
Customer Rating:
Summary: Outstanding, a comprehensive and valuable text!
Comment: Fumon Tanaka sensei's mastery of kobudo, iaijutsu, and jujitsu is well articulated in this excellent work. The writing is much clearer than many Asian master's first works in English. The layout is extraordinarily well done with outstanding photos and illustrations that really augment the text. Content includes budo (martial arts) history, jujutsu, kenjutsu, and samurai tradition. The nito-ken (two-sword) techniques included herein are not widely taught and rarely described in other texts. Basic, intermediate, and advanced Honmon Enshin Ryu applications are well laid out, with many okuden (secret) mastry level techniques portrayed. The focus is primarily on sword to sword applications though there is also a small section on sword vs. yari (spear), naginata (halberd), bo (staff), and shuriken (throwing star) as well. There is also a bit of muto dori (no sword) techniques covered as well.
The author really knows his stuff and communicates it effectively. Tanaka sensei has been studying martial arts since 1956, achieving an 8th dan black belt in kobudo, 7th dan in jujutsu and kyoshi iai suemonogiri kenpo, 5th dan in Bojutsu, and 4th dan in kendo among other accomplishments. While you cannot learn any martial art solely from a book, this work is an excellent place to learn about these systems or augment your dojo training. Highly recommended!
Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction
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