The Samurai: The Illustrated History of a Warrior Caste

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.

Rod Johnson obtained degrees in Engineering Science and Mechanical Engineering before working as an engineer for several years. He has long been interested in the history and culture of the samurai. He 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. He is currently the UK representative for the Shogun Arbeitsgruppe, a European study group for the samurai.