O   K   I   A   N       R   E   S   O   U   R   C   E   S
 
This is an OOG collection of stuff that Okian players have found useful, or have written themselves. Except for the first section, the content here is not endorsed by Legends and therefore should not be read as definitive. It is certainly not the case that any of the following should be construed as necessary to playing an Okian; all character concepts are supported by Legends.

[ Official Writings | Online Books | Other Books | Webpages | Shops | Contributing Material ]
 
o  f  f  i  c  i  a  l      w  r  i  t  i  n  g  s
 
The content in this section is officially endorsed by Legends.

  • From the rulebook: background info.
  • From additional webpages: supplementary info.
    •  
    o  n  l  i  n  e     b  o  o  k  s
     
  • Sun Tzu, The Art of War.
    A short treatise on the elements of waging war, focusing more on the non-combative elements of war (superior diplomacy and duping) than on actual combat formations and strategies.
  • Miyamoto Mushashi, The Book of Five Rings.
    "Musashi's work is devoted to the art of war as a purely pragmatic enterprise. Musashi decries empty showmanship and commercialization in martial arts, focusing attention on the psychology and physics of lethal assault and decisive victory as the essence of warfare. His scientifically aggressive, thoroughly ruthless approach to military science, while not universal among Japanese martialists, represents a highly concentrated characterization of one particular type of samurai warrior." 1
    •  
    o  t  h  e  r     b  o  o  k  s
     
  • Yagyu Munenori, Family Traditions on the Art of War.
    "The Book of Family Traditions on the Art of War consists of three main scrolls, entitled "The Killing Sword," "The Life-Giving Sword," and "No Sword." these are Zen Buddhist terms adapted to both wartime and peacetime principles of the samurai. The killing sword represents the use of force to quell disorder and eliminate violence. The life-giving sword represents the preparedness to perceive impending problems and forestall them. "No sword" represents the capacity to make full use of the resources of the environment. 2
  • Kakuzo Okakura, Book of Tea.
    Written in 1906, this book offers an interesting insight to the art of tea as well as traditional Japanese arts at the turn of the century. A valuable resource for those interested in the philosophical background of Taoist and Zen Buddhist thinking in the art of tea. A charming, easily accesible, and inexpensive volume complete with woodblock illustrations. 3
  • Taira Shigesuke, Bushido Shoshinshu (Code of the Samurai).
    The Code of the Samurai is a four-hundred-year-old explication of the rules and expectations embodied in Bushido, the Japanese way of the warrior. Bushido has played a major role in shaping the behavior of modern Japanese government, corporations, society, and individuals, as well as in shaping the modern martial arts within Japan and internationally. The Japanese original of this book has been one of the primary sources on the tenets of Bushido, a way of thought that remains fascinating to the modern world, East and West. 4
  • James Clavell, Shogun.
    The torrid rave review on the inside book cover pretty much sums it up: "A bold English adventurer. An invincible Japanese warlord. A beautiful woman torn between two ways of life, two ways of love. All brought together in a mighty saga of a time and place aflame with conflict, passion, ambition, lust and the struggle for power..." Still, a good novel.
    • w  e  b  p  a  g  e  s
     
  • History of Haiku, by Ryu Yotsuya. Includes examples.

  • How to Write Haiku, by Neca Stoller. A blurb about a book.

  • How To Write Haiku, by Gerald England. An article from the Writers Choice website.

  • Hanafuda 1.3, an online version of a Japanese card game.

    •  
    s  h  o  p  s
     
  • Sasuga Japanese Books: Porter Square, Cambridge. An excellent little bookstore. (dave)

  • Silky Way: Chinatown, 38 Kneeland St, Boston. 617.423.2264. They are a martial arts supply store; they also have a pretty good book section on the second floor. If you're looking for "Okian pointy hats", you can get them here. (dave)

  • Mei Tung Grocery: Chinatown, Boston. I got most (all?) of the tea stuff there: they have a large selection of tea pots, tea cups, incense holders, etc. (dave)

  • Oriental Gateway, Woburn (Boston). 781-933-0931, 19 6th Rd, Woburn, MA 01801-1757. Hours are M-R ?-7pm, F ?-5pm, Sat ?-4pm, closed Sun. Has similar but different stuff from Silky Way. (dave)

    •  
    c  o  n  t  r  i  b  u  t  i  n  g    m  a  t  e  r  i  a  l
     
  • Roleplaying notes, edited by Dave Leung (Matsumoto Tomohiko), with many people contributing. Musings about rp considerations when playing on Okian. (The Okian Tea Gathering link has been moved to this page.)

  • Japanese Phrases, compiled by Chad Brown (Abel Marko).

  • Japanese Fables, compiled from various sources, typed in by Dave Leung (Matsumoto Tomohiko).

    • 1, 2 Translator's Introduction by Thomas Cleary. The Book of Five Rings / by Miyamoto Musashi; A new transation by Thomas Cleary including Family Traditions on the Art of War by Yagyu Munenori. © 1993 by Thomas Cleary; Shambhala Publications, Inc.

    3 Description from Sasuga Japanese Books webpage.

    4 Description from Tuttle Publishing webpage.

    dave leung (Matsumoto Tomohiko)