The medieval era of Japan was marked by a century of civil strife known as the Warring States period (1469-1573). The century prior had seen the sword replace the bow and arrow as the chief weapon of the samurai, thus setting the stage for this golden age of Japanese swordsmanship. Every man who called himself a warrior pledged his allegiance and life to a warlord and honed his martial skills to defend his patron to the death on the field of battle.
One such warrior was Kamiizumi Nobutsuna (1508-77), who played a role in the great rivalry between two of the most powerful warlords of the day. His is the story of the tragedy of civil war experienced at the personal level—a story of loyalty, of betrayal, of seemingly insurmountable setbacks. His courage in the face of overwhelming odds stands as moving testimony to the kind of perseverance and dedication that can have no equal in times of peace. Moreover, long after the fighting, the sword style and skills that saw him through the heat of battle lived on, and became a major school of the art of fencing during the Edo period, the Shinkage-ryu.
About the Famous Samurai Series: No history of Japan’s medieval era can be complete without touching on the lives and exploits of those men who fought in its epic conflicts: the samurai. Of the thousands who took part in the major and minor battles of that turbulent period, a handful stood out; it was their martial skills that won the day and changed history. This series recounts their amazing but factual stories, and will include such famous warriors as Yagyu Munenori, Ono Tadaaki, Itto Kagehisa, Nenami Jion, and Iizasa Ienao. Each volume includes many photos, maps, and diagrams, plus a chronology, glossary, and index.
