Fumon Tanaka. Samurai Fighting Arts: The Spirit and Practice

Tokyo, New York, London: Kodansha Europe Limited, 2003. — 232 p. – ISBN: 4-7700-2898-9.Samurai Fighting Arts 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 Hyoho (strategy) to the highest possible degree, the samurai devised a code consisting of over eighteen arts. A samurai was expected to have impeccable manners and be an expert in martial arts, but never to be a killer. His swords contained his soul, which he cultivated by learning poetry and art, and by practicing Zen meditation.
Fumon Tanaka is the world-famous Kobudo grandmaster. He knows all the Kobudo styles, and his teaching of arts such as Iaijutu and Jujitsu fascinates many students around the world. This is his first book in English and it offers readers around the world the opportunity to learn the lesser known arts of Kobudo, particularly the way of Nito Ken – the two swords technique established by the famous samurai Miyamoto Musashi – and to further understand his spirit.
Lavishly illustrated with around 1200 photographs and pictures, Samurai Fighting Arts reveals many secret skills of Kobudo.Kobudo and the Japanese Sword.
Samurai Tradition.
Two-Sword Techniques.
Honmon Enshin Ryu Techniques.
Kenjutsu Applications.
Muto-Dori Techniques.