Yamamoto Tsunetomo Books
Yamamoto Tsunetomo (1659–1719) was a samurai of the Saga domain during Japan’s Edo period. After serving his lord Nabeshima Mitsushige, he retired to a life of seclusion and dictated his reflections on samurai ethics to his disciple Tashiro Tsuramoto, which were later compiled as Hagakure.
Known for: Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai
Books by Yamamoto Tsunetomo
Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai
Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai is a classic work on bushido, the way of the warrior, compiled from the teachings of Yamamoto Tsunetomo, a samurai of the Saga domain in early 18th-century Japan. The text explores themes of loyalty, honor, and the acceptance of death as central to the samurai ethos. It is best known for the phrase, 'The way of the samurai is found in death,' which encapsulates its philosophy of readiness and devotion.
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The Central Principle: The Way of the Samurai Is Found in Death
At the core of my reflections lies the phrase that has come to define Hagakure: 'The way of the samurai is found in death.' I wrote these words not out of morbid fixation, but out of reverence for life lived fearlessly. Death, in the samurai’s world, is not a tragedy—it is the ultimate test of devot...
From Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai
Loyalty and Devotion Beyond Self-Interest
Loyalty is the soul of Bushido. I came from a time when this virtue was tested not on battlefields, but in daily service. The peace of the Edo era had made many samurai forget that their existence was bound not to their own prosperity, but to their lord’s glory. Service, therefore, must be absolute—...
From Hagakure: The Book of the Samurai
About Yamamoto Tsunetomo
Yamamoto Tsunetomo (1659–1719) was a samurai of the Saga domain during Japan’s Edo period. After serving his lord Nabeshima Mitsushige, he retired to a life of seclusion and dictated his reflections on samurai ethics to his disciple Tashiro Tsuramoto, which were later compiled as Hagakure.
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Yamamoto Tsunetomo (1659–1719) was a samurai of the Saga domain during Japan’s Edo period. After serving his lord Nabeshima Mitsushige, he retired to a life of seclusion and dictated his reflections on samurai ethics to his disciple Tashiro Tsuramoto, which were later compiled as Hagakure.
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