This work introduces the techniques of a little-known ancient art. Like otherartial arts, Aiki Jujutsu Daitoryu relies not on a practitioner's physicalize or strength, but on turning the force used by an opponent against him.iki Jujitsu Daitoryu originated in the 12th century.

Introduces the 18 traditional Japanese martial arts and provides readers with a deeper understanding of the styles formulated in the samurai era - both those that are little known and those still being taught today.

This is a translation of an important classic on Zen swordfighting. Yagyu's Buddhist spirituality is reflected in his central idea of the life-giving sword' - the notion of controlling an opponent by the spiritual readiness to fight, rather than during the fight. This is a translation of an important classic on Zen swordfighting. Yagyu Munenori was so widely renowned that he was appointed official sword instructor to two Tokugawa shoguns. (The position was always coveted by Miyamoto Musashi, but he never succeeded in gaining the post). Yagyu's'

Keiko Shokon is the third volume in a series that aims to demystify the rare and often misunderstood fighting arts of the Japanese warrior. Do these arts still have relevance in a modern technological world? How are they being preserved? What pitfalls face practitioners struggling to maintain these arts in a culture so foreign to that of their origins? These questions are discussed by a unique group of practitioner/writers in eight provocative essays certain to challenge many cherished and widely held preconceptions.

Koryu, literally, 'old flow from the past,' refers to Japanese martial traditions that predate the sweeping cultural changes that followed the Meiji Restoration of 1868. They generally have a very different character and tone from modern martial arts, such as kendo, judo or aikido which followed. More than the study of antique weapons, self-defense or a form of athletics, these martial traditions are a cultural legacy and a window to another time and place. In the first edition of Old School, Ellis Amdur, a renowned martial arts researcher, and himself an instructor in two different surviving koryu, gave readers a rare glimpse into feudal Japanese warrior arts, both as they were in the past and as they live on today. Nearly a decade later, he returns to the subject in this new, greatly expanded edition, bringing readers inside the dojos of a number ancient schools, providing details analysis of the evolution and morphology of uniquely Japanese weaponry, addressing the myth and reality of Japan's naginata-wielding warrior women, and discussing the modern relevance of the blood oaths, magical ritual and mysticism that often permeate the koryu. Finally, he looks at the challenge of preservation and transmission, especially as more and more practitioners of the koryu exist outside of Japan itself. Writing with a combination of the initiate's passion for his subject, and the scientist's rigorous search for the truth, Amdur asks critically: do the ancient traditions still meet the objectives of their founders? Are they successfully passing their ancient legacy down to the next generation? Over a third larger than the first edition and filled with new artwork and photography, Old School: Japanese Martial Traditions Expanded Edition will be an invaluable addition to the library of old readers and new alike.