Kendo: The Definitive Guide
by Hiroshi Ozawa
List Price:
Our Price: $23.36
You Save: $11.64 (33%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $19.03 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Hiroshi OzawaEdition: Hardcover
Audio: English (Unknown); Japanese (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 1997-07-31
ISBN: 4770021194
Number of pages: 188
Publisher: Kodansha USA
Book Reviews of Kendo: The Definitive Guide
Book Review: Very good
Summary: 5 Stars
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).
Summary of Kendo: The Definitive Guide
Kendo-the Way of the Sword-is one of the oldest of Japan's martial arts and the one most closely associated with the samurai. Immortalized in the action movies of Akira Kurosawa and in the bestselling novel Musashi, Kendo--originally a form of swordsmanship-has in recent years developed into a popular and highly competitive sport enjoyed by thousands of men and women around the world.Kendo: The Definitive Guide is the first book in English to provide a practical and truly comprehensive approach to the subject. Everything that the novice needs to know, from basic information about purchasing, wearing, and maintaining essential equipment to competing in international tournaments, is explained in simple, straightforward language. Step-by-step explanations of fundamental techniques to be mastered to attain black belt level are illustrated in easy-to-follow line drawings.
With appendices giving the rules at international competitions and important information about Kendo clubs outside Japan, Kendo is the definitive guide for all non-Japanese Kendoists. A special section about the history and development of this martial art and guidelines for running practice sessions also make it a unique resource for all teachers of Kendo.
The definitive guide includes
- basic Kendo principles and techniques
- official International Kendo Federation regulations
- list of Kendo clubs and national associations around the world
Fencing Books
Book Subjects
- Arts & Photography
- Biographies & Memoirs
- Business & Investing
- Children's Books
- Comics & Graphic Novels
- Computers & Internet
- Cooking, Food & Wine
- Entertainment
- Gay & Lesbian
- Health, Mind & Body
- History
- Home & Garden
- Horror
- Law
- Literature & Fiction
- Mystery & Thrillers
- Nonfiction
- Outdoors & Nature
- Parenting & Families
- Professional & Technical
- Reference
- Religion & Spirituality
- Romance
- Science
- Science Fiction & Fantasy
- Sports
- Teens
- Travel
Most talked about in Fencing Books
Modern Fencing: A Comprehensive Manual for the Foil, the Epee, the Sabreby Deladrier. Clovis
Paladin Press; Published: 2005-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $24.00
Price in other shops:
The Art of Fencing Or The Use of the Small Swordby L'Abbat
IndyPublish; Published: 2007-05-14; Paperback; Book
Best price: $44.99
Iaido: History, Teaching & Practice Of Japanese Swordsmanshipby William de Lange
Weatherhill; Published: 2002-05-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $68.40
By the Sword: A History of Gladiators, Musketeers, Samurai, Swashbucklers, and Olympic Championsby Richard Cohen
Random House; Published: 2002-11-05; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $32.33
![Master The Secrets Of Fencing with bonus also [Annotated] Image](/images/Master-The-Secrets-Of-Fencing-with-bonus-also-Annotated-B004SP1G1A-X.jpg)
Master The Secrets Of Fencing with bonus also [Annotated]by L Monsieur
www.Bandclyde.com/services; Published: 2011-03-17; Kindle Edition; eBooks
Price in other shops:
Arte Gladiatoria Dimicandi: 15th Century Swordsmanship of Master Fillipo Vadiby Fillipo Vadi
Chivalry Bookshelf; Published: 2002-03-01; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $59.95
Magnum Libre d'Escrime (Big Book of Fencing), Third Editionby DMA Rudy Volkmann
Published: 2007; Paperback; Book
Sword Of The Samurai: The Classical Art Of Japanese Swordsmanshipby George R. Parulski
Paladin Press; Published: 1985-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $24.94
Price in other shops:
Practice Drills for Japanese Swordsmanshipby Nicklaus Suino
Weatherhill; Published: 2008-02-05; Paperback; Book
Best price: $9.10
Price in other shops:
Old Sword Play: Techniques of the Great Masters (Dover Military History, Weapons, Armor)by Alfred Hutton
Dover Publications; Published: 2002-01-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $6.03
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
IAI: The Art Of Drawing The Swordby Darrell Max Craig
Charles E. Tuttle Company; Published: 1991-06-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.29
Price in other shops:
Samurai Swordmanship Vol. 2: Intermediate Sword Program by Masayuki ShimabukuroWidowmaker Filmsllc; Release date: 2008-07-01; DVD
Best price: $17.30
Price in other shops:
Samurai Swordmanship Vol. 3: Advanced Sword Program by Masayuki ShimabukuroWidowmaker Filmsllc; Release date: 2008-07-01; DVD
Best price: $16.81
Price in other shops:
Single 40" Hardwood Datio Bokken Kendo Practice SwordETrading; ETrading; Sports
Best price: $1.06
The Heart of Kendo: A Comprehensive Introduction to the Philosophy and Practice of the Art of the Swordby Darrell Max Craig
Shambhala; Published: 2002-12-24; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.98
Price in other shops:
Looking at a Far Mountain: A Study of Kendo Kata (Tuttle Martial Arts)by Paul Budden
Tuttle Publishing; Published: 2000-11-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $11.33
Price in other shops:
This is Kendo: The Art of Japanese Fencingby Junzo Sasamori, Gordon Warner
Tuttle Publishing; Tuttle Publishing; Published: 1989-12-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $5.25
Price in other shops:
Kendo: Elements, Rules, and Philosophy (A Latitude 20 Book)by Jinichi Tokeshi
University of Hawaii Press; Published: 2003-07; Paperback; Book
Best price: $18.99
Price in other shops:
Samurai Swordmanship Vol. 1: Basic Sword Program by Masayuki ShimabukuroWidowmaker Filmsllc; Release date: 2008-07-01; DVD
Best price: $16.33
Price in other shops:
Flashing Steel, Second Edition: Mastering Eishin-Ryu Swordsmanshipby Masayuki Shimabukuro, Leonard Pellman
Blue Snake Books; Published: 2008-01-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.41
Price in other shops: