If the Way of the warrior is the soul of Japan, their magnificent swords were the tools utilized to form the nation and forge their spirit. You’ll find an abundance of information in this special two-part digital anthology in support of this thesis.Kimberly Taylor wrote four chapters, the first being an interview with 7th dan Matsuo Haruna. Haruna offers great advice for practitioners based on his firsthand experience. Taylor’s two highly researched chapters give o...

There are simularities and differences between the European and Japanese medieval warrior traditions that reflect the social evolutions within those cultures. Over the years publishing the Journal of Asian Martial Arts, we published articles that presented the main themes found in this unique area of comparitive studies. The most important of these writings are assembled in this anthology for your convience.Chapters 1 and 2 are by Dr. Willy Pieter, a leading scholar with a ...