Their name means “one who serves,” and the samurai were the most skilled elite group of combatants the world has ever seen. Their legendary prowess inspired some of Japan’s finest films and literature: years of training, discipline, and self-sacrifice, combined with advanced weaponry and unprecedented tactical acumen, created a force unmatched over centuries of history. This remarkable illustrated volume reveals the essence, truth, and wisdom of these unique warriors. Meet the most renowned of them, see their weapons, explore their military strategies, and even follow their daily lives. Above all, this sublime work illuminates the samurai’s unwavering Bushido philosophy—the strict code of honor that required absolute loyalty to their master above all else, and ritual suicide in preference to dying a dishonorable death.

這是一本英文書，文字與圖片相接閤，描述瞭日本古代的武士道起源、著名的武士平生、武士慣用的兵器介紹、盔甲的穿著方法、盔甲的樣式以及剖腹的方式等。裏邊的大部分圖片均為江戶時期的浮世繪作品，適閤喜愛繪畫和對日本武士感興趣的朋友們閱讀。