This Is Kendo: The Art of Japanese Fencing

Rating:
Summary: Probably among the best English-language kendo references
Review: This was my first kendo book back in 1989 when I began practicing. It is one of only two books exclusively on kendo that I have kept all these years. This is a good book for the beginner who would like to learn a comprehensive background of the sport and the basic moves. It lacks however the tactical applications detail and illustrated step-by-step instructions (particularly for katas) that you might find in some Japanese-language guides (like the DO SPORTS series). Its shortcomings aside, it is a classic text and deserves a place in a kendokan's library.