The original purpose of iaido was to slay an opponent with one stroke of the sword upon unsheathing; today it is practiced as a martial art, one that improves concentration, develops strength and coordination, and cultivates awareness of an ancient culture and its traditions. This manual of Eishin-Ryu (or "Pure Faith") iaido teaches the most widely practiced sword style, and is illustrated with step-by-step drawings to help students, from beginners to advanced, hone their forms and techniques. Introductory chapters explain the history and evolution of the art, the Japanese sword and related equipment, and the etiquette and code of the samurai, while an extensive glossary and bibliography are provided for further reference.
Customer Reviews:
Avg. Customer Rating: 4.0 / 5.0
A good general guide with confusing diagrams:
As others have said, the diagrams are nearly impossible to follow. It was a good idea to include them, but it's impossible to tell which foot is where. I ended up going through each of the steps and wrote "R" or "L" on the diagrams to give me a better idea of what should be where. Another issue with the diagrams is that sometimes they don't match up with the corresponding paragraph describing what the diagram is showing. Quite simple, the text will be saying one thing, and the diagram will be showing... more info
A good basic book on Eishin-Ryu Iaido drills.:
Though I really enjoyed this book, without a basic knowledge of Iaido, one could easily find the drawings too complex to follow. The book is of value more to a student of Iaido who is taking lessons from a sword master. This text when used in combination with hands-on training would be the best combination. In conclusion, this is a book for anyone interested in basic Japanese Swordsmanship. Rating: 4 Stars. Joseph J. Truncale (Author: Wakizashi-Jutsu Manual, Tanto-Jutsu Manual, Martial Art Myths, Monadnock... more info
A good instructional book, but not definitive:
This book makes no claims to be the be-all-end-all of iaido instruction - it flat-out states that you should go get a sensei. That said, Suino does a good job of providing a good reference for those who know what they're doing and a good starting point for those who don't. I like how each kata's rationale is explained and how each move is detailed. The opening sections, like how to bow and the parts of the sword, are good introductions for beginners. My main problem with the book was that some moves... more info
An awsome book:
I can't say anymore this book is exclent. it has diagrams and is verry informative. just be sure to buy th required equitment.
