Hagakure (Selections)

Introduction

'The way of the samurai is found in death.' This opening line of the Hagakure is one of the most famous and most misunderstood sayings in Japan. The eleven books of conversation were recorded in the peaceful Edo period, when samurai had long since had no wars to fight; in them Yamamoto Tsunetomo, an old retainer, remembers his lord and speaks of service, loyalty, resolve and death, but also of how to dress one's hair, how to receive guests, how to behave at a banquet, and of 'secret love' as the highest form of love. Startling and fierce sayings stand beside plain, humane advice on living among others; Mishima Yukio wrote a book-length introduction to it. This volume translates its most important and characteristic passages.