Samurai Fighting Arts: The Spirit and the Practice [Hardcover]

Fumon Tanaka (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: May 16, 2003

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.

Editorial Reviews

From the Author

"I will be very happy if the reader, through this work, gains a better understanding of the spirit and culture of the samurai."

About the Author

Fumon Tanaka has been practising martial arts for nearly fifty years, and is a leading authority on the traditional martial arts in Japan. He haswritten numerous books has taught extensively in Japan and Europe. This is his first book in English.

Product Details

• Hardcover: 230 pages
• Publisher: Kodansha USA (May 16, 2003)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 4770028989
• ISBN-13: 978-4770028983
• Product Dimensions: 10.5 x 7.9 x 0.9 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.9 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (8 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #240,489 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars An assiduous effort towards a clear presentation, August 6, 2003

By 

G. Mccaskey - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Samurai Fighting Arts: The Spirit and the Practice (Hardcover)

A lot of books on martial science include pictures and photographs for they are needed to illustrate stances, moves, and techniques. Too often the photographs are of poor quality and they do not clearly represent the move. But the care to produce quality photos in this book is unmatched. There are approximately 1200 photographs in SAMURAI FIGHTING ARTS and each one lucidly shows what the author intended to depict. The process of selecting just-the-right photo reveals the expertise and wisdom of the author.

Mr. Fumon Tanaka has done a wonderful job at presenting the beauty, grace, honor, and power of a traditional Japanese art.

10 of 10 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding, a comprehensive and valuable text!, June 16, 2005

By 

L. A. Kane (Seattle, WA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Samurai Fighting Arts: The Spirit and the Practice (Hardcover)

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

6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Samurai Fighting Arts, August 19, 2006

By 

Kilroy "I'm still here" - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Samurai Fighting Arts: The Spirit and the Practice (Hardcover)

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.