Weapons of the Samurai

This fully illustrated book describes and analyses the range of weapons and equipment traditionally associated with the samurai, Japan's superlative warriors.

Beginning with the rise of the samurai during the 10th century, this lively study traces the introduction of edged weapons (cutting and piercing) and missile weapons (bows and guns) over the next 500 years. The book shows clearly how they were employed by individual samurai using many previously untranslated primary texts, and explains...