The Samurai's Daughter

by Robert D. San Souci

A Japanese folk tale about the brave daughter of a samurai warrior and her journey to be reunited with her exiled father

Genres: Japan, Picture Books, Fantasy, Cultural, Childrens, Fairy Tales, Asian Literature

32 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 1992

About the author

Robert Daniel San Souci (October 10, 1946 – December 19, 2014) was a multiple award-winning children's book author, who resided in San Francisco, California. He often worked with his brother, Daniel San Souci, a children's book illustrator. He was a consultant to Disney Studios and was instrumental in the production of the film Mulan, for which he wrote the story. He studied folklore in graduate school. He died after suffering a head injury while falling from a high height in San Francisco in December 2014. He was only 68 years old.

Reviews

[Ronyell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had read many Japanese folktales over the years, but I had never read a folktale quite like this before! “The Samurai’s Daughter” is a Japanese folktale that is retold by master storyteller Robert D. San Souci along with illustrations by Stephen T. Johnson and with these two elements combined; this is definitely one story that is worth reading!

Once upon a time on the east coast of Japan, there lived a loyal samurai who lived with his beautiful daughter, Tokoyo. When Tokoyo was young, her father used to teach her everything about being a samurai and Tokoyo would learn how to defend herself in battle. However, when Tokoyo got older, her father decided to teach her to be more ladylike, which Tokoyo did not enjoy doing. One tragic day however, the ruler of Japan decided to banish Tokoyo’s father to the Oki Islands due to suffering from a mental illness and Tokoyo is forced to separate from her father. After this incident, Tokoyo decided to journey to the Oki Islands by herself in order to reunite with her father.

Will Tokoyo be able to reunite with her father while facing all kinds of danger on her journey?

Read this book to find out!

Wow! I cannot believe that I have never read this book before! I have always loved Robert D. San Souci’s retellings of many folktales and fairy tales as Robert D. San Souci’s narrations were always intriguing to read and this book was definitely no exception! I loved the way that Robert D. San Souci wrote Tokoyo’s character as Tokoyo is shown as being a strong and independent woman who was willing to go through any kind of danger in order to reunite with her father and I really loved the fact that Tokoyo learned how to fight like a samurai as it made her into a truly unique and strong character. I love the way that this story compares strongly to “Mulan,” as both stories take place in an Asian setting (“Mulan” in China and “The Samurai’s Daughter” in Japan) and both have strong female protagonists who are willing to go through so much danger in order to protect their loved ones (Mulan enters the army to save her father and Tokoyo travels to the Oki Islands to reunite with her father). Stephen T. Johnson’s artwork is truly beautiful as the artwork is done in pastel paintings and they really give an authentic Japanese feel to the story that made me feel like I am actually visiting ancient Japan through these illustrations! I loved the way that Stephen T. Johnson drew the ocean and the characters themselves as they look truly gorgeous and really complement greatly to the story.

Overall, “The Samurai’s Daughter” is a truly fantastic book for anyone who loves strong female protagonists and loves reading about ancient Japan! I would recommend this book to children ages five and up since the length of this book might be a bit tiresome for smaller children.

Review is also on: Rabbit Ears Book Blog

[Joshua · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is a beautiful blend of a young woman finding her inner strength, and also there hero overcoming a great beast to save her society. This book is a beautiful story, but it's in the water color pictures that this book assumes the quality that it does. Absolutely beautiful.

[Marsha · Rating 5 out of 5]

When a samurai’s daughter loses her father, she's determined to be reunited, no matter what the risk. This tale of her bravery shows the able girl confronting danger at every turn with no assistance from anyone around her. She sails into the unknown, accompanied by nothing but a cricket and her trusty knife, and wins her father’s freedom and the return to sanity of his lord. It is a true adventure story, filled with robbers, ghosts, demons and curses. The illustrations are also fantastic, ably starting with the titular character on the cover, boldly looking at the viewer with arms akimbo and a dangerous serpent coiled about her body. This lets the reader know right from the beginning just what kind of story and heroine s/he will be reading. It’s a fine book for girls and boys alike, a reminder that courage in women is always to be prized, no matter what culture or level in society in which it exists.

[Prabhat sharma · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Samurai’s Daughter by Robert D San Souci, Stephen T Johnson (Goodreads author) Illustrated Colour Picture Children’s Book- I have read this Book in Hindi language. The story is about Tokoyo, daughter of a Samurai. Her father was a widower. He lived in a Villa with her maid servant Kooma. He served the King of Japan. brings her up as a Samurai. Thus she was taught courage, discipline and will to protect the poor and needy. At the age of 5-years, she was taught horse riding and archery. As she grew up, teachers were appointed to educate her. She learnt to write poems, how to dress, play musical instruments. She spent her time on the sea coast with women who were divers and could bring seashells safely from deep sea. On a spring day, her father arrived and informed her that as the King has lost his sanity, he has banished him to a faraway island and he is leaving immediately. After some time Tokoyo plans to unite with her father. Knowing well that the journey has risk, she carries with her a cricket, a knife and a dry fish and move out. She reaches a faraway town, purchases a boat and sails for the island. It is a true adventure story, filled with robbers, ghosts, demons and curses. She reaches the island and meets her father. Her father & his friends inform her that a white serpent eats a girl every year. Tokoyo opts to jump in the sea and fight the serpent. She is able to kill the serpent with her knife. Moral of the story is that children should have courage to face each situation in life and success follows the confident children.

[Kelly Shiverdecker]

Published: 1992

This book is a tale from the Japanese culture about a girl names Tokoyo who grows up with her father who is a noble; sent on a mission, she encounters various troubles, but that does not stop her from being back with her father again.

[Cheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love the strong, female character in this story. Way to go, Tokoyo!

[Ashleigh]

Japanese Folktale with a strong female main character.

Lexile level: 650L

Grade level: 2nd to 3rd

[Melanie Hetrick · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the story of a brave daughter, Tokoyo, taught the ways of the Samurai by her father. When her father is banished by the mind-sick ruler of the land, Tokoyo vows to follow and join him in banishment. She sets out with a cricket in a cage, a little money and not much else. She uses her money to purchase a small boat that will get her across the water to the island where her father is.

When she arrives at the island she is just in time to save a young girl from being sacrificed to a white sea serpent. She dives into the water herself and encounters a huge white monster in a cave near a wooden statue of the land's ruler. She bravely fights the sea monster and wins. Tokoyo then hauls the sea monster and the wooden statue to shore. There she finally is reunited with her father and a priest explains the curse of the sea monster.

The wooden statue had been cursed by a banished man. When he threw it into the ocean it brought out the sea monster. Killing the monster and bringing the statue to shore removes the mind-sickness of the ruler and all banished men are welcome back home.

[Dolly · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a dramatic tale of bravery, honor, and familial loyalty, not to mention the samurai virtues of courage, discipline, and endurance. I love that Tokoyo is the lead character and she displays these character traits so well.

The narrative is not too long and is fun to read aloud. The full-color painting illustrations were created with pastels and then scanner-separated and reproduced as red, blue, yellow, and black halftones.

Overall, it's an engaging story that helps to depict a part of medieval Japanese culture during the Kamakura Period (1185-1333). We really enjoyed reading it together.

We'd never heard of the 'Oki islands' before, but we looked it up online. These islands are not close to Okinawa, where we used to live, but it was interesting to learn more about them.

[Bree · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love a book about a strong female character and this book had the perfect one. The Samurai's Daughter by Robert D. San Souci shows us that girls can do anything anyone else can do. This book has tons of lessons you can take with you as you finish the book about loyalty, bravery, and standing up for others. We are not as selfless in our lives as we should be. We spend so much of our lives thinking about ourself and not enough about people around us. In this book she gives up her life for a stranger! How many of us could do that?

[Megan · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book did not have a memorable story, mostly because it kept changing directions multiple times throughout. It also had some grammar errors that were very distracting to the story. The ending of the story seemed to be an afterthought, because it failed to tie everything together. The pictures were beautiful and gave a good image of the story.

[Katie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was about a girl who was trained to be a samuria. Her father tought her. He was a samuria of the emperour. Then he had to leave his daughter because he shamed the empour. His daughter goes and looks for him and a long the way she has challenges. It is a chinese legend.

[Dan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Great story! Very uplifting and adventure-filled tale of a young girl who uses her inner strength to help her father after he has been exiled by his lord.

[Susan]

Beautiful graphics and a well-told story. SansSouci always does a nice job.

[Thomas Andrikus · Rating 3 out of 5]

This Japanese folktale about family honour, originally known as "A Story of Oki Islands", is set in the Kamakura Period (1185-1333). Quite an interesting read.

[Teri · Rating 4 out of 5]

Great classic story from Japan.

[Laura · Rating 3 out of 5]

Traditional Literature: Japanese folktale

[Ashlynn Ricks · Rating 4 out of 5]

I'm not sure if I would want this book in the classroom except for the fact that it's about a Japanese girl. The only thing I don't like is the fact that she fights a "sea demon". If they called it something else I would like it. Since it is an old myth I guess I would have to see past that part and put it on my book shelf.