Sword Fighting

Sword Fighting: A Samurai's First Lessons is the first English translation of Seki Juroji's 1897 illustrated manual of traditional Japanese sword fighting, Kenpo Zukai 剣法図解.

Seki Juroji (1823-?) studied several schools of Japanese martial arts, including Itto-ryu and Genkai-ryu. He wrote this book with the hope that traditional Japanese swordsmanship would be incorporated into the physical education curriculum of Japan's elementary and junior high schools.

Rather than being intended solely for experienced swordsmen, A Samurai's First Lessons in Sword Fighting presents a graded program designed to introduce children between the ages of six and fourteen to the fundamentals of traditional Japanese sword fighting. The illustrated techniques progress according to the student's age and level of development, providing a fascinating glimpse into how martial arts were envisioned as part of the education of Japan's youth during the Meiji era.

This rare 1897 work preserves an early attempt to organize traditional swordsmanship into a systematic educational program for children.