Legends of Samurai

Legends of the Samurai

Hiroaki Sato

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 insightful commentary, Sato chronicles the changing ethos of the Japanese warrior from the samurai’s historical origins to his rise to political power. A fascinating look at Japanese history as seen through the evolution of the samurai, Legends of the Samurai stands as the ultimate authority on its subject.

“A welcome antidote to the one-dimensional image of the samurai…a revealing, entertaining, and often surprising portrait of pre-modern Japan’s heroic warrior elite.” –“Mangajin”

“The value of this work lies in the way it illuminates a non- Western cultural tradition–a way of thinking and acting that may seem alien. It offers a rare look into the mindset of Japan’s warrior aristocracy.” –“Library Journal”

This is an exceptionally handsome book that would be a worthy addition to any collection.