Customer Reviews

Judo (Jujutsu)

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

 

 

The reason I gave this book a low rating is because it is the reprinting of an informational pamphlet on Judo from 1937, and is hardly worth the $12 that I paid, it probably cost $2 to print because of the short length, about 60 pages, and I would recommend to just invest a few more dollars in Kodokan Judo, it is all you would need without this book. The information contained within was informative, but definitely not worth the $12 paid.

This is the last book Kano Jigoro wrote before his death. Although this book is not full of techniques and how-to's, it does provide a great historical look at the organization of Judo during its inception. Anyone interested in Judo or martial arts in general would be well advised to buy it.

If you can get your hands on this, it is well worth having. Getting it may be the question, however. My original order was eventually cancelled out of frustration at the delay in getting it. I eventually purchased an "original" for its historical value and paid a pretty ransom for it, about $100. This is Kano's book and at 70 or so pages is a small treasure. If you value the words and teachings of the oriiginal master, make it your business to add this to your judo library.

This short book was originally published in pamphlet form in 1937 by the Japan Tourist Library as part of a series on Japanese culture. Although it might have been illuminating back in the day when many in the West were unfamiliar with the country, it is of limited value today when judo is practiced world wide. There is nothing in this book that one could not find in better sources by Jigoro Kano himself, specifically KODOKAN JUDO and MIND OVER MUSCLE. Furthermore, an internet search of judo would likely yield as much information as contained here.

The result is that this book is really nothing more than a collector's item for those interested in a complete historical library of judo. When one thinks of it, this is actually a good thing. Judo, and Japan, used to be obscure enough that a pamphlet covering the bare bones was sufficient for the merely curious. Today judo, as well as the mass communications allowing one to research it, has expanded to the point where a pamphlet written by Kano himself has become outdated.