In the Dojo: A Guide to the Rituals and Etiquette of the Japanese Martial Arts

by Dave Lowry

Lively, detailed essays explaining the meaning behind the apparatus, traditions, and etiquette particular to the Japanese martial arts—by an American sword master
 
Beginning students in Japanese martial arts, such as karate, judo, aikido, iaido, kyudo, and kendo, learn that when they are in the dojo (the practice space), they must don their practice garb with ritual precision, address their teacher and senior students in a specific way, and follow certain unwritten but deeply held codes of behavior. But very soon they begin to wonder about the meaning behind the traditions, gear, and relationships in the dojo.

In this collection of lively, detailed essays, Dave Lowry, one of the most well-known and respected swordsmen in the United States, illuminates the history and meaning behind the rituals, training costumes, objects, and relationships that have such profound significance in Japanese martial arts, including

   • the dojo space itself
   • the teacher-student relationship
   • the act of bowing
   • what to expect—and what will be expected of you—when you visit a dojo
   • the training weapons
   • the hakama (ceremonial skirt) and dogi (practice uniform)
   • the Shinto shrine

Authoritative, insightful, and packed with fascinating stories from his own experience, In the Dojo provides a wealth of information that beginning students will pore over and advanced students will treasure.

Genres: Martial Arts, Japan, Nonfiction, Philosophy, Anthropology

224 pages, Paperback

First published September 26, 2006

Reviews

[Rick · Rating 3 out of 5]

More of a three and a half. I would have liked it better if Lowry had cited sources or done more research. Instead, there is a lot of mansplaining and speculation. But his viewpoint is interesting, and I did learn some stuff, so.

[Julie Laporte · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a great book for reference, not for a sit-down, cover to cover read, which is what I had to do (for a group), which greatly diminished my experience of it, making it feel like drudgery. The format of text only would GREATLY be enhanced with illustrations. Really, it would make a decent DK book with full color photos all throughout the margins.

[Thomas Goral · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a reference book that won’t make much sense until you start practicing in earnest. At that point you will have an idea of the differences between good and bad partners, etiquette and instruction. Then this book will give you the language and standards to measure the authenticity of your practice. Martial Arts have passed through the centuries only because the authentic stands the test of time. Perhaps some traditions in this book won’t continue, but most will. That is what separates true martial arts from a fight club or working out.

[Lance Schonberg · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is not a book to improve your karate. This is a book to improve your understanding of some of the cultural background and design in Japanese-originating martial arts.

On paper, this looks like a book that took me a long time to read, but I took it with me on a couple of different trips and managed to misplace the book when I unpacked both times, once by leaving it in the suitcase and not finding it until I needed the suitcase again. On at least one other occasion, it was swallowed by an incredibly busy house, so while I really didn’t spend nearly as much time as it looks like reading it, the time I did spent was stretched actually out over several months.

The author takes pains to note repeatedly that he’s not presenting the only right answer for anything. While he’s been studying martial arts for much of his life and has spent a lot of time in Japan, he is still looking at things with outsider’s eyes, and knows it.

Mr. Lowry covers a lot of ground in the book, from training concepts to calendars, to the physical organization of the dojo itself, and a whole lot of things in between. I can’t possibly do the subject matter justice in a few hundred words of review.

But I will share a couple of favourite bits.

First, my favourite direct quote: “The attention, then, must always be on developing to the fullest those members whose skills are the most lacking. In the dojo, that will be the beginners.” This builds continuity and has the seniors focusing their attention on the juniors, helping everyone find their place on the path and in the dojo.

My favourite new (to me) concept: Kobo Ichi, attack and defense are one, not always meaning the same technique or even as a defense and response. Sometimes it’s as simple as things happening together, all as one intention, and sometimes it’s that your defense is initiated by my attack. It’s a slippery concept that you can wrap your head around in different ways.

My favourite calendar moment is the keiko-hajime, the beginning practice, the first real training session of the year. Every session should be fun and valuable, but there’s something about starting the year off right.

Overall rating: 3 stars, which may seem a little low, but the book did take me a long time to read, even discounting the periods where I couldn’t actually find it. The book is a slow read and the text is sometimes dense and sometimes dry. It’s worth the time invested, but sometimes it’s hard to get through.

[Randall · Rating 5 out of 5]

Everyone that is interested in, and especially just starting martial arts should read this and take to heart all the lessons offered. They are also great life lessons that can only make you a better person. I really enjoyed reading this.

[Raquel · Rating 4 out of 5]

Insightful, informative and entertaining. I recommend it to anyone pursuing the Way of any japanese martial art.

[Bram · Rating 4 out of 5]

very informative book, placing budo in today's society, while giving rare insights in it's past and evolution

[Juan Rivera · Rating 4 out of 5]

I remember when I practiced martial arts, especially aikido, there were many ceremonies that I had to perform, that I did not understand why. Also in some of my trips to Japan I saw that their culture and ways of thinking were completely different from ours.

To understand a little more about this culture, especially with martial arts, the book "In the Dojo: A Guide to the Rituals and Etiquette of the Japanese Martial Arts" by Dave Lowry; explains many of them.

It made me want to practice again. I will be able?

[Justin · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book needs better flow and about 15 pages of illustrations to be able to continually follow. Like many said, this needs to be used as a reference. As someone who has studied Budo for the last 20 years, some of these chapters should be dramatically shorter. However, there is a lot of good information in this book.

[Lo · Rating 5 out of 5]

Dave Lowery does his research and gives you lots of info on all aspects of the dojo. Uniform, weapons, Shinto shrine, meditation, bowing, the martial language, the Sensei, the student, etc. I enjoy all of this authors books as they are quite valuable in my training and teaching.

[Rico Surridge · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent. A must read (and re-read) for any serious budoka.

[Jean-luc Plourde · Rating 4 out of 5]

An interesting book that should be read by anyone wondering why things are the way they are in Japanese martial arts.

[Prasanna · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed reading this book as it de-mystified a lot of "whys" of Karate for me along with the history. I wish the author had included citations wherever possible. I understand that some of the knowledge is from hearsay and word of mouth and may never be really citable but for other resources, it would've been great to be able to at least know of any other sources. Ideally in English of course, but japanese would've been fine too.

The evolution of the dojo, budo was a great thing to know about and how the beliefs of different eras have shaped the current system. I highly recommend this to anyone trying to learn about any of the japanese martial arts.

[Elliot Hanowski · Rating 4 out of 5]

A elegant and efficient guide to the culture and language of the Japanese martial arts, in the form of thirteen short essays. I would recommend this book to someone who's been training for a few years. If you're a beginner, you'd be better off learning the ways of your specific style and dojo first, and then reading this to get a grasp on the broader context. I train in karate and iaido and found this book helped me understand the latter more than it did the former. That's mostly because the style of karate I study is Okinawan, which is in many ways a distinct culture within Japan. Lowry acknowledges Okinawa but his focus is mostly on the traditions of the central islands. This is not a criticism, just a note so you know what to expect. Also this is not a dry textbook that's aiming to be as objective as possible - Lowry lets his own experiences and opinions shape the text. He is an advocate for the value of tradition, though tradition interpreted thoughtfully and in a reasonably flexible manner. I found I agreed with most of the opinions he expressed on these matters, and thus enjoyed the read, but your mileage may of course vary.

[Rai Keyri · Rating 4 out of 5]

It gave me much information about some of the histories of terminologies in the dojo including the uniforms, weapons, students, the teacher, bowing, money matters, seasonal events, etiquette of how people should behave inside it.

I just don't like that the pages of the copy that I bought are not glued enough and are tearing apart when I'm at the middle of the book, highlighting every page of it. It might help if the author put some pictures in the book, so that the reader will know which part of the dojo, weapons, keikogi and hakama the author is talking about. Also, the author is kinda more practical than accepting the spiritual aspects of martial arts.

The chapter that I like the most is about 'The Student' co'z it really served as a manual for me, things that I will encounter inside the Dojo. Second is 'The Visitor' chapter and lastly, the "Money" chapter.

[Cristian · Rating 4 out of 5]

As always with Mr. Lowry it was quite a pleasant read. As I read in some other review, it's true that he might sound authoritative when saying so much stuff without mentioning sources or quoting anybody, but we also must take into account that he definitely has a long history regarding martial arts (both budo and koryu), and knowledge of japanese history, so even if he is mistaken in some point, it probably isn't much.
The different essays were insightful and allowed me to learn quite a few things I didn't know, although it would be much better if some pictures would be included for future editions, in those places where words leave a gap in understanding (for example when explaining the different types of hakama)

[Eileen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Covers various aspects of dojo etiquette, and the meaning behind it. Also discusses such topics as the role of student and teacher, the uniform, the meaning of rank, and the like. Very useful for someone who is quite new to martial arts and is maybe a little confused or overwhelmed by it all, but equally enjoyable for experienced enthusiasts who want more background information. Dave Lowry knows what he is talking about. By the way, this book was highly recommended to a class of iaido students by an 8th dan Japanese iaido sensei, and that gives it a great deal of cred in my eyes.

[Mike Oliveri · Rating 4 out of 5]

A lot of great information and history for any martial artist (especially karateka) interested in learning more about the traditions behind the arts. Lowry does get a bit long-winded in places, making some of the chapters dry, but at the same time he's very thorough. Recommended for students and instructors alike.

[Tim · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not for most people. As the author notes, this book is "for those who wonder 'why do we wear this?' and 'why is this called that?' ... It will not in the slightest improve your technique." But, it provides interesting context for a student of Japanese martial arts interested in some deeper or broader understanding of the modern budo experience.

[Dean Marquis · Rating 5 out of 5]

He is extremely enlightened in the way of Budo. He's traveled and trained extensively on the Journey. There is a Buddhist expression that says "the thousand mile Journey begins with the first step." I got close to the end of book and Lower uses a Japanese word Monjin. This translates into English as "a person at the Gates". What better medium for a Gate then a Book.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

Lowry delivers what he promises, giving an introduction to customs of Japanese martial arts, particularly karate. This book is what you would expect from Lowry's other writings, in tone and content.

[Karen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Very important book for students of traditional martial arts.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

A sound overview of karate for a beginner like myself as recommended by my Sensei.

[Susan (Sue) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent!!

[Micahlibris · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written and very informative. Definitely a must read for the newcomer to Budo.