Saving Japan's Martial Arts

Dr. Christopher M. Clarke is a prolific author, having written or edited three dozen books on the martial arts -- some of which I also plan to read and review later. He earned a PhD in political science after serving in the United States Air Force. He holds rank in multiple armed and unarmed Japanese martial arts styles. He retired from the State Department's Bureau of Intelligence and Research, where he was chief of the China division. Dr. Clarke wrote Saving Japan’s Martial Arts because, as he stated in the preface, he “was unable to find any full-length biography of [judo founder Jigoro] Kano in English.” Dr. Clarke was apparently unaware of Brian N. Watson’s 2000 book The Father of Judo, a title which I will also review shortly.Dr. Clarke’s book combines three sets of material. First is a history of Japan around the time of professor Kano’s birth, showing how the country was transitioning from its feudal past to a more industrialized and global future. Second is a history of professor Kano himself, with some information on his family but mostly details about his life and pursuits. Third is a history of those associated with the rise of judo in Japan, such as professor Kano’s instructors, students, and peers. Dr. Clarke packs a lot of detail into this 284 page book, mixing photographs, mini-biographies, and stories into the text.There is plenty to like about Dr. Clarke’s book. I appreciated his thorough yet compact background on relevant Japanese history. Dr. Clarke mentions many of the key figures in the history of judo and other aspects of professor Kano’s life. He offers notes on relationships with other arts, like kendo, and how professor Kano encouraged and assisted them. This sort of activity is the genesis for the book’s title, “Saving Japan’s Martial Arts.” Without the reform- and organization-minded activity of Kano, Japanese jujutsu and kenjutsu schools might have withered and disappeared. In some places, Dr. Clarke acknowledges that different accounts exist for various historic events, like the presumed 1886 Tokyo Metropolitan Police matches or the fate of Saigo Shiro. This is important, as there is really no definitive agreement on what happened during some of those critical events in the mid 1880s.Dr. Clarke’s book, while citing many references, in too many cases relies on poor sources. I winced every time I saw a reference to a Wikipedia entry or to an article on the Internet which itself offered no sources. For example, on page 224 Dr. Clarke recounts a tale involving the “God of Judo,” Mifune Kyuzo sensei. The source of that article is a 4 page newsletter with no sources of its own. I saw a similar problem with citing an article on the “aidajudo” site on page 144 -- another reference without sources. Dr. Clarke also cites Internet threads, such as from sites like E-Budo, but doesn’t appear to investigate the sources they discuss.Beyond sourcing woes, the book gets some details wrong. Dr. Clarke repeatedly says the Kodokan awarded Fukuda Keiko sensei her 10th dan rank in August 2011. However, the Kodokan only ranked her to 9th dan. USA Judo is the organization which ranked her to 10th dan in 2011. On page 162, Dr. Clarke says that the photo of professor Kano applying a joint lock shows that the uke is Mitsuyo Maeda. However, Kano is clearly in his 60s or 70s, when he had no chance to meet Maeda. The uke is Kano’s son-in-law, Masami Takasaki, and the photo was taken during a trip to Europe in 1933. There is also a bit too much copying and pasting of other text. Dr. Clarke occasionally forgets that he set the standard in his text to be “Japanese surname, given name.” Sometimes he refers to Japanese people using their given name and then surname. This might be the result of the copying of other texts. I admit that it can be confusing to keep this straight!A few other errors worth correcting include the following:Lafcadio Hearn was not one of Kano’s professors, as stated on page 115. Hearn was a teacher at the Fifth Higher Middle School in Kumamoto when Kano was the school’s principal, as stated in Jigoro Kano and the Kodokan.Kano did not receive a degree in ethics in 1893. Rather, the book Legacy of Kano Jigoro notes on page 327 that in 1893 Kano was appointed principal of the First Middle School. He served through September, at which time he was appointed principal of the Higher Normal School, serving through 1897.On page 118 Dr. Clarke claims, without citation, that “in 1895, he [Kano] received his Doctorate from the Gakushuin.” This is not true. See the associated Martial History Team post for details.Finally, on page 119 Dr. Clarke states (without citation) that by “1895… Kano left the agricultural college to become principal of the Gakushuin (Peers School).” In reality, Kano worked at Gakushuin from 1882 - 1889, went abroad, then formally resigned from Gakushuin in 1891. In 1895 he was principal of the Higher Normal School.I enjoyed reading Saving Japan’s Martial Arts, and if half-stars were allowed I would give it 3 ½. Partway through the book I started to lose some confidence in the text. When I encounter errors, or shaky sources, I begin to question what I am reading. I still appreciate the spirit of the book and I agree with the general thesis. Dr. Clarke offers many pointers for those without knowledge of Dr. Kano’s background. These are good starting points for deeper research. However, it is important to be wary of some of the statements made in the book. Hopefully he might take this review as constructive criticism, revising his text and releasing a second edition.

I been studying the martial arts for thirty one years and I have always been fascinated not only with the physical techniques of the arts but with their history as well. I know quite a bit about the history of most martial arts but judo was one that I never really bothered to research extensively. I new the basic history and origin of the art but always wanted a more thorough understanding of how it came about. This book educated me very nicely. If you wish to know the who, what, when where and why of the art of judo and get to know the founder of the art then look no further. This book is for you. "Saving Japan's Martial Arts" is an excellent book that gives detailed information on the history and very nature of judo. Why its different from its parent art of jujutsu, how Jigoro Kano developed the art and his long journey in establishing the art across the world. I absolutely loved this book. If you're interested in judo or its founder then this book will make an excellent addition to your library. Happy reading. T. Freeland

I thoroughly enjoyed the book, Saving Japan's Martial Arts which is a biography of Judo founder Jigoro Kano. With so little written about Sensei Kano's life this book offers a wealth of information. Beginning with a section detailing Japan's political struggles from the time of Commodore Perry's emergence in Tokyo Bay , through the time of Sensei Kano's birth, the meat of the book brings to light the indefatigable life of Mr. Kano, his indomitable spirit and passion, as he raised Japan's martial arts from near extinction and his untiring work to bring the Olympics to Japan. Also contained within the pages are short "interludes" giving the reader a snapshot of many of Kano's top students including his last remaining direct student, Fukuda Keiko. The book is a wealth of information packed into 281 easily read pages and a must have for the shelf of any interested martial artist and Judoka hungry for information of their favorite masters.

An amazing history of Judo in Japan! A must read for better instructors.

Saving Japan’s Martial ArtsbyChristopher M. ClarkeHighly RecommendedWell illustrated and with copious annotations throughout, this 281-page book gives much biographical information on Jigoro Kano. Unlike others, it portrays in some detail the political, social and economic environment that influenced the course of Kano’s life. Other chapters are devoted to the effect of the Meiji Restoration on martial arts, Kano’s role in assisting Kendo, Jodo and Karatedo, and the battle that put judo on the map, together with biological aspects of Kano’s famous students. Furthermore, Clarke, a well-known scholar of martial arts, explains Kano’s impact on Olympic sports and on his efforts to modernize Japanese education. This fascinating and informative book will appeal to all those who wish for an understanding of how Japan’s martial arts have developed since the 19th century.Brian N. Watson

Great read!