Classical Budo

Donn Draeger was one of the most famous and well-respected martial artists of the twentieth century, and he was a pioneer in bringing Asian martial arts study to the West. Here, he illuminates the compelling historical, political, and philosophical events that gave rise to the development of the budo arts. The classical budo, or martial ways" are not combat systems like their forerunner, bujutsu, or "martial arts"; nor are they sports like modern judo, kendo, or karate. They are first and foremost spiritual disciplines, whose ultimate goal, achieved through the most rigorous mental and physical training, is self-realization in the tradition of Zen Buddhism. The author details the history, philosophy, and methods of a variety of these "martial ways," some using weapons and some weaponless, and reveals how they evolved from their combative roots.

The book includes fascinating artwork from classical sources, and archival photographs of modern budo masters in action.

"Of the greatest importance in the classical budo is the spirit of self-improvement, not of self-defense, and these systems are not intended to serve as systems of self-defense, as evidenced by the fact that the best experts of these disciplines are better known for their sophisticated nature, rather than their combat capabilities. If the reader wants to engage in a self-defense system, it is better to seek another type of training among the classical bujutsu or modern related disciplines developed for that purpose.”

Donn Draeger