Kendo: Elements, Rules, and Philosophy (Latitude 20 Books

by Jinichi Tokeshi MD

All students of kendo--the formal art and practice of Japanese swordsmanship--will welcome this manual by an advanced practitioner with a deep understanding of the martial art. The work begins with a history of kendo in Japan, followed by a study of basic equipment and its proper care and use and a detailed description of forms and rules--essential aspects of any martial art. Beginners will find this section particularly helpful because of the close attention paid to fundamental techniques of kendo, including the rare two-sword form (nitô ryû), largely unknown outside of Japan. Each technique is accompanied by clear, easy-to-follow illustrations. The Nihon Kendo Kata and Shiai and Shinpan rules and regulations are useful references for those learning the Kata and participating in matches. The author, who is also a practicing physician, is attentive throughout to injury prevention and safety--concerns often overlooked in martial arts manuals.

The elements of kendo philosophy, which can mystify even experienced practitioners, are explained in simple terms to aid understanding. The manual concludes with biographies of Japan's most celebrated swordsmen, an extensive glossary of kendo terms, and a history of kendo in Hawaii, where it has been practiced for more than a century and where some of the world's top practitioners can be found.

Genres: Martial Arts, Japan, Nonfiction

312 pages, Paperback

First published July 1, 2003

Reviews

[M. P. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book proved to be an useful aid back when I started practicing Kendo. It was most useful when I needed to learn how to properly take care of my equipment, and when I would get into kata exercises. I would read this every night, to aid my learning. It was very spot-on for the style of Kendo practiced at my dojo. However, as I would learn later on at training camps with sensei from many different Japanese schools of the art, it is not comprehensive in terms of providing info on different styles. Just like most other Kendo manuals, this provides insight into how a certain school does it. There are differences even in things like how to properly don your hakama (something that sparked a full debate among the sensei during one of the camps I attended).
That in mind, it's still a good book for beginners especially. The instructions are basically just drawings, no photos, but they are clear and easy to follow. I, for one, learned the basics of most kata exercises (one of my absolute favourite parts of Kendo training, as they helped hone my form) in advance thanks to them. It also provides a nice, no-nonsense summary of the general rules to follow. I'm not sure this would be a must-read for those into the competitive side of the sport, though - I am not competitive, unless it comes to just getting better than what I was yesterday, and this served that mindset fine.