Martial Arts Education: 220 Sword Techniques That Will Assure Victory

By Kaneko Aizo

This is a translation of an early Kendo (Japanese sword fighting) instruction manual from 1904, 36 years after the Meiji Restoration and the end of the Samurai class. The author, Kaneko Aizo, traces his family history back to the Samurai of the Heian Era in the 12th century. His book introduces 220 sword techniques half of which are Sen no Sen, striking first, and the other half are Go no Sen, or attacking after the enemy has launched a strike. He focuses on the importance of training with bamboo swords as if they were real swords. Illustrations cover key points and show proper form. The volume is interspersed with famous lines from numerous Chinese military manuals including The Seven Military Classics of Japan (including the Art of War) in addition to other more obscure manuals. He concludes his book with a curios secret document purported to be the Secret Sword Scroll of the 12th century Samurai Minamoto Yoshitsune (but seems to be a document from the Jikishin Kage Ryu School of Sword.) This book is in Japanese and English, with the original book reproduced on the left hand page and the English translation on the right hand page.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 1799095894
• ISBN13: 9781799095897
• Release Date: April 2019
• Publisher: Independently published
• Length: 179 Pages
• Weight: 0.60 lbs.
• Dimensions: 9.0" x 0.4" x 6.0"