Taiho-jutsu or Goshin-jutsu
Written: Jan 24 '02 (Updated Jan 24 '02)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: Contains some very interesting anecdotes.
Cons: Contains some erroneous information, and very poor quality diagrams.
The Bottom Line: The overall quality of the book is not of a high caliber.
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| bdenison's Full Review: Darrell Max Craig - Japan's Ultimate Martial Art: ... |
Japan's Ultimate Martial Art: Jujitsu Before 1882 is interesting in that it utilizes a unique antidotal format in its presentation of the material. The book in fact presents the art of taiho-jutsu (the art of police arresting techniques) and not jujutsu. Taiho-jutsu is in fact an offshoot of the older jujutsu systems, but it has been significantly modified for use by the Japanese police force. Many elements and traditions of the older jujutsu systems are non-existent in the more modern Taiho-jutsu systems.
The book is broken into several sections, each associated with a different type of technique (i.e. te-waza, nage-waza, atemei-waza, kansetsu-waza, etc). The book utilizes hand draw diagrams in the presentations of techniques, but these diagrams are of very poor quality and are frequently difficult to follow or understand.
The author is inconsistent in his use of the term jujutsu. In some entries the author uses the spelling jujitsu, and in others places he uses the spelling jujutsu.
The author appears to have made an effort at researching the material pertaining to the history and evolution of Jujutsu and some of its associated elements, but seems to have missed the mark in several key places. For example, the author states that, "around 1100 A.D. that a very famous samurai named Shinra Suburo Yoshimitsu devised an art from this wrestling type of jujitsu and called it
Daitoryu-Aiki-Ju-jutsu" (p. 3). According to the Bugei Ryuha Daijiten, the Daito-ryu system was established in 1899. As stated by H. E. Davey (1997), the ultimate origin of Daito-ryu, as written in the 'Daito Ryu Aiki Budo Ni Tsuite,' is a martial art called tegoi (p. 33).
Though the author holds the rank of Yondan in Aikido (and Sandan in osae Aikido), he includes a historical photograph as an example of kuzushi, but states that he does not know whom the sensei in the photograph (figure 11B, p.
28) is--yet the photo is of Ueshiba Morihei sensei (founder of Aikido) at the Noma Dojo.
On page 11, the author states that, "the oldest book to discuss ki or kiai is Budo Hiketsu-Aiki no Jutsu (The Secret of Budo), published in 1899." Now besides the fact that this statement is blatantly wrong, the author, on page 81, goes on to state that, "No martial art, old or new, would be complete without
the kiai." Is the author trying to imply that no martial art is older then 1899?
The book does include some interesting elements, and a good collection stories from the authors experiences in the martial arts and Japan. The overall quality of the book is not of a high caliber.
Recommended:
No
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Epinions.com ID:
bdenison
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Member: Brett Denison
Location: Aurora, CO, USA
Reviews written: 12
Trusted by: 0 members
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