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Looking for Books on Kenjutsu (Read 4822 times)

Kjev

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Looking for Books on Kenjutsu
Jul 28^th, 2009 at 10:51pm

Some years ago, I briefly had the opportunity to study Kyokushin. I had planned to follow it, and eventually learn the sword, but ended up moving to go to college.

This year, for my anniversary, my wife got me a very nice (and very real) katana. I've read Musashi's biography (all 500 pages) and A Book of Five Rings twice. Does anyone know of a book of step-by-step instructions on how to use a katana? I know just enough to know I know nothing, and haven't had much luck finding someone locally who teaches anything but the staff.

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Camo-sling Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Forge your own path. Posts: 1419 Australia Gender:	Re: Looking for Books on Kenjutsu Reply #1 - Jul 29^th, 2009 at 5:19am cool! do you mind posting a picture? not that im any expert, but i suggest you buy a brokken before practicing with a live blade, but you probably already knew that. If your taking lessons with a book, make sure you book in a lesson at least every 2 weeks with a real teacher.
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xxkid123 Past Moderator Offline Hallo, ich heiße kartoffel Posts: 4807 new to california Gender:	Re: Looking for Books on Kenjutsu Reply #2 - Jul 29^th, 2009 at 9:25am learn kongfu and disarming moves, if you don't then if you are to learn traditional Japanese katana i think you might have to learn it anyways, might help, but i don't know for sure...
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Bikewer

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Re: Looking for Books on Kenjutsu
Reply #3 - Jul 29^th, 2009 at 11:39am

Our university library has a marvelous two-volume set of the style of the Katori-Shinto-Ryu school of kenjutsu. The idea was to fully document what the school feared was a dying art.
Unfortunately, I don't know how available this is; likely it would be very expensive.

Amazon has many books on various schools of kenjutsu, including this paperback on the Katori-Shinto style:

http://www.amazon.com/Katori-Shinto-ryu-Tradition-Risuke-Otake/dp/1890536210/ref...

A trip to a good university or other library might get you something; beware that there is a lot of crap out there. I would look for volumes that have some citation or recommendation from a particular school.

There are some videos up on Youtube of various styles and techniques, as well as some Iado stuff.

Note that Iajutsu or Iado is the art of "fast sword draw", the art of striking an opponent down as you draw the weapon. By all means read Musashi's Book Of Five Rings. It's interesting, but you will not find much of practical value, as the translation is somewhat obscure.

One more idea; pick up a couple of copies of current martial-arts magazines like Black Belt. In the ads, you'll find videos and books available for nearly any style of martial art you've ever heard of, and a dozen you haven't.

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Kjev

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Re: Looking for Books on Kenjutsu
Reply #4 - Jul 29^th, 2009 at 9:44pm

YouTube works Okay, but I usually practice in my shop (no dogs, small children, or damageable furniture). I honestly never thought to look on Amazon, and our local library is pretty shy martial arts.

I admit unarmed combat might be more practical, but I have this katana, and I want to use it. Safely, and hopefully effectively. It's sold by Museum Replicas as the "Practical Katana." No frills, but genuine.

My sword is named "Izanagi" which if I understand correctly, translates as "Dragon's Claw" although if anyone actually speaks Japanese, I'd like to know that for sure.

K'Jev
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Camo-sling Interfector Viris Spurii Offline Forge your own path. Posts: 1419 Australia Gender:	Re: Looking for Books on Kenjutsu Reply #5 - Jul 30^th, 2009 at 4:17am nice blade K'jev!
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Kjev Senior Member Offline Limits exist only in your mind Posts: 299	Re: Looking for Books on Kenjutsu Reply #6 - Jul 30^th, 2009 at 7:10am Thanks! She did say this when it arrived: "You can always send it back if you don't like it." HA! K'Jev
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xxkid123 Past Moderator Offline Hallo, ich heiße kartoffel Posts: 4807 new to california Gender:	Re: Looking for Books on Kenjutsu Reply #7 - Jul 30^th, 2009 at 1:03pm actually...for the genuine part, where you see the wavy part that's all even, it's supposed to be wild and untamed not neat and orderly
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Bikewer

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Re: Looking for Books on Kenjutsu
Reply #8 - Jul 30^th, 2009 at 8:54pm

"Genuine" when it comes to Japanese swords is a sort of relative term. A very nice katana made of modern steels and manufacturing techniques can be a good, sturdy, practical weapon.

As to a weapon produced in the traditional manner by the small number of Japanese smiths that still do such work...If you have to ask you can't afford one.
"Heirloom" blades, produced during the feudal period are worth a fortune. Some of the finely-decorated ones with good documentation can literally be worth millions.

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Donnerschlag

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Re: Looking for Books on Kenjutsu
Reply #9 - Jul 30^th, 2009 at 11:47pm

For the record guys, you can't judge a "Samurai sword" soley by it's hamon. (The wavy stuff on the cutting edge)
On a top quality Nihonto, the hamon can be created to look however the creator wants it to look by simply messing with the thickness in the clay during the tempering process. I've seen a hamon that looked remarkably like an evergreen forest, and another like clovers. (Not to mention one that looked like a sawblade.) Also, just because a hamon isn't visible, doesn't mean it isn't there either, nor does it make it an "Inferior sword". (It's just a matter of the polishing Cool

)

To correctly judge a sword, you have to combine various aspects. Price isn't necessarily a good judge of quality, BTW. And nowadays neither is the nationality of the forge. (China makes some amazing nihonto. (i.e. Hanwei/Paul Chen, Cheness, etc.))

Just a little FYI Wink

As for the original topic of the thread, I'm afraid I don't know. I'm a self-proclaimed weapons collector who practices kali, so I can't help you with anything pertaining to the actual intended uses of a Japanese blade. Tongue

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Kjev

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Re: Looking for Books on Kenjutsu
Reply #10 - Jul 31^st, 2009 at 12:38am

Let me clear up my verbal retardedness.

When I said "Genuine" what I meant was "a battle-ready, good quality, useable sword" as opposed to the $60.00 pieces of crap you see in a lot of places. The kind with stainless blades, edges that are not straight (look down one sometime. It's revolting), nylon-wrapped hilts, synthetic rayskin underneath, and so on. Or (heaven forbid) those nasty things with the cast hilt made to look like some roadkill dragon, like whatshisbucket used (and held like a rapier half the time Huh

) in the old Highlander TV series.

I consider those wall decorations. And generally pretty darn homely ones too.

My blade is not a wall decoration, nor is it meant to be. It does, however, have a place of honor within easy reach of my bed. Wink

It actually is a Hanwei blade. I have to admit, that while I love it, it's a bit odd to find a samurai sword made in China. Took me a whole half second to get over it.

Incidentally, the cheapest high-quality katana I've seen of the non-heirloom variety started at $3,000.00 US.

K'Jev
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xxkid123 Past Moderator Offline Hallo, ich heiße kartoffel Posts: 4807 new to california Gender:	Re: Looking for Books on Kenjutsu Reply #11 - Jul 31^st, 2009 at 10:30am ouch started at 3,000 as for genuine, i sorta got mixed up by genuine and usable to a good extent
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Kjev Senior Member Offline Limits exist only in your mind Posts: 299	Re: Looking for Books on Kenjutsu Reply #12 - Aug 2^nd, 2009 at 7:39pm Sorry xxKid123. My verbal retardedness crept in. Usually it only crops up when I'm trying to explain why she's wrong to my wife. Odd thing is, she usually explains (in a much clearer fashion) why I'm wrong that she's wrong, and why I was wrong on the original subject to begin with. K'Jev
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