samurai

The first ever account of Japanese overseas mercenaries, including material never before translated into English, was written by a renowned and highly respected expert. The Lost Samurai reveals the most remarkable untold story of Japan's legendary warrior class, which is that for almost a...

The ultimate visual guide to Samurai history and culture! The Samurai are continuously celebrated as the greatest warriors the world has ever seen. They ruled Japan for centuries, finally uniting the nation after a prolonged period of brutal war and bloodshed. Though famed for their loyalty...

In Japanese history, a graphic novel version of the most dramatic example of bushido - the samurai code. In the eighteenth century, forty-seven samurai avenged the death of their master in a plot that would take over two years to complete. After succeeding in their mission, the masterless...

The idea of the sword-wielding samurai, beholden to a strict ethical code and trained in deadly martial arts, dominates popular conceptions of the samurai. As early as the late seventeenth century, they were heavily featured in literature, art, theatre, and even comedy, from The Tale of the...

A History of the Samurai tells the complete story of Japan's legendary warrior class from beginning to end - an epic tale of intrigue, bloodshed and bravery that is central to an understanding of the Japanese character and of Japanese history. It describes in detail the core Samurai philosophy...

In Legends of the Samurai, Hiroaki Sato confronts both the history and the legend of the samurai, untangling the two to present an authentic picture of these legendary warriors. Through his masterful translations of original samurai tales, laws, dicta, reports, and arguments accompanied by...

A translation of a unique 17th-century compendium of samurai heraldry annotated with the symbolism and stories behind the banners. O-umajirushi is the earliest surviving colour compendium of Japanese crests and heraldry. At the time, woodblock printing was just starting to allow for widespread...

Alternate attendance (sankin kotai) was one of the central institutions of Edo-period (1603–1868) Japan and one of the most unusual examples of a system of enforced elite mobility in world history. It required the daimyo to divide their time between their domains and the city of Edo, where they...

Japan has often been thought of as a closed country, but before the country was closed in 1635 many travellers from the West were able to experience its unique traditions and culture. Their accounts speak of legends of powerful dragons and devils, tales of the revered emperor and the protocol...

Part Samurai history, part martial arts guide, this is THE book for anyone interested in Japan's fabled Samurai culture. Author Alexander Bennett is the ultimate insider, holding multiple black belts in Kendo and Naginata as well as a Ph.D. in Japanese literature and history. In this book, he...

Japan's samurai were professional soldiers, but they could also be cultivated artists, writers and philosophers. "Samurai" means "he who serves," and these fierce warriors acted in the service of powerful feudal lords known as daimyo ("great name"). Among the most important daimyo families were...

SumiKen on the App Store SumiKen is an endless samurai game drawn in Japanese sumi-e painting style. This game features fast paced samurai slashing action set in the beautiful landscape of Japan. The game mechanic is an easy to learn, but difficult to master swipe system which require precise...