By her own admission, Michelle Manu found Lua and ‘Ōlohe Solomon Kaihewalu under the Martial Arts section of the phone book. When she arrived, Manu spent the better part of two and a half years of intensive training under ‘Ōlohe Kaihewalu before she was able to join his Black Belt class. Since then, Manu has … Continue reading Interview with Lua Instructor Michelle Manu: The Hidden History of Lua
The ninja struck a chord with many Western admirers and Antony Cummins was no exception. When he got his chance, he enrolled in the Bujinkan Hombu Dojo in Noda, Japan, but some things were not adding up correctly. This skepticism ultimately led him to finding his research team and researching deeply into the historical ninja, … Continue reading Interview with Ninja Historian Antony Cummins: The Ninja, Samurai, and Japanese Swordsmanship
Cohen, Richard. By the Sword: Gladiators, Musketeers, Samurai Warriors, Swashbucklers, and Olympians. London: Pocket, 2003. I recall starting this book when I was much younger, driven by my desire to take and ingest all things sword and samurai. I remember my younger self being disappointed that though in the subtitle mentioned samurai, the book wasn’t … Continue reading Reflecting on By the Sword
Cary Mizobe began kendo training later than most, however, his love for the art has remained strong. Starting out at the Torrance Kendo Dojo, he later established his Westside Kendo Dojo in 1987. Today, Mizobe talks about his time training under Chris Mori, Torao Mori’s son, the philosophical side of kendo, and some personal experiences … Continue reading Interview with Longtime Kenshi Cary Mizobe: Kendo and Life, Part I
Jack Yamada began training kendo under his father, Katsumi Yamada, at a young age. His father headed the Kenshikan Dojo for two decades before passing the position to Garrett Matsumoto. Today, Jack Yamada talks about some of the history of Kenshikan and his father. All images provided by Jack Yamada. Martial Arts of Yesterday, Today, … Continue reading Four Strikes with Hawaiian Kenshi Jack Yamada: The Kenshikan
Bennett, Alexander. Kendo: Culture of the Sword. 24th ed. Oakland, California: University of California Press, 2015. Upon first opening Alexander Bennett’s book, I did not know what to fully expect. I know little about kendo training and its subtle movements and skills with the shinai, let alone a succinct history of the art. Bennett, however, … Continue reading Reflecting Alexander Bennett’s Culture of the Sword
Martial Arts of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow 