The Way of Kendo and Kenjitsu: Soul of the Samurai
by Darrell Max Craig
List Price:
Our Price: $10.24
You Save: $12.71 (55%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Buy Used: from $2.50 (click here)
Category: Book
See more book details and other editions
Book Summary Information
Author: Darrell Max CraigEdition: Paperback
Audio: English (Unknown); English (Original Language); English (Published)
Published: 2004-04-14
ISBN: 1594390029
Number of pages: 320
Publisher: Ymaa Publication Center
Book Reviews of The Way of Kendo and Kenjitsu: Soul of the Samurai
Book Review: Impressive and insightful
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great book: enjoyable, entertaining, and enlightening. Craig's basic premise is that the way of kendo is something different to each and every student who picks up a Japanese sword. While traditional Kenjitsu had no rules per se, modern (sport) kendo does. He has fascinating insight into the differences and similarities between the two, asserting that to learn kendo properly practitioners must not think of it (or practice it) as a sport. If you don't already know, kendo uses bamboo shinai and padded armor for practice while kenjitsu uses live steel. To get the most out of these arts, Craig believes that you must think of them as a way of life, a perspective promulgated by most of the leading sword arts practitioners such as Dave Lowry as well.
Craig's writings will advance your sword skills imparting knowledge of equipment, exercises, applications, and kata (including the last three kata of the All Japan Kendo Federation, which use the wakizashi short sword). More specifically, topics include kendo clothing, equipment and care thereof, fundamental movements, advanced waza, and kodachi katas. There is also great information about samurai sword collecting, care, maintenance, and terminology. The illustrations enhance the text and facilitate the reader's ability to understand and internalize Craig's excellent points. I think that the target audience is experience practitioners so it might be a bit beyond some beginners though. Regardless, this is a great book, a worthy addition to any martial arts library.
Darrell Craig really knows his stuff. He holds a exceptionally impressive list of black belt ranks in several different martial arts, including kendo (renshi), karate (kyoshi), jujitsu (kyoshi); iaido (godan), kobudo (godan), judo (yodan), and aikido (yodan). He has worked as a martial arts choreographer on a number of feature films and is the author of several other martial arts books as well.
Lawrence Kane
Author of Surviving Armed Assaults, The Way of Kata, and Martial Arts Instruction
Summary of The Way of Kendo and Kenjitsu: Soul of the Samurai
This book bridges the gap between modern Kendo as a sport and the old Kendo of the Samurai.Martial Arts 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 Martial Arts Books
Dictionary of the Martial Artsby Louis Frederic
Athlone Press; Published: 2000-12; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.51
Price in other shops:
Be Like Water: Practical Wisdom from the Martial Artsby Joseph Cardillo
Grand Central Publishing; Published: 2003-09-01; Paperback; Book
Best price: $4.98
Price in other shops:
On Boxingby Joyce Carol Oates
Pan; Published: 1988; Paperback; Book
Aikido: Coordination of Mind and Body for Self Defenceby Koichi Tohei
Souvenir Press Ltd; Published: 1966-09-01; Hardcover; Book
Dojo Wisdom for Mothers: 100 Simple Ways to Become a Calmer, Happier, More Lovingby Jennifer Lawler
Penguin (Non-Classics); Published: 2005-03-29; Mass Market Paperback; Book
Best price: $0.95
Price in other shops:
Official WTF Taekwondoby David Mitchell
Ebury Press; Published: 1996; Paperback; Book
15-Minute Tai Chi: Strong Body, Still Mind (15 Minute)by John Ding, Alan Ding
Thorsons; Published: 2003-09-25; Paperback; Book
Best price: $43.97
Ghosts Of Manila The Fateful Blood Feud Between Muhammad Ali and Joe Frazierby Mark Kram
New York, NY HarperCollins; Published: 2001; Hardcover; Book
I Am Jackie Chanby Jackie Chan
Macmillan; Published: 1999-03-12; Paperback; Book
Wing Chun Kung Fu: Traditional Chinese King Fu for Self-Defense and Healthby Ip Chun, Michael Tse
St. Martin's Griffin; Published: 1998-04; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.82
Price in other shops:
Similar Books and other products
The Art of Japanese Swordsmanship: A Manual of Eishin-Ryu Iaidoby Nicklaus Suino
Weatherhill; Published: 2008-07-08; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.27
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:
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:
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: $4.42
Price in other shops:
Japan's Ultimate Martial Art: Jujitsu Before 1882 the Classical Japanese Art of Self-Defenseby Darrell Max Craig
Tuttle Publishing; Published: 1995-06-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $10.41
Price in other shops:
Mugai Ryu: The Classical Japanese Art of Drawing the Swordby Darrell Max Craig
Ymaa Publication Center; Published: 2002-12-03; Paperback; Book
Best price: $15.79
Price in other shops:
IAI: The Art Of Drawing The Swordby Darrell Max Craig
Charles E. Tuttle Company; Published: 1991-06-15; Paperback; Book
Best price: $7.95
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:
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: $7.37
Price in other shops:
Kendo: The Definitive Guideby Hiroshi Ozawa
Kodansha USA; Published: 1997-07-31; Hardcover; Book
Best price: $23.10
Price in other shops: