Customer Reviews

In the Dojo: A Guide to the Rituals and Etiquette of the Japanese Martial Arts

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

A great resource for martial artists and Japan aficionados alike, this book covers all aspects of etiquette and tradition in the classical Japanese martial arts. If you plan to study aikido, iaido, judo, karate, kyudo, or kendo this is a must read. Subjects include layout of the traditional dojo, accommodating visitors, wearing traditional uniforms, handling weapons, the Shinto shrine, contemplative meditation, ritual bowing, martial language, interacting with teachers and other students, and training fees. The author covers not only the obvious traditions but also the "unwritten" behavioral expectations as well. You will also learn a whole lot of useful Japanese words and phrases. The book is a very easy read, filled with colorful vignettes to entertain as well as educate.

My only complaint is that there are no illustrations. While some practitioners have the luxury of training in a classical dojo and seeing a traditional Shinto shrine, many do not. Those folks would undoubtedly appreciate seeing what this stuff actually looks like. The same thing goes with the hakama skirt; while it is traditional bugei garb, it is not used in all Japanese martial arts. A picture really is worth a thousand words most of the time though I suppose if Lowry can write an outstanding book on sushi that contains no pictures he can certainly leave out the illustrations here...

While this book may be most beneficial to newer practitioners, it is useful and insightful for anyone who practices Japanese martial arts. Like most of Lowry's tomes, it truly deserves a place of honor in your personal library. Highly recommended!

Lawrence Kane
Author of Blinded by the Night, among other titles

"In the Dojo" is a collection of stand-alone essays by the prolific Dave Lowry, a devotee of traditional Japanese martial arts. This book is a deep, albeit at times esoteric, explanation of all key terms, concepts and rituals associated with the Japanese dojo.

The book will appeal to practitioners or fans of Japanese budo: judo, aikido, kendo, karate, etc. Those looking to improve their technique will be disappointed.

Some might find the emphasis on ritual to be stifling. One doubts if Lowry would care, as he freely acknowledges that the real of the dojo is not for everyone. A helpful glossary at the end helps with nomenclature.

This book is a good read for those seeking the linguistic and philosophical underpinnings of Japanese martial arts.

Dave Lowry adds significant meaning to what happens in a dojo. His explanation of numerous Japanese words fosters the readers understanding of what karate is. He explains certain conjectures about karate, and when there is reason to dismiss some conjectures, he does so with perspicacious descriptions.

I particularly liked his explination of dojo. Do means way, as in karatedo, and jo means place. Dojo is "The place of the Way" which I find more meaningful than "practice hall". He has dozens of useful explanations of Japanese terms. The book is much more than a list of translations.

The book was in great condition and is PACKED with a wealth of useful information. Those who train in martial arts will find some of the historical information interesting. I have enjoyed the read and look forward to referring to the the book for years to come.

`In the Dojo' is a book by Dave Lowry exploring etiquette and ritual in the dojo and their history. Whilst I am a huge fan of Lowry's books, this one seems to be stilted and quite dry to read. It doesn't flow like his other books and comes across as too serious and even a little stiff at times. He comes across as very dedicated and with a great deal of integrity, but whereas previously he came across as more down to earth and slightly more informal when imparting his prodigious knowledge, here he seems uptight and even slightly condescending about the issues explored. I agree with all he has to say about Budo and it's development and enjoy reading about the etiquette of dojo activities and form, but I didn't especially enjoy the way he chose to impart it this time. The topic this book covers are The Dojo, Visitors, The Uniform, The Hakama, Weapons, The Shinto Shrine, Contemplation, Bowing, Martial Language, The Teacher, Money, The Student, The Dojo Year and an in-depth glossary of Japanese terms used . If you a fan of Lowry then there will be something here to engage you, but if you are new to martial arts books, or have yet to try Lowry's other books, then I would suggest you try one of those first before you come to this later on. His two collected essays books are particularly good and worth checking out.

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In the age of the Internet, much of the information in this book is available for the beginning martial arts student who is willing to surf a variety of web sites, read conflicting explanations of things, and use good judgement to weed out the sensible and believable explanations from silly traditions and urban legends. The advantage of this book is that the beginner can get lots of information without all the unnecessary effort.

The book covers traditions and etiquette in a variety of Japanese martial arts (karate, aikido, kendo, koryu...), so that it is a relevant book for almost any student of Japanese martial arts. In fact, although most of the topics addressed are things that an experienced student is likely to have knowledge of, there are plenty of dojo where misinformation about history and tradition is passed on as fact, so it might be a helpful book for some experienced students as well.

The writing is mixed. When he is trying to explain things or sticks to facts, the author is clear and interesting. However, sometimes he tries to be a clever essayist and this inevitably fails. This is true of all the author's publications that I've read. "In The Dojo" is on the whole successful. Don't give up while reading the first chapter (a metaphorical tour of budo using the Tao of the Dojo as a theme).

As far as I can tell, the information is at least as accurate as other publications. Scholars may quibble on various points (e.g., the antiquity of sumo wrestling or whether colored belts were really used in Europe first), but the book is generally very well grounded in the author's extensive experience of traditional arts.

The main drawbacks to the book, which I consider to drop its rating 1-2 stars, are the lack of citations and lack of index. I think the author considers his writing to be a sort of isshin-denshin training in which the reader accepts the author's superior status within the martial arts world as substitution for scholarship. But he is wrong. Publishing is not budo training, and an author is not the reader's sensei. By failing to give citations, the author essentially sets himself up as an alternative authority to whatever instructor a student may already have. Karl Friday doesn't have any problem distinguishing his roles as scholar and martial artist, why this author? Also, the lack of index makes it almost impossible to use this book as a resource. I found myself making my own index to the book as I read. Very annoying. Still, recommended for the beginning student.

If you are studing a traditional Japanese martial art, or any martial art in general, this is a excellent way to gain understanding and appreciation for tradition, rules, and all aspects of training in the Dojo.

This book is thoughtfully written and will help amy student of any martial art, have an inside look into how a student should approach study...highly recommended.

Excellent for a beginner who has started to learn about the Japanese Arts. It is good to know what to expect when starting out in a new dojo. Not all dojos take the time to show all of the etiquette. Sometimes, it is left up to the student to know ahead of time. This book also details a bit of Japanese history, of which is always good to know the history of the dojo you will/are attending.

Great book! Very informative. While reading, it reinforced what had been taught to me by my instructor. It was refreshing to know what has been passed down to me and to my students is the proper etiquette of traditional karate. Sad that so many of our Americanized karate-ka miss out on true traditions in the dojo.