The Samurai
The History of Japan's Legendary Warrior Caste
Published on 4. November 2025
Book
Hardback
192 pages
978-1-3988-5785-8 (ISBN)
Description
"Johnson brings clarity, depth, and narrative flair to the world of samurai history and culture, making this a valuable addition for both seasoned enthusiasts and curious newcomers" - David Thatcher, Samurai historian and armour expert.
Explore the fascinating history of the Japanese samurais in this spectacular hardback guide, richly illustrated with full-color art and photography throughout.
The Samurai are the legendary warrior class of Japan. They played a crucial role in the country's history, politics and religion and their legacy continues to hold immense sway over popular culture.
In this authoritive history, samurai expert Rod Johnson takes us through the rise and fall of the samurai in Japanese society from the emergence of the new class in the eighth century through the turbulent periods of the Mongol invasions and the civil wars of the Sengoku period to the attempts of the class to adapt to a changing world after the Meiji restoration in the nineteenth century.
With features on key events, battles and figures in the history of the samurai, this beautifully illustrated volume serves as the perfect reference for anyone who wants to know more about these fascinating people.
Explore the fascinating history of the Japanese samurais in this spectacular hardback guide, richly illustrated with full-color art and photography throughout.
The Samurai are the legendary warrior class of Japan. They played a crucial role in the country's history, politics and religion and their legacy continues to hold immense sway over popular culture.
In this authoritive history, samurai expert Rod Johnson takes us through the rise and fall of the samurai in Japanese society from the emergence of the new class in the eighth century through the turbulent periods of the Mongol invasions and the civil wars of the Sengoku period to the attempts of the class to adapt to a changing world after the Meiji restoration in the nineteenth century.
With features on key events, battles and figures in the history of the samurai, this beautifully illustrated volume serves as the perfect reference for anyone who wants to know more about these fascinating people.
More details
Language
English
Place of publication
United Kingdom
Product notice
sewn/stitched
Cloth over boards
Dimensions
Height: 282 mm
Width: 232 mm
Thickness: 19 mm
Weight
1057 gr
ISBN-13
978-1-3988-5785-8 (9781398857858)
Copyright in bibliographic data and cover images is held by Nielsen Book Services Limited or by the publishers or by their respective licensors: all rights reserved.
Schweitzer Classification
Person
Rod Johnson is currently the UK representative for the Shogun Arbeitsgruppe, a European study group for the samurai. He has long been interested in the history and culture of the samurai and has written a number of books and articles for private circulation on the samurai, with a special interest in early photography of the samurai and their times.