Customer Reviews

Kendo: The Definitive Guide

5 star:		(29)
4 star:		(8)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I own both the Complete Kendo book and the Heart of Kendo book.
This book is by far better than the other 2 as far as providing technical information.

Pros:
- The pictures are much better drawn (at least when compared to the other 2 books). Still in some cases a photo would have been more useful.
- The section on kata is presented as numbered steps in 2 columns, one for uchidachi and the other for shidachi. This makes it much easier to understand.
- Many of the movements are described as numbered lists. The other 2 books I looked at just write long paragraphs of text making it very difficult to decipher, even after you've learned the movement in class.
- Goes thru a complete treatment on how to put on the equipment.
- Extensive coverage of waza.

Cons:
- The information in the book is not ordered in the same order as you would learn things in a Kendo class so you will need to hop around chapters.
- Sadly there is no index in this book either. I don't quite understand why in this day and age books don't have indices. All 3 Kendo books I own do not have them.
- The descriptions are rather brief so it reads more like a manual than a book.
- The sections on suburi describe that you should swing "big". So in most of the diagrams the shinai is shown drawn all the way behind and almost touching the person's back (even in shomen suburi). What the book does not say though is that this is intended initially to train beginners to swing big. But when you actually perform a strike you generally aren't supposed to swing that far behind your back. But I am nitpicking...
- Book does not cover equipment maintenance.
- There is some use of terms that are not defined in the book.
- Book does not explain how to put himos onto men.

I would recommend getting this book in addition to one of the other 2 books to fill in some missing gaps. However even after owning all 3 books I find none of them cover the full body of knowledge that a beginner encounters. So these books are no substitute for a real class (obviously).

For a beginner this book is indispensible! One of the few books where I've applied what was read or read over what was taught in class. The book also makes learning Kendo Japanese terms much easier which helps me to focus more on Kendo than on Japanese. The illustrations also correctly show the proper techniques with easy to understand descriptions. As with any book, this should supplement your Kendo training.

The book includes history, training philosophy, instructions for equipment, basic footwork and strikes, techniques, kata and even tournament regulations. It has almost everything you would need to know about.

I have to work a little to find the information I need, as (of course) Ozawa organizes information differently from the way it's presented to students in the school that I attend. But it's all there, if you know what you're looking for. It's unfortunate that there isn't any information on shinai or armor maintenance.

This book is an excellent guide throughout your Kendo training.

As a beginner in Kendo this book has definately been helpful. Because the Japanese terms (or words) are used throughout the book it has helped me retain them (I couldn't seem to remember them when learned in the Dojo). It's filled with illustrations, however, I don't think any pictures could illustrate the moves enough. These illustrations combined with what you learn in the Dojo (or on video) should be sufficient, they are definately better than most. In the appendix is good information (and rules) on official Kendo tournaments. I'd say it's a must-have book for anyone new to the sport.

Topics that I would have liked to see, but does not include: There is nothing on the care and maintenance of the Bogu or Shinai, or how to select the proper equipment. There is nothing on testing and advancement (Kyu to Dan), although perhaps this varies from Dojo to Dojo anyway. I would have liked to see a chapter on Iaido as well (however, this is because Iaido is an essential part of our Dojo's Kendo training, this may not be the case with all Dojos).

Overall a great book. If you're looking for a book on Kendo and don't have this one, get it, you won't be sorry.

Ozawa-sensei has produced a very useful reference for both beginner and experienced kenshi. Of the several books on kendo I own, this is the one I refer to most because of the breadth of its concise descriptions, clear illustrations, Japanese terminology and reference information. I highly recommend this book to compliment the learning gained in the dojo.

As of this date, this is probably the most comprehensive English-language text on kendo. It covers more areas than Sasamori's and Warner's "This is Kendo" (which was the first book I had acquired on the martial art). Techniques and katas are well-illustrated; no disappointments with the content.

Sensei Ozawa provides a glimps into the inner art of kendo. Previous books until now didn't provide non-Japanese exponents a written source in such areas as etiquette, procedures and, techniques in the pursuit of kendo. Now sensei Ozawa provides readers a "door" into the mysterious Japanese art of kendo. I've been doing kendo for ten years in Japan. This book helped me realize some of the basic prinicples of the art. I feel that this is the most informative literature for anyone who is interested in the study of kendo.

As a new student of Kendo, My Sensei recomended this book as the best beginers guide available. It has helped me tremendously. As many students of any Martial arts can attest. To learn correctly from the start can save many hours of having to "re-learn" a technique. This is an excellant guide to help you understand the fundementals of Kendo, from beginer to advanced levels. If you are a sincere student of Kendo, you should get this book.

As a beginning kendoka, I've found this volume to be of immense help as an addendum to actual training. It offers clear, concise instructions which are most helpful in my own training at home between classes to avoid practicing incorrectly and developing bad habits. The well-illustrated, step-by-step instruction on the kendo-no-kata are exceptionally helpful. While not a replacement for actual training, this book is a must-have for anyone interested in kendo.

This book is a really solid introductory text covering everything from kendo history to how to wear the hakama and protective gear to step-by-step technique explanations. It's no substitute for hands-on instruction yet it is an outstanding complement to dojo training. This text and a few notes of your own is all you'll really need to remember the important fundamental concepts of the art. It is broken into five sections, basics, stretching/warm-up exercises, waza (techniques), nihon kendo kata (form work), and keiko (practice). There are appendices on competition and judging, international kendo, and a glossary of terms. The book is not only well written and reasonably comprehensive, but it also contains clear line drawings that ensure you'll really understand the concepts. Surprisingly, there is no index, so you'll probably want a highlighter and a pad of sticky notes to mark the stuff you'll want to refer back to.

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