Iai the Art of Drawing the Sword

by Darrell Max Craig

Book Overview

Master the ancient samurai art of iaijutsu with this expert martial arts guide. To the Japanese, the sword is a spiritual weapon, possessed of a kind of divinity, a self reflective of the soul of its maker, owner, and user. Around its mystical powers has grown a centuries-old ritual and a fascinating, intricate discipline. This unique guide unlocks the mysteries of this ancient ritual practice, explaining the history and significance of swords in...

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0804870233
• ISBN13: 9780804870238
• Release Date: June 1991
• Publisher: Tuttle Publishing
• Length: 280 Pages
• Weight: 0.79 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.6" x 8.3"

Customer Reviews

Very helpful

I found this book to be informative, and well done. It has things for the beginner to the expert. I found the drawings very helpful and the drills were very well described. over all i loved it

A good history of the Japanese sword!

This book offers a lot of great information. It starts with care of the blade, and a little history. It then progresses into several basic techniques, a history of ritual suicide, the 47 ronin and how the old blades were tested on prisoners, their results printed on the tang (I have actually found blades with such ratings on them). It also covers identifying marks on blades, what to look for when looking at a historic sword and more.Worth every penny I spent for it.

A Wonderful Guide

Craig Sensei has done a wonderful job with this treatise that remains the foremost primer on Iado. I would recommend this book for anyone interested in Iado, Kenjutsu or Japanese culture in general. It has been quite a long time since I first read this book and having recently picked it up again I felt compelled to post a review and state that it is still at the forefront.

A good guide to understanding Iaido

This book covers a lot of ground! It includes everything from every part of a Japanese sword, seppuku, how the blades were tested (and includes more humane tests one can do at home in this modern age), along with taking care of the blade, dos and don'ts as well as some great history. Great book, I highly recommend it!

Awsome, Very detailed and easy to read

This book is a MUST for anyone whom is at all interested in swords. Not only does it tell the history but it also illustrates in detail of how kata and testing was performed. It's also very easy to read and will keep you willing to read on for hours. Enjoy.