Samurai: An Encyclopedia of Japan's Cultured Warriors (Hardcover) (ISBN-13: 9781440842702)

Alphabetically arranged entries along with primary source documents provide a comprehensive examination of the lives of Japan's samurai during the Tokugawa or Edo period, 1603-1868, a time when Japan transitioned from civil war to extended peace.

The samurai were an aristocratic class of warriors who imposed and maintained peace in Japan for more than two centuries during the Tokugawa or Edo period, 1603-1868. While they maintained a monopoly on the legitimate use of violence, as a result of the peace the samurai themselves were transformed over time into an educated, cultured elite--one that remained fiercely proud of its military legacy and hyper-sensitive in defending their individual honor.

This book provides detailed information about the samurai, beginning with a timeline and narrative historical overview of the samurai. This is followed by more than 100 alphabetically arranged entries on topics related to the samurai, such as ritual suicide, castles, weapons, housing, clothing, samurai women, and more. The entries cite works for further reading and often include sidebars linking the samurai to popular culture, tourist sites, and other information. A selection of primary source documents offers firsthand accounts from the era, and the volume closes with a selected, general bibliography.

Author: Constantine Nomikos Vaporis Ph D.
ISBN-10: 1440842701
ISBN-13: 9781440842702
Publisher: ABC-CLIO
Language: English
Published: 03/14/2019
Pages: 456
Format: Hardcover
Weight: 2.55lbs
Size: 10.20h x 7.30w x 1.40d

Review Citation(s):
Choice 08/01/2019
Booklist 09/01/2019 pg. 36