This book can be taken two ways. First, it can serve as an introduction of safe, practical use of the bokken (patterned after Yagyu-Ryu) to the beginner swordsman. It offers selected waza taught in such a way as to emphasize perfection of sword technique and to maximize the excercise potential of the practitioner (it's a great workout!). The waza are thoroughly explained and are accompanied by many helpful photographs.
The second, and probably more significant, point of this book lies in the author's introduction of the term, suburi. Early in the book, he explains the historical ryu system: samurai were expected not only to master the sword, but also empty-handed Bugei, music, literature, and especially, poetry--it was an exhaustively prohibitive commitment to a Renaissance way of life. Even if one today had access to an authentic dojo representing a respected ryu, cultures and social norms worldwide have changed so much since the days of feudal Japan that such commitment to the truly authentic training of the samurai would be impossible, or at the very least, would wholly lack the practicality to make such a commitment worthwhile in today's complex world.
In order to preserve the spirit of Bugei, however, the author offers us an alternative. Suburi is actually a two-fold path of training applicable to all bushi (practitioners of ANY martial art): on one hand, there is the physical aspect of bokken training. The mere excercise offers patience, discipline, stamina, and especially, grace all with which to supplement the style of the reader (be it empty-handed, or otherwise). The second path is a spiritual one. It calls the bushi of today to make a commitment to the study and practice of the philosophical side of the martial arts. Specifically, for those to whom honor, duty, and self-sacrifice still truly mean something, this sort of spiritual (as well as physical) training may be the only appreciable way to preserve Bushido, the way of the warrior, in the modern world. In addition, it may serve as the only way to offer this teaching and way of life to today's warriors around the world who have no practical access to authentic dojo training.
Of course, traditionalists will argue that this is merely another modern perversion of the Bugei, and admittedly there may be truth to this. But it cannot be denied that Bushido may soon be lost to the world if steps are not taken for the preservation of its spirit. Also, such teachings and ways of life could benefit so many worldwide who hold so dear personal integrity, honor, and other characteristics of the spiritual warrior. Thus, it is my belief that the author's conception of suburi is an invaluable one. I humbly suggest to any who are really capable of relating and sympathizing with this review any of the many books available on the subject of Bushido, or other martial arts-based philosophies.
