What do you think?
Rate this book
Samurai: The World of the Warrior
The world of the samurai - the legendary elite warrior cult of old Japan - has for too long been associated solely with military history and has remained a mystery to the general reader. In this exciting new book, Stephen Turnbull, the world's leading authority on the samurai, goes beyond the battlefield to paint a picture of the samurai as they really were. Familiar topics such as the cult of suicide, ritualised revenge and the lore of the samurai sword are seen in the context of an all-encompassing warrior culture that was expressed through art and poetry as much as through violence. Using themed chapters, the book studies the samurai through their historical development and their relationship to the world around them - relationships that are shown to persist in Japan even today.
224 pages, Paperback
First published October 28, 2001
22 people are currently reading
621 people want to read
About the author
Stephen Turnbull
178 books123 followersStephen Richard Turnbull is British a historian specializing in eastern military history, especially the samurai of Japan. His books are mainly on Japanese and Mongolian subjects. He attended Cambridge University where he gained his first degree. He currently holds an MA in Theology, MA in Military History and a PhD from the University of Leeds where he is currently a lecturer in Far Eastern Religions. He has also written a number of books on other medieval topics. He is semi-retired but still holds the post of Visiting Professor of Japanese Studies at Akita International University in Japan.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews
March 23, 2017
اگر نویسنده در این گفته صادق باشد که زبان به کار رفته در این کتاب، از قول یک سامورایی خیالی، برگرفته از واقعیت است، پس متون کلاسیک ژاپنی واقعا خواندنیست! بخش هایی از کتاب در غالب پرسش و پاسخ، یا استفتاء(!) برای یک سامورایی نوآموز است. به این مثال توجه کنید:
- اگر در میدان نبرد کشته شوم، آنگاه چه می شود؟
- آنگاه شما مرده اید.
....
در جایی دیگر امتحانی تستی برای تشخیص وجود روحیه ی سامورایی در فرد طرح شده بود. نتیجه ی این آزمون برای من این بود که بهتر است در کیوتو کتابدار شوم، و با این وجود همچنان اجازه ی حمل شمشیر را خواهم داشت.
.....
کتابی بود که برای شروع و کسب اطلاعات اولیه در باب ژاپن قرن ۱۴ و ۱۵ بسیار مناسب، ساده و جامع می نمود. اگر برحسب اتفاق چشمم به صفحه ی آخر نمی افتاد، تشخیص نمی دادم که این راوی کتاب شخصی خیالی است. با این حال مطالب کتاب همگی مستند هستند.
- اگر در میدان نبرد کشته شوم، آنگاه چه می شود؟
- آنگاه شما مرده اید.
....
در جایی دیگر امتحانی تستی برای تشخیص وجود روحیه ی سامورایی در فرد طرح شده بود. نتیجه ی این آزمون برای من این بود که بهتر است در کیوتو کتابدار شوم، و با این وجود همچنان اجازه ی حمل شمشیر را خواهم داشت.
.....
کتابی بود که برای شروع و کسب اطلاعات اولیه در باب ژاپن قرن ۱۴ و ۱۵ بسیار مناسب، ساده و جامع می نمود. اگر برحسب اتفاق چشمم به صفحه ی آخر نمی افتاد، تشخیص نمی دادم که این راوی کتاب شخصی خیالی است. با این حال مطالب کتاب همگی مستند هستند.
December 30, 2008
Most samurai book tend to focus on things like bushido, their weapons, and other historical aspects associated with them. This book, while it does that, does so from a totally new angle.
Turnbull's take on the Samurai is nothing new, as he has written many books about them, but his approach in this text was refreshing and different than most. While he explores what it is that makes the ideal of the samurai so resonant, before and now, he does so by looking at aspects of the samurai that are hardly ever touched upon in other books, but which are still exceedingly important to understanding them.
One of the first such aspects, after giving a brief history of the development of the samurai class in Japan, is their focus and preoccupation with their ancestry, and how that often drove many samurai, especially of noble descent and lineage, to commit even greater deeds in order to maintain their family's prestige and honor. Another example is the issue of seppuku, or ritual suicide, wherein a samurai, upon defeat, disgrace, protest, or a number of other situations, would ritually disembowel himself in order to maintain his status and that of his family.
While Turnbull goes into the nature, development, and establishment of seppuku as a part of samurai culture, one gets the sense that while it is part of a culture that is foreign to westerners (who most likely will disapprove), there are instances where even in the honor-bound society of the samurai, such a ritual was taken too far, as in the case he uses to illustrate this point: the mass suicide of the Hojo regency. While reading it, I got the definite sense that while Turnbull accepted the fact that seppuku was a part of samurai way of life, such wasteful instances as the mass suicide of the Hojo regency are distasteful to him as an author, and that he subtly disapproves of such excesses.
Another instance, briefly, is when he discusses the weapons of the samurai. He gives the sword it's due, but proceeds to describe it as a weapon of close combat, and that while it was a potent symbol for the samurai, in reality they relied more on missile weapons (bow and arrows), polearms (spears and naginata), and later, when they were introduced, firearms, which changed the game completely.
The book was easy to read and a quick, fast one as well. I enjoyed it immensely and found myself actually learning quite a bit about the samurai that I had not known before. For anyone who wants to get a sober, scholarly view of this group of people, this is a good book to read for it.
Turnbull's take on the Samurai is nothing new, as he has written many books about them, but his approach in this text was refreshing and different than most. While he explores what it is that makes the ideal of the samurai so resonant, before and now, he does so by looking at aspects of the samurai that are hardly ever touched upon in other books, but which are still exceedingly important to understanding them.
One of the first such aspects, after giving a brief history of the development of the samurai class in Japan, is their focus and preoccupation with their ancestry, and how that often drove many samurai, especially of noble descent and lineage, to commit even greater deeds in order to maintain their family's prestige and honor. Another example is the issue of seppuku, or ritual suicide, wherein a samurai, upon defeat, disgrace, protest, or a number of other situations, would ritually disembowel himself in order to maintain his status and that of his family.
While Turnbull goes into the nature, development, and establishment of seppuku as a part of samurai culture, one gets the sense that while it is part of a culture that is foreign to westerners (who most likely will disapprove), there are instances where even in the honor-bound society of the samurai, such a ritual was taken too far, as in the case he uses to illustrate this point: the mass suicide of the Hojo regency. While reading it, I got the definite sense that while Turnbull accepted the fact that seppuku was a part of samurai way of life, such wasteful instances as the mass suicide of the Hojo regency are distasteful to him as an author, and that he subtly disapproves of such excesses.
Another instance, briefly, is when he discusses the weapons of the samurai. He gives the sword it's due, but proceeds to describe it as a weapon of close combat, and that while it was a potent symbol for the samurai, in reality they relied more on missile weapons (bow and arrows), polearms (spears and naginata), and later, when they were introduced, firearms, which changed the game completely.
The book was easy to read and a quick, fast one as well. I enjoyed it immensely and found myself actually learning quite a bit about the samurai that I had not known before. For anyone who wants to get a sober, scholarly view of this group of people, this is a good book to read for it.
December 15, 2008
Stephen Turnbull has made his name by writing well-researched books on the history of warfare. This book was a good read, full of interesting material and welcoming to the new reader. This book is relatively heavy on the illustrations and light on the writing; it's a good balance for someone new to the subject or one with only a passing interest. Turnbull provides a good introduction to the samurai: their class, lifestyle, heroic stories, and general history. Someone familiar with the topic will not get much new here, except for the high quality pictures printed. This makes for a good coffee table reader.
December 1, 2019
Lehetséges piaci célcsoportok:
1.Akik be vannak oltva irónia ellen, és imádják a szamurájokat, meg úgy egyáltalán: mindent, ami Japánnal kapcsolatos.
2. Nincsenek beoltva irónia ellen, de szeretnek néhány szabad órát könnyű, szórakoztató történelmi munkákra szánni.
Turnbull könyve egy kedélyes szarkazmussal megírt, rövid, mókás vázlat a szamurájok mindennapjairól a XVII. századig bezárólag. Nem állítom, hogy nincsenek benne releváns információk, mint például a páncélzat magunkra aggatásának módja, vagy a TOP14 legkellemesebb öngyilkosság becsületen esett csorba esetén, de túl sok mélységet azért ne várjunk. Az író cserébe az irónia könnyű tintájába mártja tollát, elhumorizálgat finoman a vérkomoly, bushidóba belegárgyult harcosokon – ezzel nyilván elegendő okot adna egy morcosabb szamurájnak, hogy egy lendületes vágással tetőtől talpig kettéhasítsa. Alapvetően megértem (mindkettejüket), mert bár rettenetesen szép és érdekes a korszak Japánja, de azt nem merném álltani, hogy sokkal jobb lett volna a kortárs Európánál. Persze aki szamurájnak született, annak jó (feltéve, ha nem kávés, hanem teás, és bír órákon keresztül lehetetlen pózokban guggolni), de a parasztok és nők sorsa aligha volt sokkal fényesebb, mint nyugati kollégáiké. Meg szép dolog a zen buddhizmus, de komolyan, de ezek a fejgyűjtő harcmániások éppen olyan távol álltak Buddhától, mint Belga-Kongó gyarmatosítói, vagy épp a déli rabszolgatartók Jézustól.
Mindenesetre jót mulattam a könyvön.
1.Akik be vannak oltva irónia ellen, és imádják a szamurájokat, meg úgy egyáltalán: mindent, ami Japánnal kapcsolatos.
2. Nincsenek beoltva irónia ellen, de szeretnek néhány szabad órát könnyű, szórakoztató történelmi munkákra szánni.
Turnbull könyve egy kedélyes szarkazmussal megírt, rövid, mókás vázlat a szamurájok mindennapjairól a XVII. századig bezárólag. Nem állítom, hogy nincsenek benne releváns információk, mint például a páncélzat magunkra aggatásának módja, vagy a TOP14 legkellemesebb öngyilkosság becsületen esett csorba esetén, de túl sok mélységet azért ne várjunk. Az író cserébe az irónia könnyű tintájába mártja tollát, elhumorizálgat finoman a vérkomoly, bushidóba belegárgyult harcosokon – ezzel nyilván elegendő okot adna egy morcosabb szamurájnak, hogy egy lendületes vágással tetőtől talpig kettéhasítsa. Alapvetően megértem (mindkettejüket), mert bár rettenetesen szép és érdekes a korszak Japánja, de azt nem merném álltani, hogy sokkal jobb lett volna a kortárs Európánál. Persze aki szamurájnak született, annak jó (feltéve, ha nem kávés, hanem teás, és bír órákon keresztül lehetetlen pózokban guggolni), de a parasztok és nők sorsa aligha volt sokkal fényesebb, mint nyugati kollégáiké. Meg szép dolog a zen buddhizmus, de komolyan, de ezek a fejgyűjtő harcmániások éppen olyan távol álltak Buddhától, mint Belga-Kongó gyarmatosítói, vagy épp a déli rabszolgatartók Jézustól.
Mindenesetre jót mulattam a könyvön.
June 3, 2023
Hihetetlen könnyedséggel és humorral meséli el a képzelt kamarás a szamuráj útját. Az ember azt hinné, hogy csak egy szórakoztató írást tart a kezében, de ha figyel, akkor észreveheti, hogy igen sok információ van a leírásokban, ami történelmileg hiteles, és arról tanúskodik, hogy a kötet írója igen nagy munkát fektetett bele a kutatásba.
Aki nem nagyon járatos a X-XVI. századi Japán történelembe, annak is szórakoztató olvasmány, hiszen nincsenek unalmas leírások. Egy-egy példán keresztül mutat be egy-egy csatát, nagy szamurájt vagy történelmi eseményt az író. Akit érdekel, az úgyis utána fog járni, akit pedig nem, az olvassa nyugodtan tovább a kötetet.
Néha hangosan felnevettem, és elgondolkodtam, hogy hogyan lehet ennyire könnyeden, humorosan megírni egy olyan könyvet, amiben érződik, hogy igen sok munka lett belefektetve. Le a kalappal Stephen Turnbull előtt. Ha ő írná a hazai történelemkönyveket, sokkal többen érdeklődnének a történelem iránt.
Aki nem nagyon járatos a X-XVI. századi Japán történelembe, annak is szórakoztató olvasmány, hiszen nincsenek unalmas leírások. Egy-egy példán keresztül mutat be egy-egy csatát, nagy szamurájt vagy történelmi eseményt az író. Akit érdekel, az úgyis utána fog járni, akit pedig nem, az olvassa nyugodtan tovább a kötetet.
Néha hangosan felnevettem, és elgondolkodtam, hogy hogyan lehet ennyire könnyeden, humorosan megírni egy olyan könyvet, amiben érződik, hogy igen sok munka lett belefektetve. Le a kalappal Stephen Turnbull előtt. Ha ő írná a hazai történelemkönyveket, sokkal többen érdeklődnének a történelem iránt.
October 17, 2014
This book was a disappointment to me. I was expecting a detailed account of the samurais' way of life, namely a more profound analysis of their ethics, an allusion to their aesthetics (relating to art, literature, music, etc), their military training, including forms of armed and unarmed combat, their role as administrators after the civil war, etc.
Instead this book is really a military history of Japan, restricted to the period when indeed there were samurais as professional soldiers. Yes, there's a chapter on hara-kiri. But there are also chapters about fortifications (both castles and field fortifications), use of artillery and even Japans crown jewels! On these chapters the reference to samurai is made as secondary characters, people who happen to have a role on the subject, and not as the central subject. And in the chapter about naval activities their role is even smaller, since it's mostly about pirates, who were not, save the few exceptions described, samurais.
It really isn't a bad book, the subject is interesting, the reading is appealing and the illustrations are excellent, but the subtitle should be the main title: it really is a book about the world where the samurai existed and functioned, not the samurai himself.
Instead this book is really a military history of Japan, restricted to the period when indeed there were samurais as professional soldiers. Yes, there's a chapter on hara-kiri. But there are also chapters about fortifications (both castles and field fortifications), use of artillery and even Japans crown jewels! On these chapters the reference to samurai is made as secondary characters, people who happen to have a role on the subject, and not as the central subject. And in the chapter about naval activities their role is even smaller, since it's mostly about pirates, who were not, save the few exceptions described, samurais.
It really isn't a bad book, the subject is interesting, the reading is appealing and the illustrations are excellent, but the subtitle should be the main title: it really is a book about the world where the samurai existed and functioned, not the samurai himself.
November 23, 2011
This is a tentative 3-star - the writing is very scattered and overall organization is poor. The book gets extra points for the inclusion of fantastic Japanese art, and some nice photographs. But far from giving a comprehensive account of the world of the Samurai, this reads more like a random series of disconnected narratives. Instead of defining terms and giving a broad outline of the history, Turnbull plunges into stories of individual campaigns that seem disconnected from a larger story and are therefore quite difficult to follow - at least for someone who isn't already familiar with Japanese history.
December 18, 2019
It was ok as a historical introduction, but maybe not so much on the anthropological side of things, the 'why' part of the samurai's peculiar and occasionally disturbing ethos.
Still, it made for an interesting read, especially some of the material culture details (the sacred objects from the goddess Amaterasu allegedly still used as the crown jewels, etc.)
Still, it made for an interesting read, especially some of the material culture details (the sacred objects from the goddess Amaterasu allegedly still used as the crown jewels, etc.)
February 8, 2025
My review is based on how helpful the book was to me, not any indication of the value the book has in itself.
An interesting overview of the samurai. Some topics covered were:
- [ ] female samurai
- [ ] Ritual suicide
- [ ] Weapons
- [ ] Saigo Takamori
- [ ] Guns/arquebuses
The part I was most interested in was Saigo Takamori, which came at the end, and covered the Seinen War and the end of the samurai age. I found this section to be very detailed and informative!
Another thing I noticed was the framing of the Namamugi Incident in the epilogue. In this book Stephen Turnbull regards the English as “haughty”:
“The 1863 affair began when some English visitors to Japan were out riding, and came upon the procession of the samurai of the Satsuma daimyo who were off on their long and complex journey to pay their respects to the shogun. The haughty foreigners refused to dismount when the armed column came by, and one of the Shimazu samurai was so outraged that he drew his sword. A scuffle ensued, during which an Englishman was killed.”
I read about this incident in another book, Samurai Tales by Romulus Hillsborough, where he frames this incident in a more lenient light towards the Englishmen:
“Whether heedless or unaware of the grave and imminent danger ahead, the four Britons continued on their happy way. Their apparent lack of concern, if not ignorance, for their own safety seems strange in light of the fact that the Shogunate had made it a practice to inform the foreign officials at Yokohama of approaching daimyo entourages; and having been warned in advance of Satsuma’s intolerance for impudent behavior by foreigners, the Edo government had taken special precautions to prevent any such confrontations. Whether these four Britishers had not been informed of the Satsuma schedule, or whether, as the above-cited comment of Richardson’s uncle suggests, they had unwisely chosen to ignore the warning, remains a mystery.”
…
“At the straightaway, they saw for the first time the fast-approaching Satsuma procession, which filled the entire width of the roadway, leaving no room to pass. They also noticed the Shimazu cross, glistening gold against black, the ominous significance of which they were unaware. Startled, the four immediately slowed their pace, but did not stop and dismount, as surely they had been ordered to do. The mounted Satsuma vanguard, forming a double column, passed by the riders without incident. Soon the entire entourage was upon them, led by a column of one hundred samurai. The foreigners, their nerves taut, finally brought their horses to a halt at the left side of the road to let the array pass by. They had positioned their horses two abreast, with Richardson and Mrs. Borradaile some ten yards beyond the two others. What happened next might be attributed to the work of an ancient Japanese god intent on cleansing the sacred land of the foreign defilement. For as the moment intensified, Mrs. Borradaile’s horse lost its footing in the gutter at the side of the road. In a panicked effort to bring her horse back to the steady ground of the roadside, she accidentally got into the way of the procession, and to the grim delight of that ancient god, only twenty yards from the heavily guarded palanquin of the Lord of Satsuma.”
Later the English were attacked.
Sometimes I find that when we read secondary sources we are at the mercy of the historian’s interpretation. Whether or not the “haughtiness” of the foreigners comes from the Japanese interpretation of their actions, I felt Turnbull’s depiction of the English here felt a little out of context, while Hillsborough’s had more background. Regardless, these two texts have illuminated me to never get my information from a singular source and to read widely…
An interesting overview of the samurai. Some topics covered were:
- [ ] female samurai
- [ ] Ritual suicide
- [ ] Weapons
- [ ] Saigo Takamori
- [ ] Guns/arquebuses
The part I was most interested in was Saigo Takamori, which came at the end, and covered the Seinen War and the end of the samurai age. I found this section to be very detailed and informative!
Another thing I noticed was the framing of the Namamugi Incident in the epilogue. In this book Stephen Turnbull regards the English as “haughty”:
“The 1863 affair began when some English visitors to Japan were out riding, and came upon the procession of the samurai of the Satsuma daimyo who were off on their long and complex journey to pay their respects to the shogun. The haughty foreigners refused to dismount when the armed column came by, and one of the Shimazu samurai was so outraged that he drew his sword. A scuffle ensued, during which an Englishman was killed.”
I read about this incident in another book, Samurai Tales by Romulus Hillsborough, where he frames this incident in a more lenient light towards the Englishmen:
“Whether heedless or unaware of the grave and imminent danger ahead, the four Britons continued on their happy way. Their apparent lack of concern, if not ignorance, for their own safety seems strange in light of the fact that the Shogunate had made it a practice to inform the foreign officials at Yokohama of approaching daimyo entourages; and having been warned in advance of Satsuma’s intolerance for impudent behavior by foreigners, the Edo government had taken special precautions to prevent any such confrontations. Whether these four Britishers had not been informed of the Satsuma schedule, or whether, as the above-cited comment of Richardson’s uncle suggests, they had unwisely chosen to ignore the warning, remains a mystery.”
…
“At the straightaway, they saw for the first time the fast-approaching Satsuma procession, which filled the entire width of the roadway, leaving no room to pass. They also noticed the Shimazu cross, glistening gold against black, the ominous significance of which they were unaware. Startled, the four immediately slowed their pace, but did not stop and dismount, as surely they had been ordered to do. The mounted Satsuma vanguard, forming a double column, passed by the riders without incident. Soon the entire entourage was upon them, led by a column of one hundred samurai. The foreigners, their nerves taut, finally brought their horses to a halt at the left side of the road to let the array pass by. They had positioned their horses two abreast, with Richardson and Mrs. Borradaile some ten yards beyond the two others. What happened next might be attributed to the work of an ancient Japanese god intent on cleansing the sacred land of the foreign defilement. For as the moment intensified, Mrs. Borradaile’s horse lost its footing in the gutter at the side of the road. In a panicked effort to bring her horse back to the steady ground of the roadside, she accidentally got into the way of the procession, and to the grim delight of that ancient god, only twenty yards from the heavily guarded palanquin of the Lord of Satsuma.”
Later the English were attacked.
Sometimes I find that when we read secondary sources we are at the mercy of the historian’s interpretation. Whether or not the “haughtiness” of the foreigners comes from the Japanese interpretation of their actions, I felt Turnbull’s depiction of the English here felt a little out of context, while Hillsborough’s had more background. Regardless, these two texts have illuminated me to never get my information from a singular source and to read widely…
February 18, 2023
The problem I have with Turnbull is: he -at least- has 3 books under his name with the same topic: Samurai history. The books could be compiled into one single big-book encompassing everything. Turnbull chose not to.
The book created by Turnbull is like a Hotwheels. Each sold separately.
The book created by Turnbull is like a Hotwheels. Each sold separately.
February 12, 2018
How I wish the author did not heavily borrow from Hagakure, which has been long critiqued as the ramblings of an ancient keyboard warrior.
May 19, 2019
Informative and easy to follow. A good short history of the samurai class in Japan.
July 30, 2020
I will write the review when I finish the book. I ran out of time and had to return to library. 7-21-20
September 24, 2020
Interesting look themes that surrounded the life of samurai, really enjoyed it.
January 16, 2023
good overview of Samurai..
a well written and concise work about the Samurai and their times..
I woud have liked more maps but the included illustrations are helpful
a well written and concise work about the Samurai and their times..
I woud have liked more maps but the included illustrations are helpful
March 22, 2016
Another great history book by Stephen Turnbull that tracks the warriors of Japan from mythological heroes to the screaming dive of the kamikaze plane. Lots of unique facts and stories in this book. Especially memorable are his discussions of the Byakkotai of Aizu and the Seinan War (Satsuma Rebellion). Highly recommended.
October 5, 2009
Honnêtement, j'ai choisi ce livre à la bibliothèque parce qu'il sent très bon. Il y a certaines odeurs de livres auxquelles je ne peux résister! Je ne suis pas passionnée pas les samouraïs mais finalement le sujet était très intéressant!
Want to read
July 8, 2011Although jam-packed with great info, I'm having a hard time reading it cover-to-cover. I'll pick it up in a few months and have another go.
July 28, 2011
A good book for martial artists coming from a Japanese to read as gives a good context to several how's and whys.
July 29, 2019
This was really good, kind of light reading but recommended.
February 8, 2016
Nice overview of the history, weapons and culture of the Samurai. It was a good starting point for future reading on the military campaigns of ancient and medieval Japan.
August 31, 2016
Absolutely brilliant! Very interesting, very informative. Sometimes you have to read a few lines a couple times, but other than that a super colorful history of the Samurai, as promised.
August 26, 2017
a good historical overview. a few chapters felt a little slow to a newbie to the subject, and weighed down with a lot of names. but overall, a very good read.
February 14, 2019
A passable introduction to Samurai-era Japan, though a bit too fixated on technological elements. A decent primer/intro for the more in depth sociological book on the Samurai I have lined up from Eiko Ikegami. This book really thrives for some great pictures and art.
Displaying 1 - 24 of 24 reviews