Trevor Leggett

TREVOR LEGGETT

Trevor represented the British pioneering spirit of a bygone age, exploring and embracing Eastern culture and philosophy, and writing extensively and accessibly about it.

Judo teacher, author, translator, and head of the BBC's Japanese Service for 24 years, he was one of the very first Europeans to study martial arts in Japan. He was attached to the British Embassy there at the outbreak of WW2 and experienced a period of internment, although being Trevor, he used the time to improve his judo skills with his guards.

After repatriation, he was involved in establishing the first secret ‘Psy-Ops’ group with the ‘Ministry of Information’ and after the war he combined teaching judo with working for the BBC.

He began his writing career at the beginning of the sixties as he stopped practicing Judo and became increasing interested in Eastern philosophy.

His first book – ‘A first Zen reader’ – was published in 1960, and he went on to publish more than thirty books on similar subjects.

Before his death in 2000, Trevor had received accolades from the Japanese Government for services to promoting Japanese culture in the UK and had an excellent biography on his life and works published in the 1980’s.

Truly a pioneer and a Japanophile, Trevor’s’ books are essential reading for anyone wishing to further their interest in the culture and history of Japan, Judo, Zen and Buddhism,