Rating: 
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: A perfect book for anyone practicing kendo!
Rating:
Summary: Higly Recommended for Beginners.
Review: As a beginner in Kendo this book has definately been helpful. Because the Japanese terms (or words) are used throughout the book it has helped me retain them (I couldn't seem to remember them when learned in the Dojo). It's filled with illustrations, however, I don't think any pictures could illustrate the moves enough. These illustrations combined with what you learn in the Dojo (or on video) should be sufficient, they are definately better than most. In the appendix is good information (and rules) on official Kendo tournaments. I'd say it's a must-have book for anyone new to the sport.Topics that I would have liked to see, but does not include: There is nothing on the care and maintenance of the Bogu or Shinai, or how to select the proper equipment. There is nothing on testing and advancement (Kyu to Dan), although perhaps this varies from Dojo to Dojo anyway. I would have liked to see a chapter on Iaido as well (however, this is because Iaido is an essential part of our Dojo's Kendo training, this may not be the case with all Dojos). Overall a great book. If you're looking for a book on Kendo and don't have this one, get it, you won't be sorry.
Rating:
Summary: An excellent book
Review: As a new student of Kendo, My Sensei recomended this book as the best beginers guide available. It has helped me tremendously. As many students of any Martial arts can attest. To learn correctly from the start can save many hours of having to "re-learn" a technique. This is an excellant guide to help you understand the fundementals of Kendo, from beginer to advanced levels. If you are a sincere student of Kendo, you should get this book.
Rating:
Summary: A good choice if you're looking for just one book .
Review: As of this date, this is probably the most comprehensive English-language text on kendo. It covers more areas than Sasamori's and Warner's "This is Kendo" (which was the first book I had acquired on the martial art). Techniques and katas are well-illustrated; no disappointments with the content.
Rating:
Summary: Wonderful!
Review: At thist time, along this is probably the best english language book on kendo in existence. I have suggested that all of my students buy this book and study it carefully as an adjunct to practice.
In addition to describing the physical techniques of kendo. There is a really nice section on kendo attitude and attitude of practice in the dojo. A careful study of this will help build the foundations of reiho and saho.
Rating:
Summary: Best English Language Book on kendo.
Review: At thist time, along this is probably the best english language book on kendo in existence. I have suggested that all of my students buy this book and study it carefully as an adjunct to practice.
In addition to describing the physical techniques of kendo. There is a really nice section on kendo attitude and attitude of practice in the dojo. A careful study of this will help build the foundations of reiho and saho.
Rating:
Summary: book for everyone
Review: During my stay in Tokyo, Japan, I had several occasions to practice kendo in Mr. Ozawa's family dojo. I am very glad that his teachings finally appeared in the book form. This guide, however aimed for beginners, contains a lot of information useful even for more experienced kendoists, and is good and updated companion to the classic "This is Kendo" by Junzo Sasamori & Gordon Warner. I truly recommend it for everyone interested in Japanese martial arts and culture. By the way, because I am the secretary of Polska Komisja Kendo national federation, there is my home address below "POLAND" in the final appendices of the book.
Rating:
Summary: Excellent beginner reference guide!
Review: For a beginner this book is indispensible! One of the few books where I've applied what was read or read over what was taught in class. The book also makes learning Kendo Japanese terms much easier which helps me to focus more on Kendo than on Japanese. The illustrations also correctly show the proper techniques with easy to understand descriptions. As with any book, this should supplement your Kendo training.
Rating:
Summary: The one to buy!!!
Review: I guess that every Martial Art has its defining manual and this is the one for Kendo... Beautifully illustrated and very thorough - superb.
It ranks equal to 'Aikido and the Dynamic Sphere' in its quality and throughness.
Brill!
Rating:
Summary: Very good
Review: I own both the Complete Kendo book and the Heart of Kendo book.
This book is by far better than the other 2 as far as providing technical information.
Pros:
- The pictures are much better drawn (at least when compared to the other 2 books). Still in some cases a photo would have been more useful.
- The section on kata is presented as numbered steps in 2 columns, one for uchidachi and the other for shidachi. This makes it much easier to understand.
- Many of the movements are described as numbered lists. The other 2 books I looked at just write long paragraphs of text making it very difficult to decipher, even after you've learned the movement in class.
- Goes thru a complete treatment on how to put on the equipment.
Cons:
- The information in the book is not ordered in the same order as you would learn things in a Kendo class so you will need to hop around chapters.
- Sadly there is no index in this book either. I don't quite understand why in this day and age books don't have indices. All 3 Kendo books I own do not have them.
- The descriptions are rather brief so it reads more like a manual than a book.
- The sections on suburi describe that you should swing "big". So in most of the diagrams the shinai is shown drawn all the way behind and almost touching the person's back (even in shomen suburi). What the book does not say though is that this is intended initially to train beginners to swing big. But when you actually perform a strike you generally aren't supposed to swing that far behind your back. But I am nitpicking...
- Book does not cover equipment maintenance.
- There is some use of terms that are not defined in the book.
- Book does not explain how to put himos onto men.
I would recommend getting this book in addition to one of the other 2 books to fill in some missing gaps. However even after owning all 3 books I find none of them cover the full body of knowledge that a beginner encounters. So these books are no substitute for a real class (obviously).
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