Karate-Do Kyohan : The Master Text
Written
by Master Gichin Funakoshi,
the founder of Shotokan karate, and translated by Sensei Tsutomu
Ohshima, this book is the definitive guide to Shotokan Karate. A must-have for any serious karateka.
Karate-Do
Nyumon : The Master Introductory Text
by Gichin Funakoshi, John
Teramoto (Translator).
The
first half of the book is full of wonderful history and entertaining
anecdotes, advice on training, and photographs of practice during
the first half of the (20th) century. The second half contains descriptions
of basic techniques, ten-no-kata, and kawashi as practiced recently
by senior Shotokai members. The text concludes with wonderful 'vignettes'
of Funakoshi's teachers, Yasutsune Itosu and Yasutsune Azato, and
of their teacher, Matsumura Sensei. Very highly recommended!
Karate
Jutsu : The Original Teachings of Gichin Funakoshi
by Gichin Funakoshi, John
Teramoto (Translator), Tsutomu Ohshima
As the Kyohan's earliest version, Karate Jutsu has attained legendary
status. Legions of enthusiastic martial arts practitioners have sought
out the original Japanese version, and pirated English-language editions
have circulated for years.
This is the first official
English publication of Karate Jutsu. Karate Jutsu includes rare historical
photographs of Funakoshi himself demonstrating the kata, his early
writings in their original form, and a foreword by Tsutomu Ohshima.
Notes
On Training
Written
by Sensei Tsutomu Ohshima, founder
of Shotokan Karate of America and
one of Master Funakoshi's last
and most-gifted students, this book is a compilation of 30 years of
his notes concerning karate training that originally appeared in the
SKA newsletter. A perfect complement
to "Karate-Do Kyohan".
Karate-Do:
My Way of Life
An
autobiography by the founder of Shotokan karate. It provides a fascinating
view of his life as well as his firsthand perspective of the history,
principles, and evolution of karate.
The
Heart of Karate-Do This
book has been out of print for some time and now it's back! It is
one of my favorite books about karate, written by a man who studied
directly from Gichin Funakoshi. Originally published at The Way of
Karate: Beyond Technique, this book will guide karate practitioners
to another side of karate, a softer, more powerful, and more spiritual
side as described by one of the pre-JKA pioneers, Shoto Kai Master
Shigeru Egami.
The
Art of War
Written in China more than
2,000 years ago, Sun Tzu's classic The Art of War is the first known
study of the planning and conduct of military operations. These terse,
aphoristic essays are unsurpassed in comprehensiveness and depth of
understanding, examining not only battlefield maneuvers, but also
relevant economic, political, and psychological factors. Indeed, the
precepts outlined by Sun Tzu can be applied outside the realm of military
theory. It is read avidly by Japanese businessmen and in fact was
touted in the movie Wall Street as the corporate raider's bible.
Zen
in the Art of Archery
So
many books have been written about the meditation side of Zen and
the everyday, chop wood/carry water side of Zen. But few books have
approached Zen the way that most Japanese actually do - through ritualized
arts of discipline and beauty - and perhaps that is why Eugen Herrigel's
book is still popular so long after it first publication in 1953.
Bushido:
The Soul of Japan
This
book is great for those who are unfamiliar, with the way of life of
the samurai, and the population as a whole in feudal Japan. Siting
similarities with other cultures great histories, it provides a contrast
which brings better understanding to the subject.
Among
Warriors: A Woman Martial Artist in Tibet
In 1991, inspired by 12 years of martial arts practice, Dr. Pamela
Logan, an aerospace scientist and a third-degree black belt in shotokan
karate (SKA), embarked on a rare journey to investigate warrior tribes
in eastern Tibet. This remarkable book offers a riveting account of
her fascinating odyssey. En route, she ponders the discipline of karate
and swallows gallons of yak butter tea. The dialogue she recreates
is stiff but fresh; vivid phrasing beautifully renders the people,
the landscape, and her own evolution. Buy from Amazon.com
Ryoma: Life of a Renaissance Samurai Hillsborough has painted a clear and thorough picture of the times and overlaid it with a compelling story of ingenuity and bravery, supported by 16 years of historical research in Japan. This is definitely one not to be missed by anyone interested in Japanese history, the Meiji restoration or the spirit and determination of the warrior classes of feudal Japan.
Samurai Sketches Samurai Sketches are, to quote the author, “accurate portrayals of the heart and soul of the samurai, the social and political systems of whom have, like the Japanese sword, become relics of a distant age, but the likes of whose nobility shall never again be seen in this world.”
The
first half of the book is full of wonderful history and entertaining
anecdotes, advice on training, and photographs of practice during
the first half of the (20th) century. The second half contains descriptions
of basic techniques, ten-no-kata, and kawashi as practiced recently
by senior Shotokai members. The text concludes with wonderful 'vignettes'
of Funakoshi's teachers, Yasutsune Itosu and Yasutsune Azato, and
of their teacher, Matsumura Sensei. Very highly recommended!
As the Kyohan's earliest version, Karate Jutsu has attained legendary
status. Legions of enthusiastic martial arts practitioners have sought
out the original Japanese version, and pirated English-language editions
have circulated for years.
This
book has been out of print for some time and now it's back! It is
one of my favorite books about karate, written by a man who studied
directly from Gichin Funakoshi. Originally published at The Way of
Karate: Beyond Technique, this book will guide karate practitioners
to another side of karate, a softer, more powerful, and more spiritual
side as described by one of the pre-JKA pioneers, Shoto Kai Master
Shigeru Egami.
Written in China more than
2,000 years ago, Sun Tzu's classic The Art of War is the first known
study of the planning and conduct of military operations. These terse,
aphoristic essays are unsurpassed in comprehensiveness and depth of
understanding, examining not only battlefield maneuvers, but also
relevant economic, political, and psychological factors. Indeed, the
precepts outlined by Sun Tzu can be applied outside the realm of military
theory. It is read avidly by Japanese businessmen and in fact was
touted in the movie Wall Street as the corporate raider's bible.
Hillsborough has painted a clear and thorough picture of the times and overlaid it with a compelling story of ingenuity and bravery, supported by 16 years of historical research in Japan. This is definitely one not to be missed by anyone interested in Japanese history, the Meiji restoration or the spirit and determination of the warrior classes of feudal Japan. 
Samurai Sketches are, to quote the author, “accurate portrayals of the heart and soul of the samurai, the social and political systems of whom have, like the Japanese sword, become relics of a distant age, but the likes of whose nobility shall never again be seen in this world.”
