Teaching and Learning Japanese Martial Arts (Paperback)

In contrast to the overabundance of writings about martial arts that are often promotional and misinformative, there are rare works by scholars that are praiseworthy for their sincere, unbiased approach to writing. This is the very definition of “scholarly.” This two-volume anthology brings together the best scholarly works published in the Journal of Asian Martial Arts on the topic of teaching and learning Japanese martial arts. In this volume, you’ll find ten chapters that dive deep into Japanese martial traditions, combining aspects of history and culture that explain how teaching methods developed and evolved. Harrison-Pepper’s chapter sets the tone with a focus on the fundamental student–teacher relationship that is responsible for the transmission of any art. She uses sociological and performance studies to analyze the martial art’s maturing process. Since Japan was ruled by a warrior class for nearly 700 years, it is necessary to understand the method by which warriors were educated through the ryuha system. Nyle Monday’s chapter presents this system. Dr. Hershey explores the way in which a martial art can serve as a vehicle for non-discursive intercultural exchange in the teaching process. His chapter provides a discussion of the importance of embodying the feeling or aesthetic of a particular system as a way of knowing and understanding martial techniques. The next three chapters were originally prepared for a meeting of the Association for Asian Studies. Dr. Varley states that most who have written about martial arts practice are not trained scholars. He discusses the state of writing in this field and introduces the other authors. Dr. Hurst discusses the characteristics of the martial arts that place them into the category of “artistic ways.” This reflects the “family headship” system of instruction to carry on the school’s traditions. Dr. Friday defines the term ryuha as “branch of the current,” representing the onward flow of a stream of thought; the branches betoken the splitting off that occurs as insights are passed from master to students, generation after generation. In the next chapter, Dr. VanHorne's research is persuading, showing that the ultimate goal of the training is to foster individuals to contribute to the betterment of the collective society with social responsibility. In the following chapter, Dr. Donohue analyzes the organizational components of traditional martial arts training and relates them to modern pedagogical theories. He concludes that the instructional theory embedded in martial arts training is at least as sophisticated and highly developed as are the techniques and philosophies of these systems. In the next chapter, he examines kata training as (1) a cultural activity that has been shaped by the structural characteristics of Japanese culture, and kata training as (2) a highly structured and effective mechanism for imparting technical skill in the martial arts. Kim Taylor provides the final chapter dealing with “progressive instruction” found in many kata-based martial arts. Using iaido (sword drawing) as an example, he demonstrates how a set of practice can build—one kata after the other—from simple to more complex ideas and provide a deeper understanding of the entire set. If you are interested in Japanese martial traditions, you will find much in these ten chapters that clarify why the arts are taught according to a longstanding tradition—and also why there have been evolutionary changes in the instructional methods. There is sound logic for the old traditions, as well as for the changes. The scholarly research presented in this anthology will improve a teacher’s way of instructing and help a student understand what to expect out of his or her studies.

They met at Columbia University, where Mr. Ratti was doing graduate work in Classical Languages and Literature. Mr. Ratti’s interest in the various dimensions of human beings in conflict began in Italy when he was still in his teens and continued while he pursued his studies in Law at the Universities of Genoa and Naples. Afterward, when he came to the United States, he deepened his exploration of dynamic graphic expressions of such conflicts, while expanding his research into the historical and philosophical evolution of both the East and the West. He then began to concentrate on the integration of text and images in both technical and literary publications.

They met at Columbia University, where Ms. Westbrook was studying philosophy. She worked first at a major international advertising agency, and then moved into book publishing, where her forte has been developing the text and illustration material for a variety of art and other illustrated book subjects, through close association with authors, individual artists, and photographers, as well as with museums and other cultural institutions.