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Understand? Good. Play! - Words of Consequence

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Contains 17 main chapters divided by theme (e.g., "On Striking" and "On Heart"), 7 feature articles (e.g., "Tasty Budo" and the "Benevolent Heart") and several call-outs related to the main chapters. Includes all first edition material, plus 20+ new pages of content, including copies of Hatsumi-sensei's hand-edits to the original manuscript, design mock-ups used to guide the project, explanations of key photos in the book, and 10 new photographs. " -- The original 283 pages of wisdom from the first edition, plus an additional 24 pages of material to provide a "behind-the-scenes" look at the original project -- The original 50 photographs of the first edition, plus 10 new photos and other artwork -- Beautiful, stitched, hard cover book with full-color sleeve (for years of reading pleasure)

283 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2012

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About the author

Masaaki Hatsumi

72 books53 followers
Formerly 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.

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Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews
Profile Image for Chris Moran.
52 reviews
January 28, 2021
This is definitely not for everyone. It is not a training book, per se. It is quotes FROM training sessions from Soke Hatsumi. One of my dojo mates picked this up for me upon its release and it sat on my shelves for 2 decades, unread. Time enough for the Bujinkan to likely go through changes and me own life taking me away from my short lived 2-3 year membership.
Short as it may have been, my own sensei was a great sensei, hard as hell on us, much like Soke appears to be. A group fro my dojo traveled to Japan to train in the Hanbo Dojo. I couldn't afford to go. After reading this, I regret dearly not finding a way.
My sensei spoke and acted a lot like Soke does. Lots of it came off as confusing, until you DID it or FELT it.
Much of this book is about that aspect of Budu Taijutsu.
Having experienced "the way" of it, this book felt like home, like memories, as if I was actually getting to train with the Grandmaster himself. I recall stances, techniques, philosophies I learned so long ago as if I they were recent again.

The quotes are arranged by bigger topics: Striking, Kamae, Sword, etc, but aren't all chronological, though some of the theme were chronological so have many quotes from likely short time periods of each other. I feel that if you HAD been trained, even the parts where it's obvious you're missing what's going on at the moment, you can likely picture it, assume the scene.

I highly encourage Bujinkan and/or Masaaki Hatsumi fans to give this a read.

Shikin Haramitsu Daikomyo
Displaying 1 - 2 of 2 reviews

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