Book Review - Katori Shinto-ryu: Warrior Tradition by Risuke Otake 2009

Katori Shinto Ryu: Warrior Tradition was published by Koryu Books back in 2009. You can probably tell from this blog I am a big fan of the main line of the Katori style.

Otake has been one of the most dynamic and respected teachers of Japanese martial arts for a long time. This work, in Japanese and English, outlines the Katori styles history, describes important facets of the art, gives some very interesting details and gives a pictorial summary of a large portion of the kata syllabus. The black & white photos are clear. The book also goes into some of the more 'esoteric' facets of the tradition.

The book is highly recommended to anyone with an interest in Japanese martial arts or weapon based martial arts - an invaluable resource.

Spear (Yari) in Owari Kan Ryu 尾張貫流 (Kudayari & others)

Owari Kan ryū is known for its use of the kuda-yari (tube spear). The e (shaft) is run through a kuda (metal pipe) that’s in the front hand of the practitioner. Interestingly the school’s students start training by doing shiai (competition) and only after considerable training they learn the school's kata (forms). Most classical schools that practice shiai do so after learning kata. Thrusting using the kuda. Cross-stepping. Thrusting attack with kuda. Wide stance. Shiai. Shiai using a spear with a cross piece. The original demonstration from which these stills were taken is here:

Australia’s Turning Point – Signals Intelligence leading to the Battle of the Coral Sea

Australian/American Signals cooperation was not only important in stopping the Japanese advance to Australian shores but marked the beginning of Australia embedding its forces with the United States rather than simply furnishing troops for the British. Whilst the British, in my opinion , had a long history of using Commonwealth troops to either protect their colonial interests or to take on deployments with high expected rates of attrition, when Australia faced the real possibility of invasion with the vast majority of its troops and equipment deployed overseas, it was the Americans, whose interests in the Pacific aligned with our own, that were on hand to push the Japanese back from our shores. The Battle of the Coral Sea saw the beginnings of the deployment of Australian sea power under direct American command, a joint approach that would continue to the present time – it was, however, Signals Intelligence that led the way to the embedding of US/Australian forces and played a ma...

New Practical Jujitsu Page & Videos

A new page has been added to the site: "Practical Jujitsu". To begin, a number of videos covering the basic parameters and principles of practical Jujitsu will be added, recorded live from the dojo whiteboard. Check it out here .

Practical Martial Arts Association

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