Old School

Author: Ellis Amdur
Publisher: Freelance Academy Press
ISBN: 193743947X
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 397

Book Description
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.

Clouds in the West

Author: Dave Lowry
Publisher: Lyons Press
ISBN: 9781592285907
Category : Martial arts
Languages : en
Pages : 0

Book Description
CLOUDS IN THE WEST is a thought-provoking look at the essence of traditional Asian martial arts--and how it has been adapted, misunderstood, sometimes perverted, and sometimes enhanced in the West.

Traditions

Author: Dave Lowry
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462902235
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 188

Book Description
The goals of the budo--the martial arts and Ways of Japan--lie in refining the body and spirit. The techniques, methods, and rituals of the budo can provide invaluable lessons for today's martial artists--and serve as guides to a well-lived life. In Traditions, Davy Lowry discusses unique aspects of the budo ranging from hacho, or deliberate asymmetry, to uke-waza, the art of "receiving" an attack. The spirit of ryomi, the process of self-evaluation and improvement, is illustrated through the story of Kaofujita, a master swordsman who never stopped practicing the first movement he learned. You'll also learn the importance of yuyo, the distance where an attacker must focus his strike, from the story of Jubei, whose mastery of yuyo saved him in a life-and-death encounter, and the significance of shikaku--, the dead zone, on maintaining balance in combat and in life. With its focus on traditional martial arts, and fascinating stories that illustrate key martial arts principles and philosophy,Traditions will be required reading for serious martial artists.

The Essence of Budo

Author: Dave Lowry
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 083482213X
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 197

Book Description
A guide to the practice, history, and etiquette of budo, the study of Japanese martial arts for self-cultivation—written by an American martial arts master The study of budo, or the Japanese martial arts for self-cultivation, is a lifelong path toward perfection of character. Here, Dave Lowry, a sword master who has practiced and taught budo for over forty years, addresses the myriad issues, vagaries, and inconsistencies that arise for students of karate-do, judo, kendo, kenjutsu, aikido, and iaido as their training develops. He examines such questions as: • What is the relationship between the student and teacher, and what should one expect from the other? • What does rank really mean? • How do you correctly and sensitively practice with someone less experienced than you? • What does practice look like as one ages? • Why do budo arts put such an emphasis on etiquette? • And many others Lowry also gives practical advice for beginning and advanced students on improving structural integrity in posture and movement, focusing under stress, stances and preparatory actions before engaging with an opponent, and recognizing a good teacher from a bad one.

Moving Toward Stillness

Author: Dave Lowry
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462900631
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 204

Book Description
Moving Toward Stillness: Lessons in Daily Life from the Martial Ways of Japan is a distillation of the most important lessons learned from a lifetime devoted to martial arts training. Drawing from his highly regarded magazine columns in Black Belt magazine, author Dave Lowry sets out lessons that not only guide us to a deeper understanding of the social values and moral imperatives that are the ancient heart of budo, but speak to us also of the universal nature of those values and of how they remain relevant to us, in the modern West. Among the 45 chapters of this martial arts philosophy book you'll find lessons addressing everything from such well-known martial concepts as "one encounter, one chance" to the art of being alone, from strategy for the modern-day battlefield to the luxury of anger, from subduing the self and bending like the bamboo to maintaining an unwavering calm in the face of death. Essays include: The Way of the Master Excess Baggage Swimming 'Round the Stone Simple Things Even if I Die Not Knowing, But Doing and many more

Koryu Bujutsu

Author: Diane Skoss
Publisher:
ISBN: 9781890536046
Category : Biography & Autobiography
Languages : en
Pages : 196

Book Description

Dueling with O-Sensei

Author: Ellis Amdur
Publisher: Freelance Academy Press
ISBN: 1937439518
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 348

Book Description
If you are a long-time martial artist, you have likely been either the recipient, the victim - or both - of the "wise old master" phenomenon, whereby budo students reverentially enfold their teachers as martial, moral and mystical juggernauts sans reproach, in which case, this book will make you clench your fists and laugh out loud, often while reading the same sentence. Iconoclastic, rebellious, yet fiercely holding to some of the most traditional values of Japanese martial culture, Amdur brought something new to martial arts writing - a startling honesty about the flaws, not only within martial arts culture, but also within its practitioners, often using himself as an exemplar of the latter. Originally published in 2000, and now fully revised, with eight new chapters, new artwork and photography, Dueling with O Sensei, Revised and Expanded Edition will be an invaluable addition to the library of old readers and new alike.

Sword and Brush

Author: Dave Lowry
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
ISBN: 0834825422
Category : Sports & Recreation
Languages : en
Pages : 137

Book Description
This moment of perfect clarity that is the force behind all the traditional Japanese arts—from archery to flower arranging—is celebrated here in Dave Lowry's exploration of the common principles shared by calligraphy and the martial arts. Forty-two examples of Lowry's calligraphy, accompanied by his essays, show how the way of the brush reflects the strategic principles of the way of the sword. Each calligraphy represents a term from the martial arts—such as do, the way, or wa, harmony. The accompanying text amplifies our understanding of the term, what it meant to Japanese warriors, and what it means to practitioners of calligraphy and the martial arts today. What becomes clear is that these two seemingly unrelated disciplines actually partake of the same profound elemental spirit.

Martial Arts and Philosophy

Author: Graham Priest
Publisher: Open Court Publishing
ISBN: 0812696840
Category : Philosophy
Languages : en
Pages : 254

Book Description
Martial arts and philosophy have always gone hand in hand, as well as fist in throat. Philosophical argument is closely paralleled with hand-to-hand combat. And all of today's Asian martial arts were developed to embody and apply philosophical ideas. In his interview with Bodidharma, Graham Priest brings out aspects of Buddhist philosophy behind Shaolin Kung-Fu -- how fighting monks are seeking Buddhahood, not brawls. But as Scott Farrell's chapter reveals, Eastern martial arts have no monopoly on philosophical traditions: Western chivalry is an education in and living revival of Aristotelian ethical theories. Several chapters look at ethical problems raised by the fighting arts. How can the sweaty and brutal be exquisitely beautiful? Every chapter is easily understandable by readers new to martial arts or new to philosophy.

Introduction to Japanese Culture

Author: Daniel Sosnoski
Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
ISBN: 1462911536
Category : Travel
Languages : en
Pages : 118

Book Description
Featuring full-color photographs and illustrations thoughout, this book presents a comprehensive guide to Japanese culture. The richness of Japan's history is renowned worldwide, and the cultural heritage that its society has produced and handed down to future generations is one of Japan's greatest accomplishments. Introduction to Japanese Culture presents an overview, through 68 original and informative essays, of Japan's most notable cultural achievements, including: Holidays and Festivals--Learn how the Japanese celebrate shogatsu (New Year's Day), hanami (the Cherry Blossom Festival), and more. Drama and Art--Discover yakimono (pottery), shodo(calligraphy), haiku poetry, kabuki, and karate Cuisine--Open your eyes to foods from kome (rice) to raw fish. Home and Recreation--Explore subjects ranging from board games like "Go" to origami, kimonos, and Japanese gardens. The Japan of today is a modern, 21st-century society in nearly every regard. Even so, the elements of an earlier age are clearly visible in the country's arts, festivals, and customs. This book focuses on the essential constants that remain in present-day Japan and their counterparts in Western culture. Edited by Daniel Sosnoski, an American writer who has lived in Japan since 1985, these well-researched articles, color photographs, and line illustrations provide a compact guide to aspects of Japan that may puzzle the outside observer at first. Introduction to Japanese Culture is a wonderfully informative primer on the cultural make-up and behaviors of the Japanese, and is certain to fascinate students, tourists, and anyone who seeks to know and understand Japanese culture, etiquette, and history.