Nakamura Taisaburo

'The ultimate meaining of the path of the sword is not found in killing but in the polishing of one's own spirit.'-Nakamura Taisaburo

One of the most famous Japanese swordsmen of the twentieth century, Nakamura Taisaburo reinvigorated the practice of tameshigiri (test cutting) as a test of technical and spiritual mastery. Nakamura sensei believed that cutting with a live blade should place one on the edge between life and death, in a state of intense concentration and harmonious alignment of mind and body.

First pubished in Japanese in 1980, The Spirit of the Sword is regarded as the most complete of Nakamura's writings on Japanese swordsmanship. Here Nakamura instructs the reader on the integration of iaido, kendo, and tameshigiri; the correct mental approach to sword practice; training methods and techniques; a guide to sword maintenance; and hisotrical notes on the use of the sword as a weapon. The Spirit of the Sword also includes technical information, thoughtful analysis, and fascinating recollections of Nakamura's own training and teaching. Illustrated with over eight hundred original photographs, this book is an important contribution to the practice of Japanese martial arts and an essential text for any sword practitioner.

'Gavin J. Poffley has done a masterful job of accurately translating Nakamura sensei's philosophy, technical explanations, and anecdotes, capturing the nuances and subtlety of his instruction; it is a beautiful and captivating book that should be on the shelf of everyone who is interested in practical swordsmanship.'-Guy Power, Renshi seventh dan, Okuden Menjo and Densho, Nakamura Ryu.

'Finally, some insight into Japanese swordsmanship from a truly original source! Powerfully written and authentic,The Spirit of the Sword is a book that can be read every year for deeper meaning.'-Bob Elder, seventh dan, Zen Nihon Toyama Ryu Iai Do Renmei

'The same power and directness that made his swordsmanship luminous shines through this text-the fruits of a natural genius, forged in the heat of battle and further refined through decades of intense investigation.'-John Maki Evans, seventh dan Nakamura Ryu; author of Kurikara: The Sword and the Serpent

Contents

Important events in the life of Nakamura Taisaburo
Foreword
Translator's comments
Introduction
Chapter 1 Kobudo and shu-ha-ri
Chapter 2 The integration of iaido, kendo, and tameshigiri
Chapter 3 The correct mental attitude toward the Japanese sword
Chapter 4 The Japanese sword as a weapon
Chapter 5 Essential knowledge concerning the Japanese sword
Chapter 6 Training with the tanrenbo
Chapter 7 The fundamentals and application of tameshigiri
Chapter 8 Toyama ryu iaido (formerly gunto no soho)
Chapter 9 Toyama ryu kumitachi (kata)
Chapter 10 Nakamura ryu battojutsu (kata)
Chapter 11 Nakamura ryu kumitachi (kata)
Chapter 12 Handling and maintaining the Japanese sword
Chapter 13 Examples of instructing tameshigiri and sword-related injuries
Chapter 14 A life of tameshigiri and a record of the restoration of the Hayashizaki Iai Shrine
Chapter 15 Various anecdotes concerning tameshigiri… (plus d'informations)