The Samurai and the Sacred

by Stephen Turnbull

The samurai were celebrated warriors, but they were also deeply spiritual men whose religious beliefs sustained and inspired their forays into battle. In this entirely original work, Stephen Turnbull, a leading authority on Japanese history and author of more than 50 books, reveals the soul of the samurai in a thoughtful exploration of the religions and philosophies that motivated them. Drawing inspiration from all manners of belief systems – from Japan’s mainstream religions of Shinto and Buddhism, to Confucianism, Christianity, and Folk Religion – the samurai were fascinating men who often valued their honor above their lives.
THE SAMURAI AND THE SACRED is strikingly illustrated with lavish Japanese prints and vibrant photographs. A provocative study, it includes chapters on martial arts, modern militarism, the cult of the sword, revenge, suicide, hara kiri and kamikaze pilots. THE SAMURAI AND THE SACRED is a compelling read that provides insight into Japanese culture, philosophy, and warfare.

Genres: History, Japan, Nonfiction, Martial Arts, Military History, Religion, Japanese Literature

224 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2006

About the author

Stephen Richard Turnbull is British a historian specializing in eastern military history, especially the samurai of Japan. His books are mainly on Japanese and Mongolian subjects. He attended Cambridge University where he gained his first degree. He currently holds an MA in Theology, MA in Military History and a PhD from the University of Leeds where he is currently a lecturer in Far Eastern Religions. He has also written a number of books on other medieval topics. He is semi-retired but still holds the post of Visiting Professor of Japanese Studies at Akita International University in Japan.

Reviews

[Alex George · Rating 4 out of 5]

SPOILERS all the samurai are dead now

Well lads I now know a lot about samurai than I did before lemme tell ya. Probably the first time I've read this strict a nonfiction book from cover to cover. Very comprehensive and lots of amazing lil tidbits but all presented n formatted in a very accessible and readable way. Some stunning images and paintings sewn in as well. Only real criticism is that it kinda used up all it's best content in the opening two thirds. I was less interested in the military history and far far fAR more interested in all the stuff about day to day samurai domestic routines and how they played samurai football and how they liked to drink tea and write poems. Good shit would reccomend.

[Winston B-S · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting, if unfocused, book about the nature of traditional Japanese religion and its intersection with warfare, especially the samurai class. A chapter that described all of the religious practices and beliefs in greater detail would be nice to help the reader understand some of the context. Instead these topics are introduced piecemeal, which can make it difficult to follow.

[Neil Crowle · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is very interesting and not too hard to follow. The information outlined in it explains historic as well as modern Japanese attitudes. The author is a well-known authority on Japanese/samurai history. This work is completely impartial, is well footnoted and has a useful bibliography.

[Solomon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Slow start
Worth finishing

[Anne Beardsley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not bad, I suppose. But I found it neither deep enough nor shallow enough - and it really needed to pick one or the other.

Let me explain: Some books aren't a full scholarly tour of a subject, but are bubbling with fascinating details and interesting anecdotes: odd practice in this town, a belief in this one, a carving on this temple's ceiling, etc.
Other books go really deeply into their subject matter, giving you a wonderful, concrete understanding.

This book did neither. It was too general, too much of a summation to be the second kind of book. It wasn't nearly particular enough to be the first kind. I learned a little, but not a lot.

[Robert Mccarthy · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book very informative and pleasantly neutral on its topic. As a young man considering military service himself but fighting an inner war with his own chosen religious beliefs (Zen Buddhism) and his conscience/ political beliefs (patriotic conservatism) I found this book provided some needed perspective. The chapter Zen and the Samurai being the best, as relating to how a nonviolent philosophy like Zen Buddhism can exist hand-in-hand with the war like ethos of the Samurai. A must read for anyone who is in my predicament.

[Artur Alves · Rating 4 out of 5]

As another commenter noted, this book is about the history of religious belief in Japan, rather than a monograph on samurai religion. Of course, both aspects blend together in most sections, which makes for a very interesting read if you are keen in Japanese culture.

Reading this book requires some attention to Japanese family/clan and individual names, as some of them crop up in different chapters. The same goes for deities, shrines, temples, sects, and so on. There is a lot of detail and a wealth of references for such a short book. I highly recommended it as an introductory text.

[Trevor Kew · Rating 5 out of 5]

For someone fascinated with Japanese history, this book was a really good way to approach the complex world of Japanese mythology and religion. Because the religious explanations focused on connections to pragmatic real world events (i.e. wars, power struggles, real places), it was much easier to make sense of the variety of beliefs, institutions and practices that have made up the religious landscape of Japan over the past two millennia. Turnbull does it again!

[Chris Cangiano · Rating 4 out of 5]

Excellent introduction to the development and practice of the various religious traditions in Japan. Beautifully illustrated as well. Recommended

[Kenneth Kirk]

This is a very good insight into the evolution of the Japanese character and how this evolution relates to the Japan we in the U.S. saw during WW II.