Osaka 1615: The Last Battle of the Samurai

Osprey Campaign #170

by Stephen Turnbull, Richard Hook (Illustrator)

Osprey's exploration of the complex background of the Siege of Osaka (1614-1615), as well as of the battle experiences of the opposing forces, in a compelling exploration of the conflict that led to the eventual triumph of one dynasty over another. In 1614, Osaka Castle was Japan's greatest fortification, measuring approximately 2 miles in length with double circuits of walls, 100 feet high. It was guarded by 100,000 samurai, loyal to their master: the head of the Toyotomi clan, Toyotomi Hideyori. The castle was seemingly impenetrable, however the ruling shogun of the age, Tokugawa Ieyasu, was determined to destroy this one last threat to his position as Japan's ultimate ruler.

Genres: History, Japanese History, Military History, Japan, Nonfiction

96 pages, Paperback

First published June 1, 2006

About the author

Stephen 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.

Reviews

[Jonathan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Your typical copiously-illustrated Osprey Publication work on the final campaign, siege and battle of the seemingly endless civil wars of pre-modern Japan, but which resulted in the Tokugawa Shogunate, which peacefully ran the country until the mid-19th century. Dr. Turnbull does his usual bang-up job in describing the military manoeuvers of this campaign, as well as the gear and tactics that were used by Japanese warriors of this era. I am looking forward to visiting Osaka castle during my trip to Japan next month to see the battlefield.

[Drew · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book makes a great companion or follow-up to “Shogun.“ Fills you in on the real story. I would call it a compelling narrative, but it might not qualify as a narrative. Still, it is a gripping historical event. There were a few oddities about this edition. Some pages look great, while other pages look like mediocre photocopies. They got even stranger when the captions on the photos on those pages said things about the importance of color, and the photos were black and white. Not going to blame the author for that. He is clearly an expert and did an excellent job making a big story digestible and understandable.

[Amir Hossein Fassihi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Good reference

This book contains many details about the siege, the armies involved, and locations. A valuable reference for anyone interested in the events.

[zoey · Rating 3 out of 5]

“A trip to Kyoto will be necessary to see the notorious temple bell. It still hangs in a tower, although the temple built to house it has long gone, and the successor to Hideyoshi’s Great Buddha is a modern edifice that must be one of the ugliest statues in Japan. On the surface of the bell, picked out helpfully in white, is the insulting inscription that led to the last samurai battle.” (p. 93)

This book offers a vivid and highly detailed account of the final battle ever fought by samurai, and I found it genuinely engaging from start to finish. At times it was a little challenging to keep track of the huge number of names and figures mentioned, but the narrative itself remained compelling throughout.

There were a few typos here and there, and the frequent absence of commas after introductory clauses or dates was a bit distracting (at least for me lol). Still, the author’s subtle humour and dry observations helped balance the denser historical sections, making the story surprisingly enjoyable to read. I also appreciated the side stories, such as the one about the famous tea master Furuta Oribe Shigenari, which added depth and personality to the broader historical events.

Overall, it’s a well-researched and surprisingly lively read for anyone interested in Japanese history.

[Aaron · Rating 3 out of 5]

As is typical for Osprey books, this book covers the battles that made up the Winter and Summer campaigns at Osaka in 1615 in sufficient detail to get a good feel for the strategic and tactical situation. There is little to no "story telling," just the facts as they are commonly understood. The Osaka battles matter because this was the last significant military campaign of the Sengoku Jidai, or Warring States, period before the Tokugawa instituted their 2 1/2 century rule. The book does a good job of showing how the "rebels" could have won, and how they missed their chances.

[Grant · Rating 5 out of 5]

An excellent study of the battle, placing the leaders, causes, and armies in cultural and political context.