Samurai, shogun, and Japanese history in general are popular topics that seem to be enjoying even more attention with new tv shows, video games, and books.
The history of Japan is long and complex. The unique social, cultural, and political factors that make up Japan’s history can be intimidating to Westerners or those unfamiliar with East Asian history.
Luckily, the popularity of samurai and Japanese history means that many books exist to fill in the gaps. As more people become familiar with these historical figures through entertainment and media, books are being published to provide context and bust common samurai stereotypes.
This list of books focuses on samurai, shoguns, and related Japanese history. While many are suitable for all readers, a few are ideal for those wanting to dig deeper into the study of East Asian history and samurai in particular.
With a well-rounded mix of books for casual reading and scholarly research, this list is the perfect starting place for growing your personal samurai library.
1) Samurai: A Very Short Introduction
- Wert, Michael (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 144 Pages - 06/22/2021 (Publication Date) - Oxford University Press (Publisher)
Recommended for: Samurai Newbies, History Enthusiasts
Samurai: A Very Short Introduction by Michael Wert is the perfect book to read if you are new to the world of samurai and Japanese history. At less than 150 pages, this book is like a pocket guide to samurai.
The book covers the real samurai of history and focuses in on the politics, arts, philosophy, and religion that both influenced and were influenced by the samurai.
Wert discusses the samurai in their role as the ruling class of Japan and covers famous events like the invasions of Korea, the Satsuma Rebellion, and much more.
The author Michael Wert is an associate professor of East Asian history at Marquette University, so he is definitely an expert in his field. The “Very Short Introductions” books (a series of hundreds of books covering many topics) are published by Oxford University Press.
Reviewers have called the book “lively” and praised the fact that it “debunks myths.”
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2) An Illustrated Guide to Samurai History and Culture: From the Age of Musashi to Contemporary Pop Culture
- Hardcover Book
- Blair, Gavin (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Recommended for: History Enthusiasts, Gamers, Fans of Pop Culture & Art
An Illustrated Guide to Samurai History and Culture: From the Age of Musashi to Contemporary Pop Culture by Gavin Blair, is an approachable and fascinating samurai history book. With its beautiful cover and over 250 illustrations, this book is ideal for displaying on a coffee table or bookshelf.
The book discusses famous samurai figures and battles as well as life, culture, armor, and weapons. A special look at modern portrayals of samurai will appeal to fans of samurai tv, movies, and video games.
Gavin Blair has over two decades of experience writing for various publications and news outlets. His book is published by Tuttle Publishing, which is the world’s largest publisher of books on Asia.
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3) Samurai: An Illustrated History
Recommended for: History & Art Fans, Casual Readers, Coffee Table Display
Samurai: An Illustrated History is another Tuttle Publishing book on samurai. Published in 2002, this book by Mitsuo Kure is a hefty three pounds with over 800 photos and illustrations to bring the history of samurai to life.
Kure is a samurai expert who reconstructs full-size samurai armor and organizes battle re-enactments in Japan. Because of his personal interest in armor, this book highlights the armor, weapons, tactics, and customs of samurai fighters.
Kure’s book covers the 700 years of Japanese history influenced by the samurai ruling class.
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4) The Samurai Encyclopedia: A Comprehensive Guide to Japan’s Elite Warrior Class
- Vaporis, Constantine Nomikos (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 544 Pages - 10/25/2022 (Publication Date) - Tuttle Publishing (Publisher)
Recommended for: Samurai Enthusiasts, Fans of Photos
The Samurai Encyclopedia is the first comprehensive encyclopedia of samurai terminology. It includes over 150 alphabetized entries and over 100 illustrations to complement the writing.
The book’s author, Constantine Nomikos Vaporis, is a professor of history at the University of Maryland, Baltimore. His accomplishment in writing this encyclopedia has been noted by Michael Wert (book described above).
The Encyclopedia includes entries on weapons, armor, famous samurai, battles, and much more. It is another publication by Tuttle and comes in at a respectable 544 pages.
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5) A History of the Samurai: Legendary Warriors of Japan
- Hardcover Book
- Lopez-Vera, Jonathan (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Recommended for: Casual Readers, Samurai & Japan History Fans,
A History of the Samurai: Legendary Warriors of Japan by Jonathan Lopez-Vera is the perfect book for fans of samurai and Japanese history.
The book covers popular samurai topics like the 47 ronin, the bushido code, and the decline of the samurai in the 1800s. The book’s text is supported by 125 photos. At 288 pages, this book is the ideal choice for readers seeking more context on the samurai and how they lived.
Author Jonathan Lopez-Vera has a PhD in Japanese history and runs the website historiajaponesa.com. His book was translated to English by Russell Calvert.
This book is another publication by Tuttle, the world’s leading publisher of books on Asia.
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6) A History of Japan: Revised Edition
- Mason, R. H. P. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 408 Pages - 11/15/1997 (Publication Date) - Tuttle Publishing (Publisher)
Recommended for: History Enthusiasts, Serious Scholars
A History of Japan: Revised Edition is considered a modern classic on Japan’s history. The book is perfect for any reader interested in Japan and its samurai.
The book was published in 1997 and has since been revised. Its 408 pages cover the complete history of Japan (at the time of publication) from ancient times to the 1990s.
Topics covered in the book that are relevant to samurai fans include arts, culture, the medieval period, and the early modern period.
The author of A History of Japan is R. H. P. Mason, a professor who lectured on Japanese history for over 30 years.
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7) Samurai: A History
- Man, John (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 352 Pages - 02/18/2014 (Publication Date) - Mariner Books (Publisher)
Recommended for: History Enthusiasts, Fans of Biographies
Samurai: A History by John Man is a true history of samurai told through the biography of the last samurai Saigo Takamari. This unique format of history writing has been called “relaxed” and “engaging” by reviewers.
John Man is a historian specializing in Mongolia, China, Japan, and Central Asia. His book is published by Mariner Books, whose parent company is HarperCollins.
The book totals 352 pages, making it the ideal length for casual perusal or serious reading.
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8) Legends of the Samurai
- Sato, Hiroaki (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 432 Pages - 03/06/2012 (Publication Date) - Harry N. Abrams (Publisher)
Recommended for: Samurai Enthusiasts, Serious Scholars
Legends of the Samurai by Hiroaki Sato is a book of translated samurai texts with expert commentary. Sato painstakingly translates texts related to samurai dating from the ancient period to the early 18th century.
The book is a gold mine of primary sources on samurai, with many written by samurai themselves. Because of the translations and commentary, this book is best suited to major samurai fans and those pursuing more serious scholarship.
Sato’s book was published in 2012 by Harry N. Abrams, a publishing company that produces art and illustrated books.
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9) The World Turned Upside Down: Medieval Japanese Society
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Souyri, Pierre François (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Recommended for: Serious Scholars
The World Turned Upside Down: Medieval Japanese Society is an academic book on Japanese history written by Pierre François Souyri and published by Columbia University Press.
Souyri is a historian of Japan who published the book in 2003.
The book covers the evolution of Japan during the medieval period. Japanese society, religion, intellectual pursuits, and literature are topics discussed in this scholarly publication.
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10) The Making of Modern Japan
- Used Book in Good Condition
- Jansen, Marius B. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
Recommended for: Serious Scholars
The Making of Modern Japan was written in 2002 by Marius B. Jansen, Professor Emeritus of Japanese history and East Asian Studies at Princeton.
The book is a whopping 936 pages long and covers the history of Japan from 1600 to the present century. Topics include the shogunate, Japan’s demographics, samurai values, trade, industrialization, and more.
If you are interested in the modernization of Japan during the early modern period, look no further than this authoritative text.
The book was published by Belknap Press, an imprint of Harvard University Press.
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11) Samurai, Warfare, and the State in Early Medieval Japan
- Friday, Karl F. (Author)
- English (Publication Language)
- 252 Pages - 12/11/2003 (Publication Date) - Routledge (Publisher)
Recommended for: Samurai Enthusiasts, Serious Scholars
Samurai, Warfare, and the State in Early Medieval Japan was written in 2003 by Karl Friday, a professor of Japanese history at the University of Georgia.
The book is the result of over 20 years of research. It addresses common samurai stereotypes, warfare, weapons, and tactics.
At around 250 pages, this book is the perfect balance of concise yet informative.
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12) Samurai and the Warrior Culture of Japan, 471-1877: A Sourcebook
- English (Publication Language)
- 384 Pages - 07/18/2022 (Publication Date) - Hackett Publishing Company, Inc. (Publisher)
Recommended for: History Enthusiasts, Serious Scholars
Samurai and the Warrior Culture of Japan is a newer book that uses lesser-known sources to tell the story of the samurai from their very beginnings to the Meiji Restoration.
The book’s author is Thomas Donald Conlan, a professor of East Asian studies and history at Princeton University. The book has received positive reviews from professors at the University of North Carolina – Chapel Hill and the University of Pennsylvania.
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