Samurai Fighting Arts-The Spirit and the Practice

Samurai Fighting Arts introduces the world of traditional Japanese martial arts and will provide readers with a deeper understanding of bushido and Japan. Also known as Kobudo, these traditional martial arts can be seen as a continuation of samurai culture, and comprise a number of styles

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formulated in the samurai era that are still being taught today.

Aiming to develop Bujutsu (martial arts) and Hyoho (strategy) to the highest possible degree, the samurai devised a code consisting of over eighteen arts. A samurai was expected to have impeccable manners and be an expert in martial arts, but never to be a killer. His swords contained his soul, which he cultivated by learning poetry and art, and by practicing Zen meditation.

Fumon Tanaka is the world-famous Kobudo grandmaster. He knows all the Kobudo styles, and his teaching of arts such as Iaijutsu and Jujitsu fascinates many students around the world. This is his first book in English and it offers readers around the world the opportunity to learn the leser known arts of Kobudo, particularly the way of Nito Ken-the two swords technique established by the famous samurai Miyamoto Musashi-and to further understand his spirit.

Lavishly illustrated with around 1200 photographs and pictures, Samurai Fighting Arts reveals many secrets skills of Kobudo.

Fumon Tanaka was born in 1943. He started learning kendo at the age of thirteen, and has been practicing marital arts ever since. He is the leading authority on the traditional martial arts in Japan, and has published many books on the subject. In 1988 he traveled to France as part of the Nihon Budo delegaton seleted by the Ministry of Education and the Aagency for Cultural Afairs. since then he has frequently been invited to teach in Germany, Italy, England, France, Denmark, and Sweden.

Titles and licenses held by the author

Modern kendo, fourth dan
Modern bojutsu, fifth dan
Jujutsu (kumiuchi hyoho yawara-no-jutsu), seventh dan
Kyoshi battojutsu, seventh dan
Kyoshi iai suemonogiri kenpo, seventh dan
Hanshi kobudo, eighth dan
Traditional budo Hanshi titles and licenses held by the author:

1. Koden Enshin ryu kumiuchi kenden 11th soke
2. Kukishin ryu bujutsu 19th soke
3. Honmon Enshin ryu iai suemonogiri kenpo 4th soke
4. Tenshin Hyoho soden Kukamishin ryu 19th soke
5. Koto ryu representative soke
6 Shindo Tenshin ryu toritejutsu representative soke
7 Hontai Takagi Yoshin ryu jujutsu representative soke
8 Asayama ichiden ryu taijutsu representative soke
9 Shinden Fudo Ryu representative soke
10 Bokuden ryu jujutsu koshinomawari representative soke
11 Koga rkyu ninjutsu
12 Iga Ryu ninpo
13 A one-time director of Dainihon-Butokukai
14 A standing advisor of Zennihon-budo-Sogorenmei
President of Hihonkoden-Fushimusokai

Contents

Introduction
Chapter 1 Kobudo and the Japanese Sword
Kobudo history
Classical and modern budo
Jujutsu
Kenjutsu
The history of the Japanese sword
The creation of the Japanese sword-Forging the Japanese sword
Chapter 2 Samurai Tradition
Samurai attire
Seppuku and Kaishaku
Kumiuchi Kenpo-Ichimonji; Tachi-garami; Sutemi
Short-sword technique-Shinkage Ryu's short-sword technique
Chapter 3 Two-Sword Technique
The roots of Nito-ken
Miyamoto Musashi's nito-ken-Five basic Nito postures; Ipponme-no-kata chudan; Sanbonme-no-kata gedan; gohonme-no-kata migi-waki
Shinkage Ryu's Nito-yaburi-Nito-yaburi
Yagyu Shingan Ryu's Nito-ken-Yagyu Shingan Ryu's Nito kodachi
Chapter 4 Honmon Enshin Ryu Techniques
Enshin Ryu's Iai Suemonogiri Kenpo-Reishiki; Ichienso
A. Shoden (Beginning level)
Jumonji ('no enemy'-the base of all iai kenpo kata)
Joiuchi ('the duty of loyalty')
Jinrai ('samurai morals')
Tendo ('the law of the universe')
Aun ('the law of kife and death')
Mujin ('killing enemies in six directions')
Sasso ('the way of feeling and seeing')
Migi santen ('killing an enemy to the right')
Naka santen ('protecting the head')
Hidari santen ('the way of water')
Hakuryu ('white dragon')
Inazuma ('flash of lightning')
Shiden ('purple lightning')
Hakuden ('white lighting' or 'special breathing')
Unrai ('thunder from the clouds')
B. Chuden (Intermediate level)
Kenuken ('lightning sword')
Kensaken ('thunder sword')
Konuken ('right-circling sword')
Konsaken ('left-circling sword')
Konchuken ('center-cut sword')
Mosoken ('no-thought sword')
Hien ('jumping monkey')
Hachiryuken ('eight-dragons sword')-Senryu ('hidden dragon' or 'submerged dragon'); Chiryu ('dragon in a pond'); Denryu ('dragon in a rice field'); Unryku ('dragon in the clouds'); Tenryku ('dragon in the sky'); Hiryu (flying dragon'); Koryu ('excited dragon'); Gunryu ('a multitude of dragons')
Joichi ('execution order')
C. Okuden (Master level)
Tora-no-o ('tiger tail')
Shunme ('running horse'')
Kaiken ('opening sword')
Heiken ('closing sword')
Ryuken ('draagon sword')
Hiken ('flying sword')
Hakuken ('advancing sword')
Gusokuken ('talented sword')
Ryutoken ('flowing sword')
Hidari tenshin ken ('left-whirling sword')
Migi tenshin ken ('right-whirling sword')
Chapter 5 Kenjutsu Applications
The sword against other weapons-Sword and yari; Sword and naginata; Sword and bo; Sword and shuriken
Chapter 6 Muto-dori Techniques
The use of 'No Sword'
Technique A: Yagyu shinkage ryu's muto-dori
Technique B: Koden Enshin ryu's Shiraha-dori
Technique C: Kukishin Ryus Muto-dori
Technique D: Koden Enshin ryu's Shiraha-dori
Acknowledgments
Bibliography
Photo credits
Glossary
Index
Personal history of the author
Titles and licenses on modern budo of autho

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