Description
The embodiment of the ancient knowledge that underlies the dedication-to-perfection philosophy of Japan * How mastering these specific movement sequences known as katas provides a way to deepen one's martial arts practice spiritually * Explores the psychological and social importance of the katas in martial arts and Japanese society, including their role in seppuku (ritual suicide) * Includes many examples from the lives of famous masters, from the legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi to 20th-century poet Yukio Mishima An essential part of the martial arts of Japan, such as sumo and karate, the katas are specific sequences of movement that originated during Sakoku, Japan's period of closure to the outside world from 1633 until 1853. The dedication-to-perfection philosophy of the katas, ubiquitous in Japanese society, is vital to understanding the spiritual aspects of their martial arts as well as other traditional Japanese arts, such as flower arranging, chadō (tea ceremonies), and kabuki theater. With examples from the lives of famous masters, from legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi to 20th-century poet Yukio Mishima, this book explores the psychological and social importance of the katas, including their role in seppuku (ritual suicide), the student-master relationship, and gyo (the point at which the practitioner breaks the mold of the kata and begins to embody it). Looking at their origins in the warrior class and how this pursuit of perfection is ultimately a way to accept the power of death, the author explains how performing the katas transmits ancient knowledge much deeper than just technical movements, providing a way to deepen one's martial arts practice spiritually.… (more)
Library's review
With examples from the lives of famous masters, from legendary samurai Miyamoto Musashi to 20th-century poet Yukio Mishima, this book explores the psychological and social importance of the katas, including their role in seppuku (ritual suicide), the student-master relationship, and gyo (the point at which the practitioner breaks the mold of the kata and begins to embody it). Looking at their origins in the warrior class and how this pursuit of perfection is ultimately a way to accept the power of death, the author explains how performing the katas transmits ancient knowledge much deeper than just technical movements, providing a way to deepen one's martial arts practice spiritually.
Kenji Tokitsu has doctorates in sociology and in Japanese civilization. Born in Japan, he began studying martial arts a as child. In 1971 he moved to Fance and began teaching karate. He founded the Shaolin-mon Karate-do school in Paris in 1983 and the Tokitsu-ryu Academy in 2001. The author of Miyamoto Musashi: His Life and Writings and Ki and the Way of the Martial Arts, he lives in France.
Contents
Preface
Part One An introduction to katas
Tesshu, or a model life
Kata, or 'Technique and the man are one'
Part Two The emergence of katas
Closing Japan and coming back to oneself
Kami and Japanese polytheism
The katas of the social orders in the Edo Period
Breaking points in history
Part Three The dimensions of kata
The Gyo and self-investment
Death and time
The psycological aspect of kata
Part Four Persistence and transformation in a traditional culture
Seppuku: The cornerstone of the warrior's kata
The warrior's kata in contemporary society
Effeciveness and weight of the katas
Katas today
Conclusion
Notes
Index