General Military
3 total works
The samurai remain the best known warriors of medieval Japan, but they were by no means the only fighting elite. There were the ashigaru, who were first recruited to swell army numbers but later became a vital part of any samurai force. Trained to protect their monasteries, warrior monks were formidable enemies, mastering a range of martial traditions. Finally, the Ninja catered to an increasing demand for spies, informants and sometimes assassins, developing the arts of armed and unarmed combat and explosives. This book covers the development, training, equipment and beliefs of all of these warriors, drawing from rare Japanese sources, and is illustrated throughout.
The earliest fortifications in Japan were developed with the appearance of the first emperors in around 250 and were often simple wooden constructions. As internal strife became a way of life in Japan, more and increasingly elaborate fortifications. This book covers the entire period of Japanese castle development from the very first fortifications, through to the sophisticated structures of the 16th and 17th century, explaining how they were adapted to withstand Samurai firearms and exploring life within these castles. With unpublished photographs from the author's private collection and full-color artwork, including detailed cutaways, this is an essential guide to the fascinating development of Japanese fortifications.
The fierce loyalty and self-sacrificing attitude of the Samurai have made them both a legend and a cult. Yet, although their military prowess and skills in the martial arts have been studied exhaustively, an understanding of their belief system still eludes many. This original and exciting work examines the spiritual world of the samurai, from their attachment to Japan's mainstream religions of Shinto and Buddhism, to their involvement in Confucianism, Christianity and Folk Religion. Samurai expert, Stephen Turnbull, examines important topics such as Zen and the martial arts, modern militarism, the cult of the sword, revenge and suicide, hara kiri and the kamikaze pilots - the suicide bombers of their day. He also looks at the fascinating issue of Japanese religious terrorism, as well as the growing cult status of the Samurai both in Japan and in the West.