Traditions: Essays on the Japanese Martial Arts and Ways

In Traditions, Davy Lowry discusses unique aspects of the budo ranging from hacho, or deliberate asymmetry, to uke-waza, the art of "receiving" an attack. The spirit of ryomi, the process of self-evaluation and improvement, is illustrated through the story of Kaofujita, a master swordsman who never stopped practicing the first movement he learned. You'll also learn the importance of yuyo, the distance where an attacker must focus his strike, from the story of Jubei, whose mastery of yuyosaved him in a life-and-death encounter, and the significance of shikaku—, the dead zone, on maintaining balance in combat and in life.

With its focus on traditional Japanese martial arts, and fascinating stories that illustrate key principles and martial arts philosophy,Traditionswill be required reading for serious martial artists.