The essence of the martial arts is ineffable but it can be felt in the dojo. Heaven and Earth, volumes one and two of the Dojo Giga art book series, invite you inside Hatsumi Sensei’s dojo in Japan to see his artworks, hear his teachings, and feel his techniques through striking action photography.

“Why does Hatsumi Sensei paint?” is the wrong question. The distinction is that Sensei also paints. His physical, verbal, and artistic expressions intersect at that inexplicable essence — a feeling. The Dojo Giga art books feature Hatsumi Sensei’s artworks paired with photographs of him teaching at the dojo, plus an essay in which he comments on his paintings. The books are fully bilingual (written in English and Japanese) and include a commentary section by the publisher offering translations of Sensei’s calligraphy and cultural notes.

Heaven and Earth — perhaps the closest you can get to training with Sensei in Japan.