Dave Lowry frequently travels throughout Asia to research its culture and history, and has written several books about Japan and the budo. He started writing for Black Belt magazine more than 20 years ago and has shared his traditional take on the martial arts world in a monthly column called Karate Way since 1986.
In Bokken: Art of the Japanese Sword, Lowry focuses his expertise on the techniques and history of the bokken--the wooden training sword used by both ancient samurai and today's swordsmen. According to Lowry, training with the bokken is important on two levels for the modern practitioner: "On one, he builds the physical stamina, rhythms, and adroit body movements of traditional swordsmanship. On the other, he achieves something of the animating spirit of the traditional swordsman. He is, through the refinement of his practice, linked in a very real way to his past, for it is from the principles of swordsmanship that the budo of today have based their teachings, no matter what their present form."
Bokken: Art of the Japanese Sword couples Lowry's concise, eloquent writing style with more than 100 hundred technique photographs to provide the reader with the traditional and modern perspectives of this vital, historically rich practice tool.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
Sword by the numbers!:
This book is simple and elegant like the techniques of the Japanese swordsman. Beyond a couple of pages at the beginning of the book introducing the bokken and how to choose one, there is little said in the book other than through the captions to the many photos. This book allowed me to pick up my bokken cold, easily walk through the basic mechanics of the basic techniques and provided me with a foundation of technique from which I could practice to improve my flow, power and focus. I like this book... more info
Bokken: Art of the Japanese Sword:
The book arrived very fast. The book is in excellent condition for a used book. Actually you can't really tell that it is used. It has real people in it and I am real pleased with this purchase.
Save your money.:
I know that Dave is very respected etc. I also practice Shinkageryu.
Yagyu Shinkageryu and the Marobashikai branch of Shinkageryu that I practice do have some slight differences but but use the same Kata. I am not disputing that Dave is Yagyu Kai although I have not been able to confirm that either. Regardless the way he advises to hold the Bokken is somewhat horrid. Curl the pinky under the hilt? Am I missing something here or are you supposed to break your finger in the dojo? Also I have been... more info
An Excellent Technical Introduction on a Rare Subject:
An excellent introduction to one of the most uncredited training tools of budo and bujutsu, the Bokken (pronounce bow-ken), or wooden sword. Author Dave Lowry is a dedicated practitioner of Japanese martial arts and culture, the perfect person to explain the history, usefulness, and general merits of the Bokken, an implement which is commonly used in Aikido as well as many Kory (pre-Meiji martial arts schools) in Japan for a variety of training and partner exercises. I suppose Lowry could have made... more info
