In Edo era Japan, if you drew your sword with intent to kill, a samurai had to make the kill or commit suicide.
Tag: samurai
Bushido
The life of a samurai is no fun.
Untitled Novel (1)
This is the prologue to the story I was writing a little while ago before my life took a crazy turn.
Yasuke, the Black Samurai
Did I mention that I was writing a samurai novel in English? One of the main characters in the novel is Yasuke, an African slave brought to Japan by European missionaries who granted the status of samurai by Lord Oda Nobunaga upon entering his service. He is the only recorded black samurai in history. In … Continue reading Yasuke, the Black Samurai
World Building and the Samurai Novel
The really hard part about writing a samurai novel in English is that you must remain within the historical context of what you are writing, yet not spend too much time explaining. Most Western readers have a much clearer image of what a Victorian tea party is than what a Japanese tea ceremony is. So, … Continue reading World Building and the Samurai Novel
The Amakusa Rebellion 1637
Between the years 1639 to 1854, Japan was in what Western historians call "a state of self-imposed isolation". From the Japanese point of view, it was a period when foreigners were not allowed in the country. Subtle difference. One of the main reasons Japan closed its doors to foreign countries was the behavior of Christian missionaries. … Continue reading The Amakusa Rebellion 1637
The Fate of the Sword
A man I know, a reputable lawyer in Japan, was renovating his ancestral home when a samurai sword was discovered in the space above the ceiling. Shortly after WWII, when the Americans occupied Japan, samurai swords were banned and the Americans were wantonly confiscating and destroying them. Many precious heirlooms were hidden in walls and … Continue reading The Fate of the Sword
Kurosawa’s Samurais
Toshiro Mifune was an aerial photographer for the Japanese Imperial Army, where he saw numerous eighteen-year-old conscripts fly off on kamikaze missions, an experience that gave him a lifelong hatred of the war. Later in his career, when he was typecast as an Imperial military officer, he was asked in an interview what he personally … Continue reading Kurosawa’s Samurais
The Sakai Incident 1868
When the Americans took Bagdhad in the Second Gulf War, the residents of the city took to looting stores, warehouses and museums in a state of total chaos. In bygone years, such anarchy was enough justification for foreign powers to take over any given city, harbor or even nation on the pretext of restoring law … Continue reading The Sakai Incident 1868
Where are the samurai stories?
It is very difficult to find good, new samurai fiction in the English language, or any Japanese fiction for that matter. If you look for a list of best samurai fiction, or historical novels, on Goodreads, you will find Shogun by James Clavell (published 1975), Musashi by Eiji Yoshikawa (1939), Taiko by the same author … Continue reading Where are the samurai stories?
Samurai Novelist 