MartynVHalm

Basically, this book is the collective hardcover version of [b:The Deity And The Sword = Katori Shinto Ryu|9300240|The Deity And The Sword = Katori Shinto Ryu (#1)|Risuke Otake|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327563862s/9300240.jpg|14182916] and [b:The Deity And The Sword = Katori Shinto Ryu|6383415|The Deity And The Sword = Katori Shinto Ryu (#2)|Risuke Otake|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327565775s/6383415.jpg|6571450] and [b:The Deity And The Sword = Katori Shinto Ryu|6383412|The Deity And The Sword = Katori Shinto Ryu (#3)|Risuke Otake|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1327564252s/6383412.jpg|6571447], which are all collectibles, so if you're a serious student of the classic martial arts of Japan, this book should be on your shelf.

Risuke Otake sensei is the headmaster of the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryu, an academy of ancient weapon arts of Japanese warfare or koryu bujutsu. The TSKSR teaches all battlefield weapons in kata (forms) with the aim to turn students into allround warriors. All katas are detailed in this book, as they were in the three volumes of the Deity and the Sword. Still, while much can be gleaned from studying the text and pictures, a student needs to train under a qualified instructor to gain full understanding of the material in this book. As such, this book is a mandatory reference book for TSKSR students, and interesting for martial arts students. For those who merely want to know more about warrior arts of Japan, search for the books by Karl Friday, like [b:Legacies of the Sword: The Kashima-Shinryu and Samurai Martial Culture|803100|Legacies of the Sword The Kashima-Shinryu and Samurai Martial Culture|Karl F. Friday|http://d202m5krfqbpi5.cloudfront.net/books/1178509601s/803100.jpg|789060], which are more academic histories than technical and philosophical manuals.