Download or read book Samurai Arms Armour the Tactics of Warfare written by Antony Cummins and published by Watkins Media Limited. This book was released on 2018-10-16 with total page 528 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This pioneering study of samurai weapons, armor, and strategies is a fascinating slice of martial arts history, as seen through the eyes of an authentic seventeenth-century samurai master Part of the acclaimed Book of Samurai series, which presents for the first time the translated scrolls of the historical Natori-Ryū samurai school of war, this volume offers an exceptional insight into the weaponry and armour of the samurai era, as well as tactical advice for use on and off the battlefield. Two secret scrolls by the samurai tactician Natori Sanjūrō Masazumi are presented here: Heieki Yōhō, which offers advice for every possible martial situation, from moving troops to besieging a castle to fighting on the open battlefield; and Heigu Yōhō, which explores samurai arms and armour in unparalleled detail. Illustrated with 130 line drawings of arms and armour, strategic diagrams and beautiful samples of Japanese calligraphy, this is essential reading for students of martial arts, warrior culture and the samurai path. This book was written by the seventeenth-century samurai tactician Natori Sanjūrō Masazumi, also known as Issui-sensei, who was to become the most influential grandmaster of the Natori-Ryū school of war. It gives us an unprecedented insight into what the samurai knew about their own specialization—armour and warfare. By listening to a genuine samurai, we can discover a huge amount about the thoughts, ideals, codes and even the feelings of this much admired, but often misunderstood, warrior class. Heieki Yōhō, the first scroll translated in this book, gives leadership advice for use on and off the battlefield. From turning thieves or cowards to good service, to practising ‘external listening’ in order to obtain information from as many sources as possible, to penetrating the deeper motives of those who slander or praise others, the ideas discussed are thought provoking and paint a vivid picture of samurai Japan at war. Heigu Yōhō, the second scroll, gives a rare and precious glimpse into samurai arms and armour, including details of their construction, regulations associated with the wearer’s status, and the fascinating ceremonies, mythology and Buddhist doctrine that underlay their use. With 130 line drawings that clarify the text, this is the ultimate resource for all those interested in the wisdom and practice of the historical samurai.
Download or read book Art of the Samurai written by 原田一敏 and published by Metropolitan Museum of Art. This book was released on 2009 with total page 358 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "This extensively illustrated catalogue is published in conjunction with the first comprehensive exhibition devoted to the arts of the samurai, including the finest examples of swords - the spirit of the samurai - as well as sword mountings and fittings, armor and helmets, saddles, textiles, and paintings. The works in the catalogue, drawn from public and private collections in Japan, include 34 officially designated National Treasures and 64 Important Cultural Properties, the largest number ever to be shown together at one time. Dating from the 5th to the early 20th century, these majestic objects offer a complete picture of samurai culture and its unique blend of the martial and the refined." "Many of the greatest Japanese swordsmiths are represented in this volume, from early masters such as Yasuie (12th century) and Tomomitsu (14th century) to the Edo-period smiths Nagasone Kotetsu and Kiyomaro. The blades by these and other masters, cherished as much for their beauty as for their cutting efficiency, were equipped with elaborate hilts and scabbards prized for their exquisite craftsmanship and fine materials such as silk, rayskin, gold, lacquer, and certain alloys unique to Japan. Japanese armor is also fully surveyed, from the rarest iron armor of the Kofun period (5th century) to the inventive ceremonial helmets made toward the end of the age of the samurai." --Book Jacket.
Download or read book Weapons and Fighting Techniques of the Samurai Warrior written by Thomas Conlan and published by Amber Books. This book was released on 2008-05-14 with total page 232 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Asian history.
Download or read book Arms and Armor of the Samurai written by Ian Bottomley and published by Salamander Books. This book was released on 1996 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The history of arms, armor, and weaponry of the Samurai in ancient Japan.
Download or read book Samurai War Stories written by Antony Cummins and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2013-04-01 with total page 212 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Enter the world of seventeenth-century Japanese warfare and the warrior elite, the Samurai. Samurai War Stories: Teachings and Tales of Samurai Warfare is a collection of three major texts, published in an English translation for the first time. These works include writings on three distinct military strata: the Samurai; the Ashigaru or foot soldier; and women in war. Including guidelines, tactics, commentaries and advice written by Samurai of the period, as well as intricate illustrations. Narratives of actual battles and sieges are included in the texts, such as the famous Battle of Sekigahara. This collection is an invaluable resource that sheds new light on the world of the legendary Japanese warrior.
Download or read book Samurai Armour written by Trevor Absolon and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2017-11-30 with total page 373 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first of a two-part series on the armour of the samurai, this volumes traces first the history of the samurai themselves and then examines the history and evolution of the cuirass or dou, the armour protecting the samurai's chest. For beauty, precision and strength, nothing has ever matched the combination of form and function found in the armour of the samurai. For a samurai, the consummate warrior, his suit of armour was so much more than 'just' protective equipment that could save his life in the heat of battle – it was the embodiment of his personality, social status and very soul. Drawing on over 20 years of research and technical work by Trevor Absolon, a leading expert, this is a complete study of this fundamental aspect of samurai armour construction. Illustrated throughout with photographs and diagrams, this is more than just a detailed technical exploration, it is a meditation on a process that was, and still is, nothing short of an art form.
Download or read book Samurai Warfare written by Stephen R. Turnbull and published by Arms & Armour. This book was released on 1997 with total page 158 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A look at Samurai warfare and specific battles in which it was applied.
Download or read book Samurai written by Mitsuo Kure and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2014-11-25 with total page 613 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Samurai: An Illustrated History brings the violent, tumultuous, and, at the same time, elegant world of the medieval Japanese samurai to life. This book of Japanese history traces the story of a unique historical phenomenon: a period of 700 years--equivalent to the entire stretch of Western history between the reigns of the Crusader king Richard the Lionhearted and of Queen Victoria at the height of the British Empire--during which an enclosed civilization was dominated by a single warrior caste. The historical narrative of samurai history is supported by explanations of samurai armor, weapons, fortifications, tactics, and customs, and illustrated with nearly 800 fascinating color photographs, maps, and sketches, including ancient scroll paintings and surviving suits of armor preserved for centuries in Japanese shrines. From the 12th to the 19th centuries the history of Japan was effectively the history of the samurai--the class of professional fighting men. At first, they were no more than lowly soldiery employed by the court aristocracy of Kyoto, but the growing power of the provincial warrior clans soon enabled them to brush aside the executive power of the imperial court and to form their own parallel military government. Though individual dynasties came and went in cycles of vigor and decadence, the dominance of the samurai as a class proved uniquely resilient.
Download or read book Iga and Koka Ninja Skills written by Antony Cummins and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2013-07-01 with total page 206 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 'A retainer of our domain, Renpeido Chikamatsu Hikonoshin Shigenori, each morning washed his face and hands, dressed himself in Hakama and prayed in front of the kamidana alter ... His prayer was thus: "Please afford me success in war." He kept to this routine all through his life.' Through patient and scholarly detective work, Antony Cummins and the Historical Ninjutsu Research Team have unearthed a Shinobi treasure. The 18th-century military historian Chikamatsu recorded the oral traditions of the Ninja and passed on those skills in lectures he gave at his Renpeido school of war in Owari domain during the early 1700s. Chikamatsu wrote specifically about the Shinobi of Iga and Koka, regions from which warriors were hired all over the land in the days of war. The lost scrolls are filled with unknown Shinobi teachings, skills that include infiltration, assassination, explosives, magic and commando tactics, including an in depth commentary on Sun Tzu's famous 13th chapter, 'The Use of Spies'.
Download or read book The Book of Bushido written by Antony Cummins and published by Watkins Media Limited. This book was released on 2022-02-08 with total page 422 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This detailed exploration of medieval Japan and the samurai is a must-have for anyone with a love of martial arts or Japanese history This is the go-to volume on bushido ("the way of the warrior"), drawing on a wide range of historical sources to paint a vivid picture of the samurai in action and separating the truth from the myth of samurai chivalry. It offers a long-overdue update to the attractive but inaccurate portrait of the samurai painted in Bushido: The Soul of Japan, which has been a bestseller ever since its publication in 1905, and the equally idealistic Hagakure (c.1716). In The Book of Bushido, Antony explores the reality of warrior behavior versus the idealistic depiction created for an Edwardian audience by the author of Bushido: The Soul of Japan. He reveals the truth of how the samurai really behaved and of what they considered to be a warrior ethos. He replaces the image of the perfect eastern warrior with the much more interesting reality of hardened, bloodstained military leaders with human failings and a complex set of ideas about the world, who engage in ritual, magic and ceremony, who lead their followers in war and peace and who, above all, are fighting a battle between addiction to power and morality. This is the story of bushido – the way of the samurai.
Download or read book Samurai Science written by Marcia Amidon Lusted and published by Capstone. This book was released on 2016-08 with total page 33 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "Describes the science behind the armor, weapons, training, and tactics used by Samurai warriors in combat"--
Download or read book True Path of the Ninja written by Antony Cummins and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2011-07-12 with total page 181 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: True Path of the Ninja is the first authoritative translation in English of the Shoninki--the famous 17th-century ninjutsu manual. Authors Antony Cummins and Yoshie Minami worked closely with Dr. Nakashima Atsumi, author of the most comprehensive modern Japanese version of the Shoninki, thus making this English translation the closest to the original scrolls. The information and insights found in this translation are invaluable for understanding the skills, techniques and mentality of the historical shinobi. Whether it involved tips for surviving in the wild, advice on intelligence-gathering techniques, or methods for creating chaos in the enemy camp, this ninja book unveils secrets long lost. Along with its practical applications, this book is an important guide to the mental discipline that ninjas must have to ensure success in accomplishing their mission. True Path of the Ninja covers the following topics: What a ninja is and what equipment he needs The skills of infiltration and information gathering How to disrupt and distract the enemy How to be mentally prepared to carry out ninja missions In addition to the translation of the Shoninki, this book also includes the first written record of the oral tradition "Defense Against a Ninja" taught by Otake Risuke, the revered sensei of the legendary Katori Shinto Ryu school of swordsmanship. Sensei reveals for the first time these ancient and traditional teachings on how the samurai can protect himself from the cunning wiles of a ninja. About this new edition: This second edition contains a new introduction by the translator and has been thoroughly updated to reflect developments that shed new light on the original Japanese text.
Download or read book Weapons of the Samurai written by Stephen Turnbull and published by Bloomsbury Publishing. This book was released on 2021-06-24 with total page 81 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This fully illustrated new book describes and analyses the weapons and equipment traditionally associated with the samurai, Japan's superlative warriors. It examines the range of weapons used by them at different times and in different situations. Beginning with the rise of the samurai during the 10th century, this lively study traces the introduction of edged weapons (cutting and piercing) and missile weapons (bows and guns) over the next 500 years. The book shows clearly how they were employed by individual samurai using many previously untranslated primary texts, and explains how their use spread more widely among low-class troops, pirates and rebels. It also shows how schools of martial arts took over and changed the weapons and their uses during the peaceful Edo Period (1615–1868).
Download or read book Samurai and Ninja written by Antony Cummins and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2016-08-09 with total page 225 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The myths of the noble Samurai and the sinister Ninja are filled with romantic fantasy and fallacy. Samurai and Ninja expert Antony Cummins shatters the myths and exposes the true nature of these very real--and very lethal--medieval Japanese warriors. The Samurai and Ninja were, in fact, brutal killing machines trained in torture and soaked in machismo. Many were skilled horsemen and sword-fighting specialists, while others were masters of deception and sabotage. Some fought for loyalty, others for personal gain. What these warriors all shared in common was their unflinching personal bravery, skill and brutality. In Samurai and Ninja, Cummins separates myth from reality and shows why the Japanese were the greatest warriors of all time: He describes the Samurai and the Ninja as they really were in earlier times when battles raged across Japan--not in later times when war became obsolete and Japanese warriors became philosophers, scholars and courtiers. He describes the social context of the day and the feudal world into which the warriors were trained to fight and die for their lords. He exposes the essentially brutal nature of warfare in medieval Japan. This book is illuminated by many rare Japanese manuscripts and texts which are translated into English for the very first time.
Download or read book Swords of the Samurai written by Victor Harris and published by . This book was released on 1990 with total page 186 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book The Ultimate Guide to Yin Yang written by Antony Cummins and published by Watkins Media Limited. This book was released on 2021-07-13 with total page 343 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The first book to fully explore and explain the concept of yin yang, breaking it down in easy-to-follow terms for all those interested in Daoism, alternative medicine, martial arts and other Eastern fields of study. Illustrated with striking red/black graphics that make the concepts more accessible. The concept of yin yang can be found in some of the oldest writing in the world. It is fundamental to Chinese thought and the route to understanding most Chinese practices, from Traditional Chinese Medicine to Daoism and feng shui. It also offers us ways of enhancing our own lives, establishing greater balance not only in our own environment but also in the wider world if we can work with other people to follow nature's flow. The central question of the book is "What is yin yang?" Step by step, with plenty of helpful illustrations and graphics, it explores the history and changing uses of yin yang - not forgetting the pronunciation and spelling (why yinyang is actually better than yin yang). The book also makes suggestions for working with yin yang, from observing the landscape to get a sense of the ebb and flow of energy through the world, to studying the patterns of nature in order to take what you need but not too much, to approaching sex as a cosmic ritual. After reading this book, readers will understand how to position themselves so that yin yang fills their lives with abundance - how to be in the right place at the right time.
Download or read book Samurai Sword written by John M. Yumoto and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2013-01-08 with total page 208 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The samurai sword: a symbol of the spirit of old Japan, it embodies the samurai's steel discipline, unswerving devotion and peerless skill. With its creation, a feat of craftsmanship passed down by generations of artisans, the samurai sword is generally considered to be superior even to the famed blades of Western Damascus and Toledo. The Samurai Sword Handbook is a precise exploration of the samurai sword designed for sword collectors as well as anyone intrigued by these ancient blades. Detailing the origins and development of the samurai sword, its historical background, styles, famous schools and differences in construction, this revised edition of the classic reference outlines methods of identifying and researching the sword, as well as caring for it properly. This must-have for sword lovers is sure to be a bestseller. Topics of this Samurai book include: Japanese History and the Samurai Sword Types of swords Parts of the sword Blade shape, construction, and grain The making of the sword Inscriptions and their readings Care and maintenance Appraisal and value Relative point values
