Samurai
Weapons: Tools of the Warrior
 Editorial
Review
Weapons, particularly bladed ones such as swords, are enjoying a
renaissance of interest from every source, from collectors to laypeople.
The samurai, a glorified figure in Japan and the West, employed a
variety of weapons, not least of which was the sword. Samurai Weapons
details how and why their arsenal included not only the sword of popular
lore, but also a variety of other tools, including concealed weapons,
improvised fighting tools, fans, truncheons and pole arms.
The author succinctly describes the society of Japan, how and why the
samurai class arose, and the place that samurai held in that
society through the centuries, focusing in particular on the various
weaponry, how these weapons were used and why. In addition, Samurai
Weapons highlights the influence these weapons and fighting styles
had on many different schools of Japanese martial arts.
About
the author
Don
Cunningham, Ph.D., holds ranks in judo, jujutsu, and kendo, including a
second dan license from the Kodokan Judo Institute in Tokyo. He has
studied and written on Japanese modern and traditional martial arts for
more than thirty years and is a frequent contributor to martial arts
publications. A former award-winning journalist, he is currently
assistant professor at Radford University in Radford, Virginia.
Product Details
Book Reviews
 The
Roanoke Times
A
daily newspaper based in Roanoke, VA, The Roanoke Times
published a feature article on Don Cunningham and his books in their
special section, New River Valley Current, on Sunday, June 8.
2008. Click on the photograph on the right to view the entire
article, "Professor takes a slice of Japanese culture" by
Amy Matzke in Adobe PDF format.
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