Customer Reviews

Keiko Shokon: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan (Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan, 3)

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I have been reading English language books about different aspects of traditional Japanese culture for the last eight years. I have read the other two books in the Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan series Sword and Spirit Vol. 2 and Koryu Bujutsu Vol. 1 and found them very informative and well written. It wasn't a big surprise when I found the book "Keiko Shokon: Classical Warrior Traditions of Japan Vol. 3" edited by Diane Skoss to be a wonderful collection of deep and well written essays about the traditional Japanese martial arts. The collective term for these martial arts is bujutsu in the Japanese language. These traditional martial arts outlined and discussed in the assays were the direct ancestors of today's more commonly know modern Japanese martial arts such as Kendo. These modern Japanese martial arts are collectedly referred to as gendai budo in Japanese. One essay I found practically useful and educational was the one entitled "Itto-ryu Kenjutsu: An Overview by Meik Skoss. In it the writer does a wonderful job of discussing all of the many different lines and styles of Itto-ryu kenjutsu and how they have developed and how there individual styles had been synthesized or directly influence modern Kendo. This I think should be standard reading for any long time practitioner of Kendo so that he/she would have a more complete understanding of the cultural and historical context that lead to the development of their martial art.

All is in the title. Collection of interviews, thinks about martial arts - no opinion - for those who like

Diane Skoss has done the field of martial arts a great favor by assembling this collection of articles by people well-versed in their fields of Japanese classical martial arts. All the articles are wide-ranging and informative. This volume, in conjunction with the other two edited by her are almost a "must have" for anyone interested in this field.

Deftly edited by Diane Skoss (who holds black belts in several modern martial arts, as well as the classical licenses of okuden in Toda-ha Buko-ryu naginatajutus, okuiri-sho, and Shinto Muso-ryu jojutsu), Keiko Shokon: Classical Warrior Traditions Of Japan is the third in a fascinating series of compiled of essays and interviews. Of special note are those contributions which are expertly translated from Japanese and focus upon the traditions, martial disciplines, and way of life of the warrior in pre-industrial Japan. From a U.S. marine's observations on the Japanese warrior traditions, to an overview of the wide variety of sword arts and the men who founded them, Keiko Shokon presents a wealth of information and knowledgeable opinions. Keiko Shokon is especially recommended reading for anyone interested in learning more about the history and traditions of Japanese swordsmanship.