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Martial Arts Training in Japan: A Guide to the Source
It is a goal for many practitioners of martial arts to study with masters in Japan. But it is not so simple for a Westerner to simply show up and sign up. There are rules and customs to be followed. As a Westerner who did study in Japan, author David Jones will help guide you through the pitfalls and achieve an invaluable learning experience. Martial Arts Training in Japan features detailed explanations in the ways of Japanese martial culture, including specific tips and caveats on how to apply for classes as well as how to get the most out of one's training. If you ever plan to study martial arts in Japan, this indispensable manual will guide you through the ins and outs of what you need to know to get the most out of your trip.
- GenresMartial Arts
196 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2001
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January 3, 2009
This book is exactly what it says: a guide for Westerners for practicing martial arts while living in Japan.
This book is useful for three reasons. First, it provides an overview of several of the more prominent martial arts practiced in Japan. Second, it provides contact information (as of 2002) for various schools to train at in Japan. Third, it gives a good introduction to customs and practices in Japan to help observe and respect those customs.
The book is decent for someone relatively new to martial arts. The one thing I really disliked was the chapter of the transcribed conversation with Aikido Master Mitsugi Satotome. Jones comes across as fairly knowledgeable and advanced in his practice throughout most of the book, but the tone and feeling of his conversation with Satotome betrays his Western bias and ignorance, treating budo as a novelty/mystery and not listening to the master's attempts to dispel the mystery surrounding it. I don't like it when people try to treat martial arts, or foreign culture of any kind, as a novelty and excessively "otherize" it, especially when people from that culture try to bridge the gap and make sense of it. Jones is not alone in this respect and I don't mean to be excessively critical, but this chapter really worked against the purpose of this book instead of contributing to its value.
This book is useful for three reasons. First, it provides an overview of several of the more prominent martial arts practiced in Japan. Second, it provides contact information (as of 2002) for various schools to train at in Japan. Third, it gives a good introduction to customs and practices in Japan to help observe and respect those customs.
The book is decent for someone relatively new to martial arts. The one thing I really disliked was the chapter of the transcribed conversation with Aikido Master Mitsugi Satotome. Jones comes across as fairly knowledgeable and advanced in his practice throughout most of the book, but the tone and feeling of his conversation with Satotome betrays his Western bias and ignorance, treating budo as a novelty/mystery and not listening to the master's attempts to dispel the mystery surrounding it. I don't like it when people try to treat martial arts, or foreign culture of any kind, as a novelty and excessively "otherize" it, especially when people from that culture try to bridge the gap and make sense of it. Jones is not alone in this respect and I don't mean to be excessively critical, but this chapter really worked against the purpose of this book instead of contributing to its value.
Displaying 1 of 1 review