In this collection of lively, detailed essays, Dave Lowry, one of the most well-known and respected swordsmen in the United States, illuminates the history and meaning behind the rituals, training costumes, objects, and relationships that have such profound significance in Japanese martial arts, including

• the dojo space itself
• the teacher-student relationship
• the act of bowing
• what to expect—and what will be expected of you—when you visit a dojo
• the training weapons
• the hakama (ceremonial skirt) and dogi (practice uniform)
• the Shinto shrine