Books
Even for the sharpest follower of jidaigeki (the Japanese period dramas that some of us might have seen on television or used to improve our language skills), some of the more subtle aspects of samurai culture remain elusive. Likewise, anyone with a working knowledge of samurai film knows that the samurai is more than his might: he is also an artist, training his mind by the practice of his hand. But the field of scholarship is vast, where to begin?
To start, here’s a brief list to help guide you in your path to the way of the samurai:
The Book of Five Rings
by Miyamoto Musashi, translated by Thomas Cleary
The legendary swordsman’s definitive strategy text serves as the culmination of a life that united strength of body and mind. And, because Miyamoto was a retainer of the Hosokawa clan, the earliest known copy, as transcribed by Terao Katsunobu, is part of their collection.
Bushido: Samurai Ethics and the Soul of Japan
by Inazo Nitobe
First published in 1906, this slim text by the prolific diplomat and statesman was also one of the first books in English to elucidate the manifold intricacies of Japan’s chivalric culture.
“When character and not intelligence, when the soul and not the head, is chosen by a teacher for the material to work upon and to develop, his vocation partakes of a sacred character.” p 60
Samurai: Arms, Armor, Costume
by Mitsuo Kure
Documenting a thousand years of Japanese dress, this useful work includes comprehensive visual glossaries of each costume.
Samurai Wisdom
by Yamaga Soko, translated by Thomas Cleary
This collection of five works pertaining to knightly conduct was suppressed by critics, but has carefully been restored to its rightful place in the annals of Bushido.
“Wisdom is a function of intuition and intellect, while talent is a function of wisdom. Knowing a lot by learning from precedent is wisdom; to build it up inwardly and apply it to oneself, able to employ it in the ways of warriors today, adapting to their changes, is talent.” p 140
Sword and Brush: The Spirit of Martial Arts
by David Lowry
A fascinating study of bushido through the lens of brushwork, Lowry’s calligraphy illustrates the dual nature of the warrior-artist.
“Like the boatman steering his craft, the mind can be so distracted by illusions…that it is impossible to truly see the river.” p 46
Warrior of Zen: The Diamond-Hard Wisdom Mind of Suzuki Shosan
translated by Arthur Braverman
Valor and intellect unite in this collection from the 17th century samurai-turned-Zen monk in this indispensable compilation of teachings.
“You may discover gold, but if you don’t actually take it from the ground, you can’t
make any use of it.” p 110
Yojokun: Life Lessons from a Samurai
by Kaibara Ekiken, translated by William Scott Wilson
The samurai doctor Ekiken’s teachings serve as a fascinating how-to manual for the proper care and feeding of a sound body.
“The mind is the master of the body. You must make this master peaceful and calm. The body is the servant of the mind. You must make it move and work.” p 42
Samurai Storytelling
A discussion of samurai culture is incomplete without mentioning fiction. From shocking to restrained, the genre yields fascinating yarns that defy convention. Here are a few favorites we’ll be featuring this summer:
Katsuno’s Revenge & Other Tales of the Samurai is an anthology first published in 1920 by Miyamori Asataro, a Tokyo University Professor who compiled and re-styled many of the archetypal samurai tales of revenge and chivalry. For die-hard fans of the genre, many of the classic tales will be familiar.
The Bamboo Sword & Other Samurai Tales is by 20th Century author Fujisawa Shuhei, whose subtle storytelling underplays the heroism of the samurai in favor of frailty. His characters are flesh, not merely legend. Among the many adaptations of his work, The Hidden Blade and Twilight Samurai are the most recent.
Ronin, by the gaijin (foreigner) William Dale Jennings, is the story of a vulgar ronin whose fortunes increase despite his cruelty. The ironic twist on a Zen story was first published in 1968, and it’s impossible not to see something of the poisoned ronin of Sword of Doom’s Nakadai Tatsuya in the tone of brutish swagger.
