Focusing his expertise on the techniques and history of the bokken -- the wooden training sword used by both ancient samurai and today's swordsmen -- the author maintains that training with the bokken is important on two levels for the modern practitioner: to build the physical stamina, rhythms, and adroit body movements of traditional swordsmanship and to achieve something of the animating spirit of the traditional swordsman. This history of the bokken combines the author's concise, eloquent writing style with over 100 photographs to provide the reader with the traditional and modern perspectives of this vital, historically rich practice tool.