Samurai: Arms, Armor, Costume

by Mitsuo Kure

For 700 years Japanese civilization was dominated by a single warrior caste. This project looks at arms, armor and custome of Samurai men and women over the centuries with specifically commissioned photography of reenactors wearing museum-quality clothing.

Genres: History, Japan, Military History, Sewing, Reference, Japanese Literature

208 pages, Hardcover

First published May 3, 2007

Reviews

[Ann Keller · Rating 5 out of 5]

Stunning book. I learned a lot not only about armor and costuming, but also about some of the traditions of the time. Highly recommended.

[Eli Poteet · Rating 5 out of 5]

obsessively recorded for our benefit! huzzah!

[Glen · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a must have reference for anyone interested in samurai armor, arms and period costumes. The book contains over 50 detailed examples of armor and non-armor attire worn by models to bring out their full effect. The subjects span the full length of Japan's medieval history, from the Kamakura to the Edo Period. It also contains a lot of photos of non-armor attire, such as the kimono of upper class and lower class women, and samurai serving in court or in peacekeeping roles. The poor editing of the text is its only major detractor. Expect many typos and some erroneous captioning. I got the impression that the book was never edited. I was going to give it a 3 out of 5 rating, but felt its value as a visual reference outweighed the sloppy editing, or lack thereof.

[Alex Cunningham · Rating 4 out of 5]

Big color photos. Shots of the insides of dou. Pictures organized by social and chronological context. Correct detail down to the hairstyles. This book is a gold mine.