Jump to ratings and reviews
Rate this book

L'arte giapponese della guerra

Rate this book
Military rule and the martial tradition of the samurai have dominated Japanese culture for centuries, virtually to the present day. Thomas Cleary presents a penetrating look at how Japanese behavior and psychology are rooted in the ancient strategies of the arts of war.

174 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1991

35 people are currently reading
509 people want to read

About the author

Thomas Cleary

245 books279 followers
Dr. Thomas Francis Cleary, Ph.D. (East Asian Languages and Civilizations, Harvard University; J.D., Boalt Hall School of Law, University of California, Berkeley), was a prolific translator of Buddhist, Taoist, Confucian, and Muslim classics, with a particular emphasis on popular translations of Mahāyāna works relevant to the Chan, Zen, and Soen systems.

Ratings & Reviews

What do you think?
Rate this book

Friends & Following

Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!

Community Reviews

5 stars
72 (30%)
4 stars
91 (38%)
3 stars
49 (20%)
2 stars
21 (8%)
1 star
6 (2%)
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews
Profile Image for Les Robinson.
35 reviews10 followers
May 24, 2008
Cleary has a pretty comprehensive understanding of the classical Japanese mind and conveys this knowledge in a clear and understandable way. A very interesting and insightful read.
64 reviews1 follower
September 7, 2014
This is the definitive book on tje Japanese Art of war. It doesn't involve technique, it assumes that you already know how to paint. It helps you tou make a lasting work. There is a section on Shinto and the rise in Japanese militarism. Overextending yourself is a mistake that is easy to make and can only be controlled with self discipline.
Profile Image for Stepan.
1 review3 followers
June 16, 2014
Название книги вводит в заблуждение. Об искусстве войны как таковом (тактика, стратегия, логистика, типы войск и пр.) здесь немного, очень немного. В основном, книга об идеологии военного сословия средневековой Японии, о том, что бусидо позаимствовало из китайского дзен-буддизма и синтоизма. Этот конкретный аспект раскрыт довольно неплохо. Но если вы ищете книгу непосредственно о военной стратегии, что-то вроде У-цзы, Сунь-цзы - это не то, что вам нужно.
Profile Image for Jon Lewis.
20 reviews1 follower
October 1, 2011
Interesting take on the original "Art of war"

17 reviews1 follower
March 31, 2008
A different take on the Art of War. More insight into Japanese Culture, and Warlords (Masters, Samurai, etc)
Profile Image for Dave Franklin.
306 reviews1 follower
May 16, 2022
Thomas Cleary's " The Japanese Art of War" is a nuanced study of the impact of Zen Buddhism on the code of Bushido. Cleary provides an incisive overview of the role of militarism in Japanese history, and its psychological consequences for modern Japan.

Cleary examines, at length, the thought of four seminal thinkers: Shoson, Takuan, Yagui, and Musahi. Each author elucidates certain insights into one or more aspects of Zen thought, but Cleary reminds us that Shinto, Taoism and Neo- Confucianism also played a role in the formation of the Japanese psyche. None of these thinkers alone represents an accurate snapshot of Zen thought in Japan; Cleary reminds us that almost every facet of Japanese culture has both an inside and an outside face.

Cleary's study is a provocative guidebook that can bring some clarity to the events we see in East Asia today. While Cleary's analysis is rather evasive with respect to some of the nihilstic elements that have percolated through Zen thinking, this book is a valuable work.
Profile Image for Anirudh Kukreja.
565 reviews5 followers
January 24, 2024
It would be unfair on my part to say anything bad about the content of this book; however the reason why I've rated it so low is the style of writing. The thoughts, although insightful, are haphazardly arranged and too confusing for an average reader. I'm not a regular consumer of Non-Fiction books (I humbly admit), but this one was a pain to finish.
Profile Image for Andrea Canella.
35 reviews1 follower
May 5, 2023
Un testo che concede una bella infarinatura generale sulla filosofia Zen (e non solo) che ha influenzato il giappone per più di un millennio, consigliatissimo a chi è interessato al suddetto argomento.
Profile Image for Larry.
53 reviews35 followers
February 23, 2019
Thomas Cleary uses ancient texts and modern language to artfully explain Japanese culture.

Masterfully done!

Cheers!

⛩🍶🙏
Profile Image for Dean Marquis.
121 reviews
June 30, 2022
This is an indispensable work on the The Martial Arts and Strategy. Thomas Cleary has written extensive on the subject and this is clearly one of his best works
2 reviews1 follower
January 8, 2023
Had some element of self-help through the use of zen teachings but spent most of the book repeating phrases unnecessarily which was a little annoying.
Profile Image for TempeEnak+.
1 review
September 22, 2025
dari buku ini kita bisa belajar bagaimana budaya mempengaruhi kekuatan seorang prajurit
Profile Image for Cat McNulty.
3 reviews
July 13, 2025
This was an extremely eye-opening read as someone who is just starting to learn about Eastern cultures. I was raised Christian and "left the church" as a teenager. Cleary managed to explain the anxiety I've felt but never could articulate. It's also an incredibly insightful read in preparation for my first trip to Japan, helping me understand and relate to the people. Cleary believes the root of western and eastern tension is ignorance: both sides think they are right. According to ancient Buddhists, "hiding one's light", removing the viel of mental preoccupations, removing all afflictions with a cleared mind is how to gain higher level of enlightenment.
Profile Image for VanessaFaye.
30 reviews4 followers
April 9, 2008
eh.. its worth what its worth. some informative chapters about specific tricks of the warrior mind.
Displaying 1 - 18 of 18 reviews

Can't find what you're looking for?

Get help and learn more about the design.