During the years I resided in Japan I met and befriended many wonderful people, some of whom were the senior most authorities of various fighting traditions. Thanks largely to networking with those important sources I was able to find and collect many old books, vintage photos and technical insights not available elsewhere...Taira Shinken's 1964 "Encyclopedia of Kobudo" was one such find. The original translation, completed in 1997, was sent to the publication company where it sat unattended through three different editors. Finally, by the time it was ready to be publish I was faced with compromises which changed the end result of this labor of love. Far from anything I had ever envisioned, and to be completely honest, the book was a complete embarrassment. From the cheap paper it was printed on to the exclusion of original photos submitted along with the nasty politics aimed at trying to discredit my connection with the late Akamine Eisuke, the entire project was doomed from the moment it hit the stores. Better late than never, here and now here, in this new presentation, is the book I originally envisioned, complete with the vintage photos and quality paper that a project of this importance always deserved.