Early Shōwa-Period Kendō Training Manual by Kendō Educator, Fuminosuke Kameyama, First Edition, 1936

Kameyama Fuminosuke

First Edition

[Japan swordsmanship] [Kendo] Kameyama, Fuminosuke. Kendō Shugyō, 1936. Text in Japanese. Illustrated with halftones and monochrome instructional plates. Original tan textured boards, as issued, no dust jacket. 302 pages. 8vo. A significant early Shōwa-period kendō training manual by educator and kendō instructor Fuminosuke Kameyama, Kendō Shugyō synthesizes martial discipline, pedagogy, and the codification of kata and practice methods during a transformative era in Japanese budō. Published in 1936, at the height of Japan’s institutional expansion of martial arts in schools, this instructional book reflects the state-driven integration of kendō into character formation, physical education, and national moral instruction. As the author notes, having devoted his career to kendō within the educational sphere, he sets out to “clearly explain the methods for mastering kendō,” foregrounding a structured curriculum that blends technical precision with philosophical rigor. The book includes extensive textual instruction, historical background on sword schools, and detailed breakdowns of footwork, posture, strikes, and sparring theory, supported by a rich suite of plates showing shrines associated with martial traditions, blade typologies, equipment diagrams, and action photographs of paired practice.

The interior content reveals a sophisticated pedagogical system. Full-page images depict Shintō shrines associated with classical sword lineages, visually linking the discipline to its spiritual and historical roots. A multi-sword plate catalogs lineage-era blades, reinforcing the manual’s grounding in traditional martial knowledge. Throughout the text, clear typographic divisions structure lessons sequentially, from introductory theory to advanced waza. One image shows two kendōka in full bōgu demonstrating engagement distance and strike execution, an essential element of early 20th-century kendō training, which increasingly sought to standardize technique nationwide. Light rubbing and mottling to boards, small splits at spine ends, and toning to interior margins, top corner of back cover dog eared; pages and plates remain clean. Binding sound. Overall very good condition. A compelling and well-illustrated prewar kendō manual from a key period in the art’s standardization and national dissemination. Scarce.

Item #22828

Price: $450.00