Young samurai, do you wish to obtain the martial skills to master the Way of the Warrior? The strategic know-how to lay siege to a castle? The Zenlike composure to conduct a tea ceremony? This witty, informative and unique guide to the samurai class of early modern Japan is presented in the guise of a training manual written by a fictional samurai lord. Written by Stephen Turnbull, one of the world''s leading authorities on samurai, it offers lively and engaging coverage of every aspect of early 17th-century Japanese warrior culture, from training and armour to how to perform on the battlefield, from Japanese religion to how to attain entrance to the White Jade Pavilion when your warrior days are over. Wise quotes from Japanese sources of the time enliven the text, while colour images and 100 historic wood-block-style prints provide a step-by-step guide to becoming and being a samurai.

Vorwort
This book paints a dramatic picture of what it was really like to be a Samurai

Autorentext
Stephen Turnbull is a writer and historian, specializing in military history, particularly of Japan and East Asia. He is Honorary Lecturer in Japanese Religion at Leeds University and Visiting Professor of Japanese Studies at Akita International University in Japan. He is the author of over seventy books, including Samurai: The Japanese Warrior's (Unofficial) Manual (2012), published by Thames & Hudson. Turnbull gave the inaugural lecture for the establishment of the International Centre for Ninja Studies at Mie University, Japan, and acted as historical advisor for the 2013 film 47 Ronin.

Inhalt
I. Japan Today; II. From Samurai to Samurai Warrior; III. Armour, Weapons & Costume; IV. The Martial Arts; V. A Harmonious Realm of Peace; VI. The Land of the Gods; VII. The Cultivated Samurai; VIII. The Samurai as Military Commander; IX. The Samurai on the Battlefield; X. Castles & Sieges; XI. After the Battle; XII Old Age & Death