Kendo: The Definitive Guide
Reference Leisure & Hobbies Sports Martial Arts Japanese Culture Personal Development Self-Defense
Kendo: The Definitive Guide (Kodansha, 1997 hardcover) is the single most comprehensive English-language manual ever published on Japan’s modern sword art. Hiroshi Ozawa—7-dan kyoshi, All-Japan champion, and former national team coach—packs 244 oversized pages with step-by-step photography by Tamiko Yamaguchi, precise footwork diagrams, competition rules, kata, equipment maintenance, grading syllabi, and mental-training drills. From tying the men to advanced renzoku-waza, every technique is shown in crisp 1990s Kodansha quality, making the book both an authoritative reference for instructors and a self-coaching roadmap for beginners who want correct form from day one.
Collectors prize this first-edition hardcover for its rarity and durability. The 265 mm tall, 19 mm thick volume is bound in sturdy cloth and comes with the original dust jacket—now scarce in any condition. Inside, pages remain clean, unmarked, and free of the dog-earing that plagues later printings, while the illustrated boards are square and tight. A faint water mark on the underside of the jacket is noted for accuracy, yet the exterior presents beautifully on the shelf and is protected by the jacket, ensuring the book stays display-ready for decades.
Whether you are a kendo student preparing for shodan, a sensei building a dojo library, or a martial-arts enthusiast who values authentic Japanese pedagogy, owning this vintage 1997 reference instantly upgrades your collection. Unlike later paperbacks, this edition preserves the full-size photos and traditional layout that digital reprints shrink or omit. Secure, search-friendly keywords: kendo manual, Hiroshi Ozawa first edition, Kodansha martial arts hardcover, 1997 kendo book, illustrated kendo guide, Japanese swordsmanship reference.
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