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Unarmed Fighting Techniques of the Samurai
In Unarmed Fighting Techniques of the Samurai , world-renowned ninja grandmaster and bestselling author Masaaki Hatsumi explains the fundamentals of various unarmed techniques unique to the Japanese martial arts. Known as budo taijutsu , these specialized moves allow the practitioner to evade
and receive an attack even from an opponent wielding a sword. Hatsumi covers such topics as Kihon Happo (Eight Basic Movements), Kosshijutsu (Attacks Against Muscles), Koppojutsu (Attacks Against Bones), Jutaijutsu (Flexible Body Arts), Daken Taijutsu (Fist Punching and Striking), Ninpo Taijutsu
(Bodily Arts of the Ninja), discussing and demonstrating the many techniques which will enable the fighter to punch, kick and finally lock or control the body of his adversary.
As Hatsumi tells us, the techniques have been secretly passed down from the masters to their students for more than a century, and have become the foundations for a range of other martial arts including judo, karate and aikido. This book will thus enhance the readers understanding of the roots of
these various disciplines as well as provide fascinating insights into the spirit of the way of the warrior and the martial arts. Includes over 300 step-by-step photos and rare drawings.
and receive an attack even from an opponent wielding a sword. Hatsumi covers such topics as Kihon Happo (Eight Basic Movements), Kosshijutsu (Attacks Against Muscles), Koppojutsu (Attacks Against Bones), Jutaijutsu (Flexible Body Arts), Daken Taijutsu (Fist Punching and Striking), Ninpo Taijutsu
(Bodily Arts of the Ninja), discussing and demonstrating the many techniques which will enable the fighter to punch, kick and finally lock or control the body of his adversary.
As Hatsumi tells us, the techniques have been secretly passed down from the masters to their students for more than a century, and have become the foundations for a range of other martial arts including judo, karate and aikido. This book will thus enhance the readers understanding of the roots of
these various disciplines as well as provide fascinating insights into the spirit of the way of the warrior and the martial arts. Includes over 300 step-by-step photos and rare drawings.
- GenresMartial Arts
240 pages, Hardcover
First published August 1, 2008
6 people are currently reading
187 people want to read
About the author
Masaaki Hatsumi
71 books53 followersFormerly Yoshiaki Hatsumi, is the founder of the Bujinkan Organization and is the former Togakure-ryū Soke (Grandmaster). He currently resides and teaches in Noda, Chiba, Japan.
Hatsumi was born in Noda, Chiba on December 2, 1931. He heavily participated in sports during his school years, along with martial arts and theater, including becoming "captain of the football team". While attending the Meiji University, he continued learning judo and eventually rose to Yudansha or Dan rank. He also began teaching Judo during his time at the university to American soldiers at the nearby Yokota Air Base. After graduating, Hatsumi began to search for a teacher to further his study of martial arts. He began his Kobudo training under Ueno Chosui. When he was 26 he met Ueno's teacher, Toshitsugu Takamatsu, known as "the Tiger of Mongolia". Hatsumi was accepted as Takamatsu's student and spent fifteen years on Honshu Island learning various ninjutsu styles from Takamatsu and other members of the Takamatsu family, also he continued to learn judo, Shito Ryu karate, aikido, and kobudo.
Takamatsu died in Nara, Japan in 1972 after advancing Hatsumi from student to Soke and bestowing on him "all the art of the nine schools", and of course the grandmaster's scrolls, three of which he indicated were ancient ninja schools and six samurai jujutsu schools of martial arts. Hatsumi went on to found the Bujinkan Dojo in Noda, Japan to teach the nine schools to other students. His first trip to the United States was in 1982 and he has since continued to participate in yearly ninjutsu Tai Kai (gathering) around the world.
Hatsumi also worked as a Seikotsu-in (整骨院) bonesetter after his graduation and was chairman of the Writers Guild of Japan at one point in time. He was the writer of a martial arts magazine Tetsuzan, which was "distributed in 18 countries.
Hatsumi was born in Noda, Chiba on December 2, 1931. He heavily participated in sports during his school years, along with martial arts and theater, including becoming "captain of the football team". While attending the Meiji University, he continued learning judo and eventually rose to Yudansha or Dan rank. He also began teaching Judo during his time at the university to American soldiers at the nearby Yokota Air Base. After graduating, Hatsumi began to search for a teacher to further his study of martial arts. He began his Kobudo training under Ueno Chosui. When he was 26 he met Ueno's teacher, Toshitsugu Takamatsu, known as "the Tiger of Mongolia". Hatsumi was accepted as Takamatsu's student and spent fifteen years on Honshu Island learning various ninjutsu styles from Takamatsu and other members of the Takamatsu family, also he continued to learn judo, Shito Ryu karate, aikido, and kobudo.
Takamatsu died in Nara, Japan in 1972 after advancing Hatsumi from student to Soke and bestowing on him "all the art of the nine schools", and of course the grandmaster's scrolls, three of which he indicated were ancient ninja schools and six samurai jujutsu schools of martial arts. Hatsumi went on to found the Bujinkan Dojo in Noda, Japan to teach the nine schools to other students. His first trip to the United States was in 1982 and he has since continued to participate in yearly ninjutsu Tai Kai (gathering) around the world.
Hatsumi also worked as a Seikotsu-in (整骨院) bonesetter after his graduation and was chairman of the Writers Guild of Japan at one point in time. He was the writer of a martial arts magazine Tetsuzan, which was "distributed in 18 countries.
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
August 9, 2019
A collection of six of the nine traditions taught within the Bujinkan organization, Masaaki Hatsumi lists most of the unarmed fighting kata found there of. The traditions include Gyokko-ryu Kosshijutsu, Koto-ryu Koppojutsu, Togakure-ryu Ninpo Taijutsu, Takagi Yoshin-ryu Jutaijutsu, Kukishinden-ryu Dakentaijutsu, and Shinden Fudo-ryu Dakentaijutsu.
My own copy of this has been worn out until it is difficult to pull off the shelf without it it falling apart.
Each chapter begins with paragraphs of Hatsumi's writings and philosophies regarding the related material, borrowing from the nine traditions and exemplifying the work that his teacher, Takamatsu Toshitsugu put in to integrate them all. Much of the content is intersected with various double and triple entendre, which is unfortunately lost in the English translations.
The overall translations is useful to the average Bujinkan practitioner, however there are errors when comparing the English and Japanese sections (a with many of Hatsumi's publications through Kodansha International, the book concludes with a Japanese transcription of the manuscript), sometimes with entire paragraphs and charts missing from the English translations. Sometimes simple kanji are confused (右 "right" and 左 "left" being swapped in a technique description). But honestly I think that Hatsumi would jsut shrug that off and say that it's not important.
I have been re-translating the whole book for a few years now, and it has tremendously helped my Japanese understanding, as well as filled out several of my note books. I recommend a similar approach to anyone both studying the Bujinkan's traditions as well as studying Japanese.
My own copy of this has been worn out until it is difficult to pull off the shelf without it it falling apart.
Each chapter begins with paragraphs of Hatsumi's writings and philosophies regarding the related material, borrowing from the nine traditions and exemplifying the work that his teacher, Takamatsu Toshitsugu put in to integrate them all. Much of the content is intersected with various double and triple entendre, which is unfortunately lost in the English translations.
The overall translations is useful to the average Bujinkan practitioner, however there are errors when comparing the English and Japanese sections (a with many of Hatsumi's publications through Kodansha International, the book concludes with a Japanese transcription of the manuscript), sometimes with entire paragraphs and charts missing from the English translations. Sometimes simple kanji are confused (右 "right" and 左 "left" being swapped in a technique description). But honestly I think that Hatsumi would jsut shrug that off and say that it's not important.
I have been re-translating the whole book for a few years now, and it has tremendously helped my Japanese understanding, as well as filled out several of my note books. I recommend a similar approach to anyone both studying the Bujinkan's traditions as well as studying Japanese.
July 24, 2009
Ahh, the Bible of the Martial Artist, and it lives up to that name. There are so many stories and well-photographed techniques that it makes the book invaluable to a true martial artist. Most of the Original scrolls translated and paired with real pictures... awesome.
March 9, 2010
Another excellent book by the current Grandmaster of Ninjutsu. Hatsumi provides pictures and translations of original scrolls (many dating back hundreds of years to near a thousand years old) that detail all of the techniques and mental aspects of Ninjutsu, the "Samurai" arts and life. Included are full page diagrams and photos of some of the physical techniques that are discussed that are of much use to those familiar with some of the techniques.
Hatsumi speaks mountains in a single sentence throughout this book, saying more than most people do in thousand page novels. One must read these words at varying stages of life to fully understand their meaning as this humble reader most certainly didn't grasp the full context of his stories and thoughts. Far more than just martial arts techniques are outlined here, truly a master work on Budo "the warrior path" which encompasses every aspect of ones life beyond fighting. Of interesting note are some photos of his instructor, the 33rd grandmaster of Ninjutsu, Toshitsugu Takamatsu, that I'm not certain have ever been released before.
Hatsumi speaks mountains in a single sentence throughout this book, saying more than most people do in thousand page novels. One must read these words at varying stages of life to fully understand their meaning as this humble reader most certainly didn't grasp the full context of his stories and thoughts. Far more than just martial arts techniques are outlined here, truly a master work on Budo "the warrior path" which encompasses every aspect of ones life beyond fighting. Of interesting note are some photos of his instructor, the 33rd grandmaster of Ninjutsu, Toshitsugu Takamatsu, that I'm not certain have ever been released before.
July 25, 2015
This is an incredibly useful resource for those who study Takamatsu-den martial arts. It is organized by school, and gives descriptions of each technique. These descriptions are cryptic densho-esque descriptions, and so would not really be of much use to anyone who had not been taught the techniques.
If you don't study in one of these organizations that came from either Hatsumi (Bujinkan), Hatsumi's students (Jinenkan, Gembukan, etc.), or Hatsumi's student's students, I don't know that the book would be of much value to you. Having said that, each chapter begins with more generic comments. Also, this book has some outstanding graphics in terms of photos, reprinted drawings, etc. And there are not all the blurry photos that somehow made their way into other recent Hatsumi Kodansha volumes.
If you don't study in one of these organizations that came from either Hatsumi (Bujinkan), Hatsumi's students (Jinenkan, Gembukan, etc.), or Hatsumi's student's students, I don't know that the book would be of much value to you. Having said that, each chapter begins with more generic comments. Also, this book has some outstanding graphics in terms of photos, reprinted drawings, etc. And there are not all the blurry photos that somehow made their way into other recent Hatsumi Kodansha volumes.
October 17, 2023
One of my favorite books by Masaaki Hatsumi and a must have for anyone training in the Bujinkan martial arts.
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews