Review: In The Dojo

General Information

Title: In The Dojo
Author: Dave Lowry
Format: Large format (5.5"x8.5") Paperback
Publisher: Shambhala Publications
Publication Date: 2006
Pages: 207
ISBN:  0-8348-0572-3
Price: $17

Summary

In The Dojo places the dojo at the center of this narrative on architectural elements, rituals, training, and personal philosophies of the Japanese martial arts. The author covers what to expect on visiting a dojo for the first time, what to expect and what will be expected of you when you begin training and what your teacher-student relationship might consist of. Lowry also covers the traditional and modern dress found in the dojo as well as the religious and spiritual aspects contained in the dojo itself.

High Point

• The short chapter on the Martial Language and how it differs from language used outside of the dojo.
• The confrontation between Araki Murashige and his shogun Oda Nobunaga.
• The chapter on The Dojo Year which speaks about observed holidays throughout the year traditionally by the dojo.
• The Glossary
  

Low Point

• I believe the book gets a week start. I did not find the beginning introductory or first chapter gripping or inspiring. 
• I would have liked to have seen summaries of what was covered at the end of each chapter.
• No index.
  

The Scores

Presentation (4.2 out of 4.2): The presentation is very well done. The book is a nice size with an earthy cover tone incorporating a vertically split Japanese and English theme. The back cover is well laid out, easy to read, and very descriptive of the contents of the book. The text is large and very readable.

Clarity (4.2 out of 4.2):  The text is comprehensible and clear. The author spends ample time explaining Japanese terms and writes in a very straight forward manner.

Structure (3 out of 4.2): The structure of the book is very good.   The book is broken out into 13 chapters of nicely sized chunks plus an introduction and glossary. I will dock it some for lacking an index and chapter summaries.

Examples (3 out of 4.2): The intention of this book was never to convey examples of physical training, however it does give good motivational examples and one historical example in the confrontation between Araki Murashige and his shogun Oda Nobunaga. That being said, examples of traditional training techniques one would find in the dojo could have been included.

Exercises (4 out of 4.2): Again, this book is more geared towards the philosophy of the martial arts and the dojo traditions in particular rather than specific exercises. The book does contain one area of memorable exception. In The Dojo Year chapter, several specific types of training regimes that would have traditionally been found in a Japanese dojo are mentioned. These included the motivation for outdoor winter and summer training as well as a New Years Eve training session.

Completeness (1 out of 4.2): On completion of the book I did not feel that everything about the dojo had been covered. I felt that comparisons should have been made between the modern day dojo and a more traditional (i.e. classic) dojo. I would have liked to have been presented with details on what distinguishes a Japanese dojo from a gym, dojang, McDojo, etc. I would have also liked to have seen chapters on architecture and even a chapter on duplicating the atmosphere of the dojo on your own using western methods and supplies. As an example of what is missing, the traditional tatami mat was not mentioned at all in the book. For a book entitled "In The Dojo," these are the first chapters that should have been written.

Editing (4.2 out of 4.2): The editing was well done as I found no memorable flaws in the book on first reading.

Entertainment (3 out of 4.2): Like most martial arts instructional books, the entertainment value was limited. I would have liked to have had the book interspersed with more stories and anecdotes such as the one about Murashige. Although there were other anecdotes in the book, few if any others were memorable.

Value (4.2 out of 4.2): This book will look good on my shelf (as I mentioned before, it has a beautifully crafted cover) and has lots of good historical information which I may have use for in the future. For around $17 this is a good buy but not a must have.

Overall (3 out of 4.2): Overall this was a well done book. I am a little biased since I picked up the book with the desire to learn more about how to make my training area feel more like a traditional dojo. I can see this book being used by instructors as supplemental material for their students. I can also see this book as being useful to the instructor. It would teach them how to enhance the teacher-student relationship, define and explain traditions found in the dojo such as the act of bowing, and how to maintain a more traditional dojo environment. If instructors could learn one thing from this book, it would be for them to insist that their students contribute to the maintenance and cleaning of the dojo that they spend so much time in.

"In The Dojo" receives a very respectable 33.8 out of a possible 42.

Additional Notes and Comments

"During your day outside the dojo, you had one opportunity to approach the tasks that needed tending. One opportunity to interact with others. In the dojo, it is the same. This practice session came only once in your life. Next time, even if it is the next evening, you will be different; the lesson will be different." - Dave Lowry