Jujutsu Books
A Collection of Curious Jujutsu Manuals
Translations of books on Jujutsu from the late Edo to Meiji Era, roughly 1800-1907.The works in this book include:
- Rules of the Oguri School of Jujutsu & Jujutsu of the Oguri School. Edo Era.
- Kappo: Secret Jujutsu Resuscitation Method or How to Revive the Dead. Additional Material: Striking Points by Matsumoto Yoshino written in 1892.
- Jujutsu Striking and Resuscitation Points Volume 1 by Fujimura Kinjiro written in 1895.
- How to Take Down People Armed With Knives and Walking Sticks With Jujutsu by Kimura Sentaro written in 1907.
- Jujutsu Technique List of the Shibukawa School. 1793. This school was practiced by Sakamoto Ryoma.
A Collection of Curious Jujutsu Manuals: Volume II
A collection of five Jujutsu manuals dating from the late 19th century to the early 20th century. All available in English for the first time. A must for any Jujutsu, Judo or classic martial arts of Japan fan.
- A Method of Training the Body and Mind in theMysteries of Martial Arts
- An Explanation of the Secret Jujutsu Techniques of the Kito Yushin School
- A Solo Training Guide to Jujutsu and Japanese Fencing
- Fundamentals of Military Strategy
- An Illustrated Guide to Kenpo
Kenjutsu and Sword Philosophy
A translation of two books on the philosophy of the Itto School of Sword Fighting. The first is The Twelve Rules of the Sword attributed to Ito Ittosai, the legendary swordsman of the 16th century. He is said to have fought the head students of 33 schools, winning every time. The second is The Sword Manual of Kanamaki Jizai. . The second is a 16th century instruction manual attributed to Ittosai’s teacher Kanamaki Jizai.
Martial Arts Education: 220 Sword Techniques That Will Assure Victory
This is a translation of an early Kendo (Japanese sword fighting) instruction manual from 1904, 36 years after the Meiji Restoration and the end of the Samurai class. The author, Kaneko Aizo, traces his family history back to the Samurai of the Heian Era in the 12th century. His book introduces 220 sword techniques. He focuses on the importance of training with bamboo swords as if they were real swords. Illustrations cover key points and show proper form. The volume is interspersed with famous lines from numerous Chinese military manuals.
Military Strategy
A book by a veteran Samurai to young warriors who had not tasted battle. The man known as a sword saint, Tsukahara Bokuden 1489-1571, composed this work seventy-five years before Miyamoto Musashi’s Book of Five Rings. In the early 1600s a forward was written by the Zen Priest Takuan Soho. This is the first English translation of this work and it is presented beside the original Japanese brush script. According to the afterward, for several generations this document was only transmitted to only one other person.
Featured on Jocko Willink’s Podcast
The Paragon of Military Strategy
The Paragon of Military Strategy Volumes 17-20 of 52. Written by Hojo Ujinaga of the Koshu School of Military Theory. This Military Strategy treatise was presented to the third Tokugawa Shogun Tokugawa Iemitsu. Hojo Ujinaga studied the Koshu School of Military Science under Obata Kakgenori and became his successor. Introduced elements of Chinese Military Strategy such as Sun Tsu into it and began the Hojo School of Military Science. A supporter of the Edo Bakufu government he eventually became a retainer.
Irezumi : Japanese Tattooing
Tattoos As Punishment : An Illustrated History of Tattooing in Japan
An illustrated history of tattooing in Japan. Covers from stone age tattooing up through the Edo Era. The final chapters detail the differing tattooing done by police all over Japan as well as specific police reports of crime and the subsequent tattooing. Translations of official police documents from the Edo Era give specific examples of when and why criminals where tattooed. Many of these sources are available in English for the first time.
Edo Manga
The Edo Manga series presents translations of the earliest Japanese comic books. Classified by the color of the cover paper, red, blue, black and finally yellow, the manga first told simple heroic tales, but as the populace of Edo city became more literate, the stories became more complex. This series will introduce all the varieties from the very earliest incarnations in the 1600s to the sarcastic ironic manga of the 1800s.
- Translation of an early Japanese Manga from 1810. The story revolves around a group of men that get tattoos by the most famous tattoo artists in Edo (the city that became Tokyo.) The tattoos are so realistic that they come to life when the gang goes to sleep, setting off an amusing chain of events. This edition reprints the original woodblock-print book and translates all the dialogue with notations. An interesting look at early 19th century comic storytelling, society and how tattoos were represented in literature.
Adauchi: The Comb Maker’s Revenge (Edo Manga)
- The first ever translation of a horror manga from 1810! A tale of murder and revenge set in 13th century Japan. One of the first Edo Manga following strict regulations on literature decreed by the Shogun. Gone are the sarcastic and ironic takes on everyday life. This new style of Edo Manga no longer take place in contemporary (late 18th & early 19th centuries) society, rather they are set long in the past and focus on themes of fealty, loyalty, honor and service to ones lord.
Help! A Ninja Stole My Soul! (Edo Manga)
- An Edo Manga Double Issue! Two stories by Santo Kyoden. Help! A Ninja Stole My Soul! was published in 1789 and is a humorous and sarcastic look at the plight of an average-joe Samurai who loses track of his soul. With a death sentence hanging over his head, he spends his final days trying to prepare himself for the afterlife. The second story is The Great Serpent Turns 3000 Years Old and was published in 1787. A story of a giant snake that moves to a new village just before he is due to turn into a dragon. The villagers, far from being fearful, greet him as a neighbor.
The Girl Who Became A Taoist Immortal (Edo Manga)
- A double Edo Manga issue. Two stories by the popular Manga Artist Santo Kyoden and published in 1789. The first is The Girl Who Became a Taoist Immortal. It is a humorous and sarcastic story dealing with romance and heartbreak during a gathering of Taoist Immortals. The second is Lord Fudo of Three River Island, Edo. It imagines the Buddhist deity Fudo, Lord of Light, living as an “average guy” in Edo city. He is struggling to make ends meet and to find love.
Kyujutsu/ Kyudo : Japanese Archery
Tools of the Archer : An Archery Manual From 1854
Written by the Samurai Yoda Meiki. This book was intended to be an encyclopedia of bows, arrows, arrowheads, fletching and all other archery accouterment. Yoda Meiki reveals many of the hidden Taoist mysteries that go into the crafting of the bows and arrows used by Japanese warriors. The translator and editor has found corresponding illustrations in other Edo Period military documents to further enhance understanding.
The Eight Devil Targets : Ceremonial Archery Shooting In Japan
A translation of an 18th Century Japanese scroll on equestrian archery. This rare document describes a magic ceremony done by Samurai to banish built up evil by shooting a series of targets. The targets are everyday items including hats, knives, needles and even flowers and shellfish. This mysterious ceremony was handed down in the Otsubo School of equestrian archery from the 14th century. Includes extensive notes and illustrations.
Uchine Japanese Throwing Arrow
A translation of material related to the Japanese Throwing Arrow. Originating as a weapon of last resort for archers whose bowstring had broken, the Uchine evolved into a close-quarters combat weapon as well as a self-defense weapon when traveling. Includes the origin of this surprising weapon as well as throwing techniques by Fujita Seiko, the 14th headmaster of the Koga School of Ninjutsu. Several blueprints for Throwing Arrow construction from Edo Era documents are included.
Weapons Manuals
A translation and reproduction of a Japanese book about Bojutsu. Matsumoto Torata developed this system of Bojutsu (fighting with a staff) in the 1920s. He intended this system to be used in Junior High Schools as well as by people in the community as a method of self-defense. His training methodology likely originated with the Shingyoto Muto Ryu school of martial arts. First time in English.
Ninjutsu & Ninpo
Seppuku
Karate
Gingetsu Itoh 1871 – 1944 was a leading figure in the Ninja boom of 1917-1940. Collections of his newspaper articles on Ninjutsu and books remain popular today.
Ninjutsu to Yojutsu 忍術と妖術 1907
“Ninjutsu and Magic” from 1909 is Gingetsu Itoh’s first foray into Ninjutsu research. Originally serialized in the Asahi Newspaper in Japan, it was later published in book format. Long out of print and sought after by collectors, this is the first time it has been translated since it was originally published over a century ago. The book contains three supplemental sections containing research on Ninjutsu, Yojutsu and accounts of Jujutsu/Judo practitioners versus western boxers. The Ninjutsu section contains numerous articles about Ninjutsu from the late 19th and early 20th Centuries. There are passages on the Koga Ninja and the Shoninki by Eiji Yoshikawa, as well as numerous others. The section on Yojutsu reproduces an illustrated story of Tenjiku Tokubei, a famous practitioner of Yojutsu magic.
Ninjutsu no Gokui忍術の極意 1917
Written during the Ninja “boom” of the early 1900’s, Gingetsu Itoh seeks to dispel the myth that Ninjutsu is an art comprised solely of magic and sorcery. The moving pictures and billboards of the day have lead “the average person to consider Ninjutsu to be a kind of sorcery or magic”. The techniques within are as relevant today as those contained in The Art of War. Itoh “Sensei” shows how the skills of those practicing Ninjutsu came about and the way those same methods were verified on the battlefields of the century of fighting that was the Warring States period With arresting anecdotes from military logs of the period as well as insightful commentary as to how this knowledge can be applied, Itoh Sensei presents a complete picture of what was understood about Ninjutsu in the early twentieth century.
Gendaijin no Ninjutsu現代人の忍術 1937
“Ninjutsu for the Modern Person.” Gingetsu Itoh’s final book on Ninjutsu. Revisiting the historical origins of Ninjutsu with his trademark historical narratives, this time Itoh “Sensei” lays out his theory of how Ninjutsu can be leveraged in this modern world. He parallels these applications with detailed accounts of Ninjutsu training and fighting methods. Clearly laid out with illustrations from the original text as well as his translated notations. Itoh Sensei has dramatically described the way in which Ninja gained their skills and laid out his vision of what Ninjutsu holds for the people of today.
Senjutsu to Ninjutsu仙術と忍術 1901 By Shigetsu Doshi指月導士著
Ninjutsu to Wa忍術とは？1938 By Fujita Seiko藤田西湖著
Koryu Bujutsu 古流武術
Sugawara Sadamoto菅原定本著
The Complete Martial Arts of Japan 武芸全書
Volume One: Gekken撃剣1898
Volume Two: Jujutsu柔術 1898
Volume Three: Kenbu剣舞 1898
Takagi Oriemon高木折右衛門 Edo Era 江戸期
with Fumio Manaka, Robert Gray and Maurizio Mandarino
Jujutsu
Bokuden Ryu Jujutsu速成柔術講義録 : 附・秘伝死活法 1916 By Otsuka Nobuyoshi大塚信義著
Heiho Yukan Volumes 17~20兵法雄鑑 Edo Era 江戸期
Hojo Ujinaga 北条氏長著 with Kazuhiro Iida 現代日本語訳：飯田和宏
The Sword Scroll 軍法兵法記 Edo Era江戸期
Yamamoto Kansuke山本勘助著 with Fumio Manaka現代日本語訳：間中文夫
The Police Officers’ Essential Illustrated Guide to Kenpo 警官必携拳法図解 1898
Tetsutaro Hisatomi久富鉄太郎著
Fudochi Shin Myoroku 不動智神妙録 Edo Era江戸期
Takuan Soho 沢庵宗彭著with 現代日本語訳Fumio Manaka間中文夫
Seppuku 切腹 Edo Era 江戸期
Uemon Moridan森弾右衛門 現代日本語訳Fumio Manaka間中文夫
Self-Defense for Women婦人護身術 1914
Nohata Showa廼畑尚巴 著
Women’s Hanbo Jutsu女式半棒図解 1906
Yamabe Harumasa山辺春正 著
Bojutsu: The Matsumoto System松本式家庭武道棒術体操教範 1926
Matsumoto Torata松本寅太著
The Hundred Rules of War 卜伝百首 Edo Era 江戸期
Tsukahara Bokuden塚原卜伝著
The Eighteen Weapons of War 武芸十八般 1956
Fujita Seiko and Hirayama Heigen 藤田西湖著 平山平原著
Hagakure葉隠 Edo Era 江戸期
Yamamoto Tsunetomo山本常朝with Fumio Manaka現代日本語訳Fumio Manaka間中文夫
Tools of the Archer弓箭図解 1856
Yoda Meiki依田命歖著
Karate Jutsu : Kumite空手術組手 1926 By Motobu Choki本部朝基著
Eight Devil Targets八魔的 Edo Era 江戸期 By Saito Sadayasu斎藤貞易著
Uchine Japanese Throwing Arrow打根 1958 Fujita Seiko・ Sakai Shigeki 藤田西湖著 酒井茂木著
Hojo Kyohan: An Instructor’s Guide to the Police Rope捕縄教範 1926
Mura Inokichi村伊之吉 著
The Twelve Rules of the Sword一刀流十二箇条 Late Edo江戸後期
Ito Ittosai伊藤一刀斎著
Martial Arts Education: 220 Sword Techniques That Will Assure Victory 1906
武道教育 : 剣道二百二拾本勝太刀之法
Kaneko Aizu金子会津著
A Collection of Curious Jujutsu Manuals 柔術伝書集Edo through Taisho Era 江戸後記〜大正時代
Eric Shahan シャハン・エリック編
Tattoos as Punishment 日本の入墨刑罰歴 Edo through Taisho Era 江戸後記〜大正時代
Eric Shahan シャハン・エリック著
Translator of Japanese Books 