- 323 pages
- English
- PDF
- Available on iOS & Android
eBook - PDF
About this book
Kendo is the first in-depth historical, cultural, and political account in English of the Japanese martial art of swordsmanship, from its beginnings in military training and arcane medieval schools to its widespread practice as a global sport today. Alexander Bennett shows how kendo evolved through a recurring process of "inventing tradition," which served the changing ideologies and needs of Japanese warriors and governments over the course of history. Kendo follows the development of Japanese swordsmanship from the aristocratic-aesthetic pretensions of medieval warriors in the Muromachi period, to the samurai elitism of the Edo regime, and then to the nostalgic patriotism of the Meiji state. Kendo was later influenced in the 1930s and 1940s by ultranationalist militarists and ultimately by the postwar government, which sought a gentler form of nationalism to rekindle appreciation of traditional culture among Japan's youth and to garner international prestige as an instrument of "soft power." Today kendo is becoming increasingly popular internationally. But even as new organizations and clubs form around the world, cultural exclusiveness continues to play a role in kendo's ongoing evolution, as the sport remains closely linked to Japan's sense of collective identity.
Trusted by 375,005 students
Access to over 1.5 million titles for a fair monthly price.
Study more efficiently using our study tools.
Information
Publisher
University of California PressYear
2015Print ISBN
9780520284371
Edition
1eBook ISBN
9780520959941
Table of contents
- Cover
- Kendo
- Title
- Copyright
- Dedication
- CONTENTS
- List of Illustrations
- Acknowledgments
- Conventions
- Prologue: Kendo Basics
- Introduction
- 1 • The Art of Killing: Swordsmanship in Medieval Japan
- 2 • The Art of Living: Early Modern Kenjutsu
- 3 • The Fall and Rise of Samurai Culture: Kenjutsu’s Nationalization
- 4 • Sharpening the Empire’s Claws
- 5 • Kendo and Sports: Path of Reason or Cultural Treason?
- 6 • Crossing Swords and Borders: The Global Diffusion of Kendo
- Epilogue
- Notes
- Bibliography
- Index
Frequently asked questions
Yes, you can cancel anytime from the Subscription tab in your account settings on the Perlego website. Your subscription will stay active until the end of your current billing period. Learn how to cancel your subscription
No, books cannot be downloaded as external files, such as PDFs, for use outside of Perlego. However, you can download books within the Perlego app for offline reading on mobile or tablet. Learn how to download books offline
We are an online textbook subscription service, where you can get access to an entire online library for less than the price of a single book per month. With over 1.5 million books across 990+ topics, we’ve got you covered! Learn about our mission
Look out for the read-aloud symbol on your next book to see if you can listen to it. The read-aloud tool reads text aloud for you, highlighting the text as it is being read. You can pause it, speed it up and slow it down. Learn more about Read Aloud
Yes! You can use the Perlego app on both iOS and Android devices to read anytime, anywhere — even offline. Perfect for commutes or when you’re on the go.
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app
Please note we cannot support devices running on iOS 13 and Android 7 or earlier. Learn more about using the app
Yes, you can access Kendo by Alexander C. Bennett in PDF and/or ePUB format, as well as other popular books in History & Japanese History. We have over 1.5 million books available in our catalogue for you to explore.