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Review
"Hagakure became a kind of magical discovery for me, and 'hidden under its leaves' were some important gifts." --Jim Jarmusch, Director of Ghost Dog
"A classic of Japanese thought Poetic, robust a feast of aphorisms and martial anecdotes." --New York Review of Books
"The most influential of all samurai treatises ever written." --Ivan Morris, author and teacher in the field of Japanese Studies
"A classic of Japanese thought Poetic, robust a feast of aphorisms and martial anecdotes." --New York Review of Books
"The most influential of all samurai treatises ever written." --Ivan Morris, author and teacher in the field of Japanese Studies
Prof. Ivan Morris
"The most influential of all samurai treatises ever written. "
--This text refers to an out of print or unavailable edition of this title.
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First Sentence
Although it stands to reason that a samurai should be mindful of the Way of the Samurai, it would seem that we are all negligent. Read the first page
Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
Although it stands to reason that a samurai should be mindful of the Way of the Samurai, it would seem that we are all negligent. Read the first page
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Front Cover | Copyright | Table of Contents | Excerpt | Back Cover
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Most Helpful Customer Reviews
28 of 29 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Hagakure may be familiar to anyone who has seen the film 'Ghost Dog'. It contains anecdotes relating to the way of the samurai, but can be (unfairly) summarised as follows: the way of the samurai lies in death, death must be contemplated on a daily basis, even the slightest example of disrespect should be met by immediate and fatal remedy. In particular, seppuku (hiri kiri) is the noble and glorious end to virtually all anecdotes.
It is a remarkable book, and probably the most interesting of the Samurai guides (eg Book of Five Rings). However, it should be remembered that Hagakure was considered exceptionally fundamentalist when it was written (17th century) and was disapproved of due to its overemphasis on death.
It was also a favourite text of Yukio Mishima, which if you know about Mishima, tells its own story.
36 of 39 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
Despite being written 300 years ago in Japan, this book contains so much wisdom and insight that can be successfully applied to modern life. It is very easy to read because it is made up of short passages usually only a paragraph long, so it is excellent to read a few pages at a time for a little inspiration. The stories are sometimes funny, and frequently confusing and illogical to the western mind which makes it a great read. This book is a great insight into the philosophy and mindset of the samurai. I would recommend it to anyone, and it makes a great gift.
15 of 16 people found the following review helpful
Format:Paperback
As an Iaido practitioner I was first interested in this book for it's relation to the Samurai. However, the further I got into it the more I realised it can be of interest for anyone. Although the text is obviously rooted in the world of medieval Japan, it is easy to read between the lines and see the relevance it offers people today. That is not to say it is a philosophy as such, but that it offers a fascinating insight into a truly insightful and original mind.
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Most Recent Customer Reviews
hagakure
Brought as a Christmas prsesent, but very prompt delievery, hopefully will be liked on Christmas day! I'm sure it will be
Published 5 months ago by anon
Death as the Meaning of Life
What we have here is a collection of three hundred of the original thirteen hundred aphorisms and short anecdotes related by a retired samurai, Yamamoto Tsunetomo, to a young... Read more
Published 5 months ago by Alwin Templar
The Book of the Samurai
Very surprising read considering its going back to the 1716. A good addition to the book shelf that spends more time off than on.
Published 6 months ago by merry-terry
Hagakure
I found this book to have some very interesting and useful information in it. Very good read and highly reccommended.
Published 9 months ago by Paul Alan
Hagakure
`Hagakure' aka `The Book of the Samurai' is an old Japanese text with many anecdotes and passages formed into short paragraphs that impart the wisdom of the Samurai's way of life. Read more
Published 18 months ago by Spider Monkey
A WARRIORS WISDOM
The Knowledge in this book is very specific to the time and culture from whence it came.For example a lot of the paragraphs talk of never allowing yourself to be disgraced,... Read more
Published 19 months ago by PROCTOR 1
Brilliant in parts but I prefered the 'Book of Five Rings'
The book is one of the samurai treatises but as opposed to some others in the same area, works a bit differently - it is a collection of thoughts, rather than a concise guide. Read more
Published on 6 April 2010 by AK
Ancient worldly wisdom for the modern warrior
Given the age of the book and the advice recorded, understandably not everything is applicable in modern life. Read more
Published on 14 Nov 2009 by G. Yang
SAMURAI FOR BEGINNERS
it's okay, but I didn't go crazy for this kind of simple wisdom. if you want a first bite about samurai lifestyle and code of honour, it's a good buy, though...
Published on 13 May 2009 by Carlo Muttoni
Exceptional book
Hagakure is a truly exceptional book. It cuts straight and deep and finds the epitomy of the way of the Samurai. Read more
Published on 3 May 2009 by A. Vrakas
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