Literature
Right now the best possible source for materials can be found from the usual online book sellers.
The following are suggestions for A list, study or suggested techniques or training methods. In general any text which addresses both the history, appraisal and appreciation of the weapons of Japan should be considered such as any work by William Hawley or those of John Scott Slough, Richard Fuller and Ron Gregory and additionally those works of Gary Murtha.
Sword Appreciation and Understanding
The Samurai Sword (A Handbook) by John M. Yumoto
THE CRAFT OF THE JAPANESE SWORD by Leon & Hiroko Kapp and Yoshindo Yoshihara
THE CONNOISSEUR’S BOOK OF JAPANESE SWORDS by Kokan Nagayama
SWORDSMANSHIP TRAINING AND
TECHNIQUES
FLASHING STEEL by Masayuki Shimabukuro & Leonard J. Pellman
JAPANESE SWORDSMANSHIP by Gordon Warner & Donn F. Draeger
PRACTICE DRILLS FOR JAPANESE SWORDSMANSHIP by Nicklaus Suino
LOOKING AT A FAR MOUNTAIN by Paul Budden
THE ART OF JAPANESE SWORDSMANSHIP by Nicklaus Suino
IAI (The art of Drawing the Sword) by Darrel Craig
Mugai-Ryu The Classical Samurai Art of Drawing the Sword by Darrel Craig
kYUDO
KYUDO (The Japanese Art of Archery) by William Acker
ZEN IN THE ART OF ARCHERY by Eugen Herrigel
ONE ARROW, ONE LIFE (Zen, Archery, Enlightenment) by Kenneth Kushner
KYODO (The Essence and Practice of Japanese Archery) by Hideharu Onuma w/ Dan & Jackie DeProspero
PHYLOSOPHY
HAGEKURE (The Book of the Samurai) by Yamamoto Tsunetomo
SOUL SWORD (The Way and Mind of a Zen Warrior) by Vernon Kitabu Turner
GO RIN NO SHO (THE BOOK OF FIVE RINGS) by Miyamoto Musashi
MOVING TOWARD STILLNESS by Dave Lowery
THE ART OF WAR by Sun Tzu
CODE OF THE SAMURAI by Taira Shigesuke translated by Thomas Cleary
HISTORICAL REFERENCE
THE SAMURAI (A Military History) by S.R. Turnbull
ARMS AND ARMOR OF THE SAMURAI by I.Bottomley & A.P. Hopson
Samurai The weapons and Spirit of the Japanese Warrior by Clive Sinclaire
Samurai An Illustrated History by Mitsuo Kure
JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE
Making Shoji by Toshio Odate & Laure Olender
SHOJI: (How to Design, Build, and Install Japanese Screens) by Jay Van Arsdale
THE JAPANESE HOUSE:ARCHITECTURE AND INTERIORS by Alexandra Black & Noboro Murata
The Japanese House /the inner Harmony of by Atsushi Ueda
THE JAPANESE BATH (fURO) by Bruce Smith & Yoshiko Yamamoto
JAPANESE HOMES AND THEIR SURROUNDINGS by Edward Morse & C. Lancaster
Japanese Garden Design by Marc P.Keane
Sakuteiki Visions of the Japanese Garden (A true Classic) by Jiro Takei & Marc Keane
MASTER’S BOOK OF BONSAI by the Directors of the Japan Bonsai Association
Chanyu
The Tra Ceremony by Sen‘o Tanaka
The Book of Tea by Kakuzo Okakura
The Japanese Tea Ceremony by Julia Nakamura
MUSIC
JAPAN (Shakuhachi -the Japanese Flute) by Kohachiro Miyota
SHAKUHACHI MEDITATION MUSIC by Stan Richardson
MATSURI (Traditional Japanese Percussive Music by Various Artists
JAPAN – SHAKUHACHI – AND KOTO by Various Artists
KOTO MUSIC OF JAPAN by Zumi-kai Original Instrumental Group
KODO (Heartbeat Drummers of Japan)
KODO (The Best Of)
FILMS (Classics)
THE HIDDEN BLADE by Yogi Yamada starring Masatoshi Nagase, Takako Matsu
THE TWILIGHT SAMURAI by Yogi Yamada starring Hiroyuki Sanada, Rie Miyazawa
SAMURAI 1,2,3 (the story of Miyamata Musahshi) by Hiroshi Inagaki and starring Tashiro Mifune
SANJIRO by Akira Kurosawa and starring Tashiro Mifune
SEVEN SAMURAI by Akira Kurosawa and starring Tashiro Mifune
YOJIMBO by Akira Kurosawa and starring Tashiro Mifune
KAGEMUSHA by Akira Kurosawa and starring Tatsuna Nakadai
SAMURAI ASSASSIN by Kihachi Okamoto and starring Tashiro Mifune
SWORD OF DOOM by Akira Kurosawa and starring Tatsuna Nakadai
SAMURAI REBELLION by Masaki Kobayashi and starring Tashiro Mifune
THE 47 RONIN by Kenji Mizoguchi
CHUSHINGURA (The Loyal 47 Retainers) by Hiroshi Inagaki
THE HIDDEN FORTRESS by Akira Kurosawa and starring Tashiro Mifune
HEAVEN and EARTH by Haruki Kadokawa starring Takaaki Enoki
SHOGUN by James Clavel starring Richard Chamberlain (*don’t buy the condensed film. You want the entire mini series)
NOVELS
Non-Fiction
MUSASHI An Epic Novel of the Samurai Era by Eiji Yoshikowa
Fiction
The Nicolas Linnear series by Eric Von Lustbader
The Ninja
The Miko
White Ninja
The Kaisho
Floating City
Second Skin
Also by Lustbader
Black Blade
Angel Eyes
French Kiss
Zero
Shan
Jian
Black Heart
Sirens
And His Sunset Warrior series
Dragons on the Sea of Night
Beneath an Opal Moon
Dai-san
Shallows of Night
The Sunset Warrior
