Budo Books

18/07/2025

https://budobooks.jp/?p=1759
"Strategy and the Art of Peace - Tenshinsho-den Katori Shinto-ryu" by Otake Risuke-sensei (1926-2021), is now available from online bookstores such as Amazon, Barnes & Noble, and many more! You no longer need to pay postage for it to be sent from Japan!
It is also available in e-book format on the Budo Books app and Kindle.
See the Budo Books homepage for details!

16/07/2025

https://budobooks.jp/?p=2292
Budo Beat 29: “Ken-Tai Itchi” and Turning Trouble into Triumph
The latest Budo Beat Blog is up on the Budo Books homepage now!
In this article, Alex Bennett discusses "ken-tai itchi" - unity of attacking and waiting.
The famous Edo period sword expert, Minamoto Kiyomaru wrote regarding ken-tai, “If you merely wait, it becomes difficult to transition into an attack. If your intention is solely aggressive, your mind becomes restless. Therefore, attack within waiting, and wait within attacking.”
Alex discusses this concept by also drawing upon works by Miyamoto Musashi and Yagyu Munenori, as well as similar ideas found in other budo such as karate and judo.
#武道 #武士道 #空手 #剣道

07/07/2025

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jltbGPcMZsk
"Budo Bite | Episode 02: Heijoshin or Maintaining a Calm and Steady Mind"
The latest Budo Bite mini-podcast is up on YouTube now!
Check it out!!
#武道 #剣道 #空手 #武士道

Budo Bite is a mini-podcast series about Japanese martial arts culture. The series is envisioned as a digestible and diverse exploration of all aspects of bu...

02/07/2025

https://budobooks.jp/?p=2248
Budo Beat 28: Finding Your Inner Goose
Kiai. We're all embarrassed to do it when we start kendo, but soon get to love it! In this blog post, Alexander Bennett discusses the different types of kiai and their meanings:
"Kiai is a powerful shout used in martial arts to focus energy, boost confidence, and intimidate opponents. It’s like letting out a fierce yell right as you strike or defend, helping you commit fully to the action. The kill cacophony!"
#剣道 #武道

26/06/2025

https://budobooks.jp/?p=2238

Budo Beat 27: Gaping, Not Aping

In this instalment of the Budo Beat Blog, Alex Bennett discusses the importance of "mitori-geiko", or "observational training".

"Mitori-geiko, that budo concept whose literal translation— ‘practice by watching’—undersells its complexity rather neatly, is essentially martial arts as serious armchair philosophy. .... Yet, mitori-geiko isn’t mere passive spectating; it demands relentless mental engagement, an eagle-eyed scrutiny, and an acute knack for distinguishing genuine skill from flamboyant nonsense."

Next time you're injured and cannot train, or are waiting in line to practice, take the opportunity to study those you are watching!
#武道 #空手 #武士道 #剣道

17/06/2025

https://budobooks.jp/?p=2219
Budo Beat 26: The Philosophy of Zanshin No. 3 – “The History of Zanshin” (Part 2)
In the latest instalment of the Budo Beat Blog, Alexander Bennett continues his series on the philosophy of zanshin with a discussion of its history.
The meaning of zanshin ".... varied somewhat depending on the era and martial arts school. With the modernisation and competitive transformation of martial arts, zanshin has become established as a central concept. This article focuses specifically on swordsmanship. I examine how zanshin became established in the lexicon of modern budo through addressing the frowned-upon act of “hikiage”—the premature relaxation or haughty withdrawal to assert victory following the completion of a technique in a match."
#武道 #剣道

08/06/2025

https://budobooks.jp/?p=2207
Budo Beat 25: "Sacred Space"
After attending the opening ceremony of a brand new dojo in the centre of Tokyo, Alexander Bennett reflects on the meaning and importance of the "dojo" in the latest instalment of the Budo Beat Blog.
"Originally, “dojo” was a Buddhist word, meaning a spot where monks trod the holy path, sharpened their spiritual wits, and spread wisdom far and wide. Over time, someone sensible decided the term fit martial arts training halls rather nicely too. In particular, kendo borrowed the term, not because practitioners fancied themselves as monks—though some certainly take austerity to a monastic extreme—but because the word captured the deeper, intangible aspects of training."
#剣道 #武道

30/05/2025

https://budobooks.jp/?p=2183
"Budo Beat 24: For Whom the Bell Tolls"
The latest entry is up on the Budo Beat Blog. In this instalment, Alex discusses his recent attempt at the kendo 8-dan exam and the concept of "ai-uchi".
"There comes a moment in every kendo practitioner’s life when you realise the sword cuts both ways—literally. The Japanese have a word for this particularly troublesome phenomenon: ai-uchi (相打ち), which loosely translates as “mutual strike”, though in reality, it’s something closer to “mutual destruction.” Not quite as cheerful, admittedly, but significantly more accurate."
Check it out!
#武道 #剣道

21/05/2025

https://budobooks.jp/?p=2155
Budo Beat 23: Kiai to Kanpai in the Dai-ni Dojo
Probably the most important topic discussed so far in the Budo Beat Blog! Click the link to read about the significance of the (in)famous Dai-ni Dojo (2nd Dojo) in martial arts practice.
#武道

24/04/2025

https://budobooks.jp/?p=2131
Budo Beat 22: Dan, Not Done
In the latest instalment of the Budo Beat Blog, Alexander Bennett discusses the significance of the "dan" grading system found in the budo arts.
Check it out!!
#武道

18/04/2025

https://budobooks.jp/?p=2111
Budo Beat 21: "Shu-perb, Ha-mazing, Ri-markable"
The latest installment of the Budo Beat Blog is up on the Budo Books homepage now!
In this article, Alex Bennett gets to grip with "shu-ha-ri", a profound concept in both the martial arts and other "ways".
"The essence of shu-ha-ri can best be distilled into a simple, poetic dictum drawn from Takano Sasaburō’s venerable text Kendō: “At first, train openly and boldly in the techniques. In the middle stage, explore widely. In the end, waste nothing.”"
#武道

08/04/2025

https://budobooks.jp/?p=2086
Budo Beat 20: Poise Under Pressure
The latest instalment of the Budo Beat Blog is up on the Budo Books homepage now! See the link above.
This entry focusses on "Kigurai (気位)", an elusive and maddening Japanese budo term that deftly dodges neat English equivalents. It could be rendered into English as something like “dignified presence” or “commanding presence”, like a flawlessly drawn bowstring—balanced tension, graceful precision, poised with latent power—qualities at the very soul of budo.
#武道