Classical Budo (Martial Arts & Ways of Japan Series , Vol 2) (Paperback)

~ (Author)

Editorial Reviews

Product Description

Donn Draeger was one of the most famous and well-respected martial artists of the twentieth century, and he was a pioneer in bringing Asian martial arts study to the West. Here, he illuminates the compelling historical, political, and philosophical events that gave rise to the development of the budo arts. The classical budo, or "martial ways" are not combat systems like their forerunner, bujutsu, or "martial arts"; nor are they sports like modern judo, kendo, or karate. They are first and foremost spiritual disciplines, whose ultimate goal, achieved through the most rigorous mental and physical training, is self-realization in the tradition of Zen Buddhism. The author details the history, philosophy, and methods of a variety of these "martial ways," some using weapons and some weaponless, and reveals how they evolved from their combative roots. The book includes fascinating artwork from classical sources, and archival photographs of modern budo masters in action.

About the Author

Donn F. Draeger was a U.S. Marine Corps officer and a historian of martial arts disciplines, in which he held a variety of expert ranks and teaching licenses. He was technical director of the magazine Martial Arts International and author of many books on the fighting arts of Asia. He died in 1982.

Product Details

• Paperback: 128 pages
• Publisher: Weatherhill; 2nd edition (December 18, 2007)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0834802341
• ISBN-13: 978-0834802346
• Product Dimensions: 9.9 x 7.1 x 0.5 inches
• Shipping Weight: 12 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #243,393 in Books (See Bestsellers in Books)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

3.0 out of 5 stars well informed but short and dense, November 10, 2009

By	C. Forbes "Forbulus" (Seattle) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

I am a casual student of japanese martial history and practice a japanese martial art. This is the first book of Donn Draeger's I have read.

First impression is that the book is thinner than I expected and the cover/paper quality is less than good. The history of martial arts, budo etc is complicated and hard to organize. Draeger does a decent job outlining and tying together the histories and concepts that encompass budo, but it is a dense subject and it does tend to be dense writing. Some parts of the book seem to be a collection of historical facts and figures which are just grazed over leaving the amateur historian with no real grasp of the history. The useful part of the book in my opinion is in helping to understand what budo is, how it evolved and really what the term means. Another useful part for me was the description of how a martial student evolves, and the relationship between master and student. The sections actually about the different disciplines and martial arts seem to be grazed over.

5.0 out of 5 stars A great basic guide to the development of the martial arts in Japan., August 24, 2009

By	Joseph J. Truncale "warriorwriter" (Chicago, Il) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This book is the second in a three book series by the late Donn F. Draeger. This volume continues its exploration into the development of the Japanese martial arts from a Jujitsu(Art)to using the term "DO" (meaning way). This text covers the historical setting, the rational of developing combat systems, the methods used, and the formation of the Budo systems. Where the Jujitsu systems were designed strictly for practical military use, the Do (Judo, Kendo, Nagainata Do etc)systems emphasized character development. Sport systems also were developed from many of these original military combat systems. For example, Jujitsu, which focused on practical street and military combat, decreased in popularity by Judo, which is a sport.
In conclusion, if you are serious about the martial arts you will want to own the entire three book series by Draeger. Rating: 5 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Tanto-Jutsu Manual, Wakizashi-Jutsu Manual, Monadnock Defensive Tactics (MDTS) System, Use of the Monadnock Straight Baton, Martial Art Myths, Never Trust a Politician, PR-24 Police Baton Advanced Techniques).

5 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars LEARN, LEARN, LEARN., July 5, 2000

By	Joaquim Coelho (Lisboa Portugal) - See all my reviews

MENS SANA IN CORPORE SANO, the romans used to say. So your body is strong thanks to your martial arts trainning? Good! Now it's time to improve your mind. Get it, read it, learn from it. Remember: knowledge is power.