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Product Description
Product Description
Budo transcends simple combat techniques to ultimately attain a world of peace. Budo includes an array of martial arts developed in Japan, among them Aikido, Judo, Karatedo, Kyudo, and Kendo. In this book, grandmaster Hatsumi explores the essence of Budo, and demonstrates a range of important techniques relating to this essence. The author also reveals secret techniques and the hidden principles of the martial arts, and elucidates the words of his master, Toshitsugu Takamatsu, on Budo and life. Including some three hundred beautiful pictures depicting the author demonstrating his techniques, and around one hundred pictures of rare works of calligraphy, illustrations, and hidden documents on the martial arts and their role in Japanese culture, this book will be relevant and insightful to practitioners of all martial traditions including Judo, Aikido, Karatedo, Kendo, Kenjutsu, Jujutsu, Iaijutsu, and other various fighting sports.
About the Author
Masaaki Hatsumi was born in 1931. After progressing through various martial arts, he found his life's mentor, Takamatsu Toshitsugu, and studied under him for the next fifteen years, becoming the 34th Grandmaster of Togakure-ryu Ninjutsu and eight other arts, which he unified into the Bujinkan system. While travelling the world, teaching thousands of individual students as well as law enforcement agencies, he received numerous accolades from politicians and spiritual leaders of many nationalities.
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Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
0 of 2 people found the following review helpful
Format:Hardcover
Essential reading for anyone (Bujinkan practitioner or otherwise) who has any respect for Dr Masaaki Hatsumi. Deep, thought provoking and awe-inspiring. Buy it, read it, love it !
Most Helpful Customer Reviews on Amazon.com (beta)
Amazon.com:
8 reviews
12 of 13 people found the following review helpful
Not what I was expecting. It is so much more...
6 Jun 2011
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
There were many rumors about the content of this book before it went to print. My expectations were it was a philosophy book with pictures. But the reality was quite different. It is part philosophy, part pictorial and part description of spear (yari), halberd (naginata, bisento) and truncheon (jutte).
I don't feel this book is for the uninitiated. For those of us regularly training with Hatumi-sensei (and our students) I highly recommend adding this book to your reading list; and to your growing collection of works by Soke.
I don't feel this book is for the uninitiated. For those of us regularly training with Hatumi-sensei (and our students) I highly recommend adding this book to your reading list; and to your growing collection of works by Soke.
5 of 5 people found the following review helpful
There is Nothing Here
19 July 2011
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
Hatsumi-sensei's writings are filled to the brim with a word-play that takes full advantage of the idiosyncracies of the Japanese language. As with many of his previous books, the English text suffers from attempting to feature these idiosyncracies as part of the English language. The result is an English text that is heavily laden with Japanese kanji characters which can make for cumbersome reading.
Fortunately, as with his previous works, the original Japanese text is included. This may not be of much help to those who cannot read Japanese but such is life. The fact of the matter is that it is impossible to translate art, it can only be expressed and the author's decision to include the original Japanese ought to be seen as proof of this.
Beyond that though, this book is the clearest expression yet of budo's essence. There is none of the cliched morality and attempts at high-sounding ethics that many martial artists fall victim to in their often patterned expressions of martial arts 'philosophy'. Like his other writings, this book goes beyond the cliche and is expressed through beautiful anecdotes featuring the author's teacher as well as the author's own realisations as to the nature of his art. Creative license has been granted free reign and, at least in the Japanese text, it shows clearly.
This book may seem puzzling to some who will no doubt be turned off by the apparent lack of narration. Others will naturally fall into the trap of thinking that the so-called 'techniques' section is a martial arts treasure chest. Still others will overlay the words and numerous photos with what they imagine budo to be.
All of this is right and proper but if one takes to heart the admonishment by the author that holding on to the horses tail while it travels a thousand miles is impossible, then one will have indeed travelled far in understanding that there is nothing in this beautiful book that cannot be found on one's own.
Fortunately, as with his previous works, the original Japanese text is included. This may not be of much help to those who cannot read Japanese but such is life. The fact of the matter is that it is impossible to translate art, it can only be expressed and the author's decision to include the original Japanese ought to be seen as proof of this.
Beyond that though, this book is the clearest expression yet of budo's essence. There is none of the cliched morality and attempts at high-sounding ethics that many martial artists fall victim to in their often patterned expressions of martial arts 'philosophy'. Like his other writings, this book goes beyond the cliche and is expressed through beautiful anecdotes featuring the author's teacher as well as the author's own realisations as to the nature of his art. Creative license has been granted free reign and, at least in the Japanese text, it shows clearly.
This book may seem puzzling to some who will no doubt be turned off by the apparent lack of narration. Others will naturally fall into the trap of thinking that the so-called 'techniques' section is a martial arts treasure chest. Still others will overlay the words and numerous photos with what they imagine budo to be.
All of this is right and proper but if one takes to heart the admonishment by the author that holding on to the horses tail while it travels a thousand miles is impossible, then one will have indeed travelled far in understanding that there is nothing in this beautiful book that cannot be found on one's own.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
par for the course, better than most
14 Jun 2011
Format:Hardcover|Amazon Verified Purchase
About the same as all the rest of Soke's Kodansha series, perhaps a little better than the rest, some real treasures here (Yari - Menkyo Kaiden Hencho gata). If you have some reference in the Bujinkan or a teacher who does, then this book is an excellent resource, if you did not like the others and see no value to these books, thats what you will also find with this. I am very glad to have all the series and do see the worth of them, I am a member of the Bujinkan so thats my bias...Like Joe's review not exactly what i was expecting either but its much better than i hoped.
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