IAI: The Art Of Drawing The Sword

by Darrell Max Craig

Master the ancient samurai art of iaijutsu with this expert martial arts guide.

To the Japanese, the sword is a spiritual weapon, possessed of a kind of divinity, a self reflective of the soul of its maker, owner, and user. Around its mystical powers has grown a centuries-old ritual and a fascinating, intricate discipline. This unique guide unlocks the mysteries of this ancient ritual practice, explaining the history and significance of swords in the samurai culture, and documenting the techniques of swordsmanship, as no other book in English does.

The Art of Drawing the Sword is a thorough examination of the traditional Japanese martial art of iaijutsu. Included in this volume are introductions to sword care and selection; general etiquette and the training uniform and gear; proper basic sword procedure; sword techniques and drills for practice and demonstrations; kata; and sword testing; as well as the story of the Chushingura (the 47 Ronin). Generously illustrated with black and white photographs and line drawings, The Art of Drawing the Sword is a storehouse of information for both the aspiring student and the experienced swordsman.

Genres: Martial Arts, Reference, History, Nonfiction, Asia

280 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1983

Reviews

[Yates Buckley · Rating 3 out of 5]

A collection of historical notes and illustrations used to train samurai in their arts. The violence of the training brings a sobering perspective to what is often seen as pure and spiritual.

[Victor Whitman · Rating 3 out of 5]

A little esoteric for those not learning one of the sword arts. I read a version published in 1981, pretty early. It is a good manual and introduction. I only skimmed the description of the katas, which form about a third of the book, as this is not a style that I am familiar with; however, sections on the history of the sword, sword types, and history of the sword arts were well written and interesting. I would recommend this for people with some experience in martial arts.

[Heath Nevergold · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really liked this book, mainly for is reference material but also the anecdotes and stories used to illustrate the point were very informative and entertaining. I would recommend this book for anyone whom practices Iaido and Kendo as a reference for the basics and some of the similarities & differences in various styles.

[Kevin O'Brien · Rating 3 out of 5]

Reasonable overview of Iaido; the majority of the text describes the formal aspects of practice, with some philosophical and comparative information near the end. The images that are present are clear black-and-white photographs, with close-ups of specific aspects of the technique, although no waza can be learned from a book.

[Ole Bentsen]

This thing is rather plain and not very elaborately written, but it appears to be quite informative for those of us who are novice in the elegant drawing of the Sword. Includes handy tips on how to test your sword on stacks of unfortunate peasants.

[Christopher · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a very well rounded introduction to iaido. The book covers a bit of the history, philosophy, and the technical aspects of the art. I enjoyed what was a very well rounded and entertaining read.

[Finbar · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice overview of the Art and rituals behind it. This is a great place for beginners or those interested in finding out more about the traditions behind Japanese swordsmanship.

[Dan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written and a good text for introduction to the art of Iai. Nice illustrations to support the text.

[Matt Kelland · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fascinating.

[Michael Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

Informative, and dry, overview of drawing and handling a sword in the samurai style. Great for knowledge and further reinforcement of the philosophy that is also an artform.

[Brandon · Rating 3 out of 5]

Informative book, but it was showing its age in presentation