Relatively little has been written covering Samurai sword fighting techniques: here ninja grandmaster provides both a history of the art of Japanese swordplay, rich in biographical surveys and cultural insight, and a survey of classical techniques used in two-sword fighting. Vintage and modern black and white photos and illustrations pack an account that blends step-by-step how-to photos with calligraphy, description, biographies, and background history. A 'must' for any serious not just about Japanese sword fighting, but Japanese culture and history as a whole.

Informatively written by renowned Budo and Ninja grandmaster Masaaki Hatsumi and ably translated into English by Bruce Appleby and Doug Wilson, Japanese Sword Fighting: Secrets Of The Samurai is an in-depth manual about the skill and art of traditional Japanese sword fighting. Black-and-white photographs by Minoru Hirata and Kyuzo Akashi copiously illustrate methods of drawing and resheathing swords, and sword strikes and cuts, while the skillfully translated text delves into the philosophical and spiritual aspects of swordsmanship as surely as the martial arts and physical aspects. Illustrations of traditional samurai dress and full armor, and an appendix of the original Japanese text round out Masaaki Hatsumi's Japanese Sword Fighting, a truly "must-have" manual for Japanese swordsmanship enthusiasts.