Download or read book Samurai Revolution written by Romulus Hillsborough and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2014-03-25 with total page 409 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "With his easily readable and entertaining style, Hillsborough does a great job of elucidating the complex customs that ruled Edo Period life and politics. --The Japan Times"
Download or read book The Samurai written by Shūsaku Endō and published by New Directions Publishing. This book was released on 1997 with total page 276 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Considered one of the late Shusaku Endo's finest works, THE SAMURAI seamlessly combines historical fact with a novelist's imaginings. Set in the period preceding the Christian persecutions in Japan recorded so memorably in Endo's SILENCE, this book traces the steps of some of the first Japanese to set foot on European soil.
Download or read book The Japanese Samurai written by Louise Park and published by Marshall Cavendish. This book was released on 2010 with total page 36 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Ancient and Medieval People profiles some of the fiercest warriors in history. Learn about their lives and times, notorious battles, and daring feats! In The Japanese Samurai, read about famous samurai battles in Japan. Learn about samurai swords, the Bushido code, and the decline of the ancient samurai. Book jacket.
Download or read book Samurai written by Clive Sinclaire and published by Lyons Press. This book was released on 2004 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A fascinating look at ancient Japanese weaponry, complete with 150 dazzling full-color photographs.
Download or read book African Samurai written by Thomas Lockley and published by Harlequin. This book was released on 2019-04-30 with total page 518 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This biography of the first foreign-born samurai and his journey from Africa to Japan is “a readable, compassionate account of an extraordinary life” (The Washington Post). When Yasuke arrived in Japan in the late 1500s, he had already traveled much of the known world. Kidnapped as a child, he had ended up a servant and bodyguard to the head of the Jesuits in Asia, with whom he traversed India and China learning multiple languages as he went. His arrival in Kyoto, however, literally caused a riot. Most Japanese people had never seen an African man before, and many of them saw him as the embodiment of the black-skinned Buddha. Among those who were drawn to his presence was Lord Nobunaga, head of the most powerful clan in Japan, who made Yasuke a samurai in his court. Soon, he was learning the traditions of Japan’s martial arts and ascending the upper echelons of Japanese society. In the four hundred years since, Yasuke has been known in Japan largely as a legendary, perhaps mythical figure. Now African Samurai presents the never-before-told biography of this unique figure of the sixteenth century, one whose travels between countries and cultures offers a new perspective on race in world history and a vivid portrait of life in medieval Japan. “Fast-paced, action-packed writing. . . . A new and important biography and an incredibly moving study of medieval Japan and solid perspective on its unification. Highly recommended.” —Library Journal (starred review) “Eminently readable. . . . a worthwhile and entertaining work.” —Publishers Weekly “A unique story of a unique man, and yet someone with whom we can all identify.” —Jack Weatherford, New York Times–bestselling author of Genghis Khan
Download or read book History of the Samurai written by Jonathan Lopez-Vera and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2020-06-02 with total page 218 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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 of Bushido--"the way of the warrior"--a complex code of conduct embracing ideals of honor and loyalty that continues to govern the Japanese way of life today. Historian Jonathan Lopez-Vera offers a compelling look at these enigmatic warriors including: The lives of famous Samurai--Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's greatest swordsman; Tomoe Gozen, the woman who became a Samurai; Tokugawa Ieyasu, the last Shogun; and many more The tragic tale of the 47 Ronin who chose honor over their own lives and were forced to commit ritual suicide after avenging their fallen master The philosophy of Bushido, "the Way of the Warrior," the code of conduct that embraced the ideals of honor and loyalty and governed the Samurai way of living The decline of the Samurai and their transformation from rough, battle-hardened warriors to highly educated philosopher-poets Illustrated with 125 archival prints and photos, the nobility and grandeur of the Samurai is brilliantly showcased in this book. Readers will enjoy immersing themselves in the Samurai's world, as historian Jonathan Lopez-Vera traces the fascinating story of the rise and fall of these enigmatic warriors throughout Japanese history.
Download or read book The Taming of the Samurai written by Eiko Ikegami and published by Harvard University Press. This book was released on 1995 with total page 456 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book demonstrates how Japan's so-called harmonious collective culture is paradoxically connected with a history of conflict. Ikegami contends that contemporary Japanese culture is based upon two remarkably complementary ingredients, honorable competition and honorable collaboration. The historical roots of this situation can be found in the process of state formation, along very different lines from that seen in Europe at around the same time. The solution that emerged out of the turbulent beginnings of the Tokugawa state was a transformation of the samurai into a hereditary class of vassal-bureaucrats, a solution that would have many unexpected ramifications for subsequent centuries.
Download or read book The Samurai written by Ben Hubbard and published by The History Press. This book was released on 2014-06-02 with total page 183 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The true nature of the samurai warrior is an elusive and endlessly fascinating enigma for those in the west. From their inauspicious beginnings as barbarian-subduing soldiers, the samurai lived according to a code known as bushido, or ‘Way of the Warrior’. Bushido advocated loyalty, honour, pride and fearlessness in combat. Those who broke the code were expected to perform seppuku, or suicide through belly-slitting. By its very design, seppuku aimed to restore honour to disgraced warriors by ensuring the most painful of deaths. But as the samurai grew into large warrior clans, the bushido virtues of loyalty and honour fell into question, as control was seized and the emperor supplanted by a powerful military ruler, the shogun. Samurai tells the story of the ensuing centuries-long struggle for power between the clans, as Japan’s martial elite rose and fell.
Download or read book Inventing the Way of the Samurai written by Oleg Benesch and published by Past and Present Book. This book was released on 2014 with total page 305 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Inventing the Way of the Samurai examines the development of the 'way of the samurai' - bushido; - which is popularly viewed as a defining element of the Japanese national character and even the 'soul of Japan'. Rather than a continuation of ancient traditions, however, bushido; developed from a search for identity during Japan's modernization in the late nineteenth century. The former samurai class were widely viewed as a relic of a bygone age in the 1880s, and the first significant discussions of bushido at the end of the decade were strongly influenced by contemporary European ideals of gentlemen and chivalry. At the same time, Japanese thinkers increasingly looked to their own traditions in search of sources of national identity, and this process accelerated as national confidence grew with military victories over China and Russia. Inventing the Way of the Samurai considers the people, events, and writings that drove the rapid growth of bushido, which came to emphasize martial virtues and absolute loyalty to the emperor. In the early twentieth century, bushido; became a core subject in civilian and military education, and was a key ideological pillar supporting the imperial state until its collapse in 1945. The close identification of bushido; with Japanese militarism meant that it was rejected immediately after the war, but different interpretations of bushido; were soon revived by both Japanese and foreign commentators seeking to explain Japan's past, present, and future. This volume further explores the factors behind the resurgence of bushido, which has proven resilient through 130 years of dramatic social, political, and cultural change.
Download or read book Secrets of the Samurai written by Oscar Ratti and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2011-12-20 with total page 401 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Secrets of the Samurai is the definitive study of the martial arts of feudal Japan, explaining in detail the weapons, techniques, strategies, and principles of combat that made the Japanese warrior a formidable foe. The work begins with a panoramic survey of the tumultuous early struggles of warlords contending for political ascendancy and then outlines the relentless progression of the military class toward absolute power. In addition to illustrating actual methods of combat, the authors discuss in detail the crucial training necessary to develop a warrior's inner power and to concentrate all his energies into a single force. Secrets of the Samurai is an essential text for anyone with an interest in Japanese combat techniques, weaponry, or military history. This edition also contains a new foreword by Adele Westbrook and numerous previously unpublished illustrations by Oscar Ratti. Chapters include: The Bushi The Heimin The Centers of Martial Instruction Armed Bujutsu Unarmed Bujutsu Control and Power Strategic Principles Morality of Bujutsu
Download or read book Bushido written by 新渡戸稲造 and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2019-02 with total page 192 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Bushido: the samurai code of Japan is one of the most influential books ever written on "the way of the warrior." A classic study of Japanese culture, the book outlines the moral code of the samurai way of living and the virtues every warrior holds dear. In Bushido, Nitobe points out similarities between Western and Japanese history and culture. He argues that "no matter how different any two cultures may appear to be on the surface, they are still created by human beings, and as such have deep similarities." Nitobe believed that connecting Bushido with greater teachings could make an important contribution to all humanity, that the way of the samurai is not something peculiarly Japanese, but of value to the entire human race.
Download or read book Japan The Ultimate Samurai Guide written by Alexander Bennett and published by Tuttle Publishing. This book was released on 2018-07-10 with total page 547 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: 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 shares his vast personal experience and knowledge with readers seeking to undertake their own personal quest in the Japanese martial arts. Bennett outlines the Japanese history of Bushido and the Samurai--from early times up until the present. Then, as only someone steeped in this world can, he surveys the contemporary martial arts scene and provides the essential knowledge young foreigners need to find a teacher and learn successfully. Unlike any other book on this subject, Japan The Ultimate Samurai Guide is written by a Japanese speaker who has studied and taught martial arts in Japan for many decades. Chapters include: The Real Samurai The Concept of Bushido Development of the Japanese Martial Arts Martial Arts Masters You Should Know About Budo in Japan Today Key Martial Arts Concepts Life in a Japanese Dojo A Japan Survival Guide Written in a down-to-earth and easy-to-read style, this book will captivate anyone interested in Japan, as well as martial arts teachers and practitioners around the world. With both history and humor, this vividly illustrated book has a more personal touch than many (for example, read up on "Fifteen Famous Japanese Cultural Indiosyncrasies" and Bennett's favorite martial arts movies). As Bennett says, "This book is supposed to be genuinely from the heart. Without the pretense…misconceptions or romantization that often accompanies martial arts."
Download or read book Samurai written by Stephen R. Turnbull and published by PRC Publishing. This book was released on 2004 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Four vellum sections build up the layers of armor worn by the samurai, and text by a world-recognized expert on the subject, provide an inimitable look at the mysterious ancient Japanese warrior class. Every image and page offers fascinating insight, from an overview of early Japan and the emperor system to the specifics of weaponry. The story begins as the samurai come into being in the 800s, and defines exactly what they are. Tales of the great battles and feuds, and commentary on the politics of the time, bring these compelling soldiers to life. The comprehensive information covers such issues as the samurai's ranks and grades, way of life, retainers, loyalty (bushido), and training. An absolutely compelling guide.
Download or read book How To Be a Modern Samurai written by Antony Cummins and published by Watkins Media Limited. This book was released on 2020-08-11 with total page 238 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Take inspiration from the samurai of old Japan and discover how their practices for self-discipline, focus, leadership, and mind control can help you find success in daily life! For centuries, the Japanese samurai were the unquestioned leaders of their society, maintaining their position through their iron will, Zen-like emotional control, and clan-building social skills. Today, in a modern world that so often privileges instant gratification and self-indulgence, few commit to the Way of the Samurai, yet this challenging path of self-discipline, self-control, and dedication will bring great rewards to those who follow it. In this ultimate guide to making use of the authentic samurai practices and techniques in today’s world, learn how to control your mind and emotions, stay on the path until you have achieved mastery of your chosen art, build a network of loyal followers, defend your home from physical and psychic attack, use samurai spirituality and even magic—and much more.
Download or read book Hagakure written by Yamamoto Tsunetomo and published by Shambhala Publications. This book was released on 2012-05-15 with total page 204 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: A foremost scholar of samurai texts approaches this martial arts classic as a meditation on the Zen concept of “death of the ego”—offering a fresh translation unlike any other. Discover what it takes to be a samurai with the 18th-century martial arts treatise that delves into minds of legendary Japanese warriors. Living and dying with bravery and honor is at the heart of Hagakure, a series of texts written by an eighteenth-century samurai, Yamamoto Tsunetomo. It is a window into the samurai mind, illuminating the concept of bushido—the Way of the Warrior—which dictated how samurai were expected to behave, conduct themselves, live, and die. While Hagakure was for many years a secret text known only to the warrior vassals of the Nabeshima clan to which the author belonged, it later came to be recognized as a classic exposition of samurai thought. The original Hagakure consists of over 1,300 short texts that Tsunetomo dictated to a younger samurai over a seven-year period. William Scott Wilson has selected and translated here three hundred of the most representative of those texts to create an accessible distillation of this guide for samurai. No other translator has so thoroughly and eruditely rendered this text into English. For this edition, Wilson has added a new introduction that casts Hagakure in a different light than ever before. Tsunetomo refers to bushido as “the Way of death,” a description that has held a morbid fascination for readers over the years. But in Tsunetomo’s time, bushido was a nuanced concept that related heavily to the Zen concept of muga, the “death” of the ego. Wilson’s revised introduction gives the historical and philosophical background for that more metaphorical reading of Hagakure, and through this lens, the classic takes on a fresh and nuanced appeal.
Download or read book Samurai Warriors written by Ben Hubbard and published by Cavendish Square Publishing, LLC. This book was released on 2016-12-15 with total page 227 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Samurai Warriors illustrates the truth about the fighting men that are iconic in Japanese culture. Comprehensive historical text on the samurai separate myth from fact in chapters detailing their history, from formation to decline, their political role and social structure, and their warfare. Photographs, artwork, and maps illustrate their fighting style and strategy, and depict battles, weapons, and armor. For a period of over fifty years, the samurai helped rule Japan, but these fighter still represent the power and prestige of the warrior.
Download or read book Samurai written by Michael Wert and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 129 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Chapter One: Becoming Those Who Served -- Chapter Two: Early Warrior Authority -- Chapter Three: War and Culture -- Chapter Four: Warriors in an Age of Peace -- Chapter Five: Samurai Invention and Decline -- Notes -- Further Reading -- Index.
