Secrets of the Japanese Art of War

Secrets of the Japanese Art of War is Thomas Cleary's translation of the seminal writings attributed to Yamamoto Kansuke (1501-1561) on Japanese martial arts and military service. A mysterious man of humble origins, Yamamoto distinguished himself in the service of the redoubtable Takeda Shingen (1521-1573), heir to a long lineage of warriors and renowned for having fought thirty-nine battles without a single defeat. Yamamoto was a career soldier and founder of the so-called "School of Certain Victory", from which the famous Miyamoto Musashi (The Book of Five Rings) emerged. His school developed the art of discerning situational combat advantage, so that the attentive warrior or general would commit himself to action only when success was virtually assured.

“Praise for Thomas Cleary: "One of the foremost contemporary translators of classical Buddhist and Taoist literature,...[Cleary's] translations shine with clarity and express the insights of these great teachers with beauty and understanding."-Elizabeth Salt, Library Journal”

"One of the foremost contemporary translators of classical Buddhist and Taoist literature, ...[Cleary's] translations shine with clarity and express the insights of these great teachers with beauty and understanding." --Library Journal

Thomas Cleary is one of the best known and most accomplished translators of the wisdom of Asia. He holds a doctorate in East Asian Languages and Civilizations from Harvard University. Cleary has translated Code of the Samurai, Soul of the Samurai, Samurai Wisdom and The Art of War, as well as over 70 other titles on martial arts philosophy, Buddhism, Taoism and religion.

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