Japanese Samurai and battles up to 1603, a series of recent books

Published by Osprey publishing company, all in soft back and copiously illustrated. Prices vary; obtainable through the internet at a discount.

Members of the Society may be interested in the following publications from Osprey by Stephen Turnbull:
Japanese Fortified Temples and Monasteries AD 710-1602, 2005
Japanese Warrior Monks AD 949-1603, 2003
Japanese Castles 1540-1640, 2003
War in Japan 1467-1515, 2002
Kawanakajima 1553-64, Samurai power struggle, 2003
Nagashino 1575, Slaughter at the barricades, 2000
Samurai Commanders (1) 940-1576, 2005
Samurai Commanders (2) 1577-1638, 2005
Osaka 1615, The last battle of the samurai, 2006
Ninja AD 1460-1650, 2003
Ashigaru 1467-1649, 2001
Samurai Heraldry, 2002
And by Anthony Bryant:
Sekigahara 1600, the final struggle for power, 1995

Foreign students of Japanese history tend to concentrate on modern Japan after the 'opening of Japan' in the middle of the nineteenth century or on the Tokugawa or Edo period or the first contact with western countries in the sixteenth century. Students of Japanese literature, if they are attracted to heroic stories, will tend to concentrate on the battles which were commemorated in the Heike Monogatari or the Taiheiki and which occurred before the Sengoku (country at war period) in the sixteenth century.

Yet some of the battles about which Stephen Turnbull has written in these works have become a part of Japanese folklore. Kawanakajima for instance was a series of battles between the two famous warriors Takeda Shingen and Uesugi Kenshin who were dominating and ruthless military leaders in the middle of the sixteenth century.

Of the battle of Nagashino in 1575 Turnbull writes: It "holds a unique place in Japanese history. The siege which preceded it is regarded as one of the three classic sieges of Japan, but it was the skilful manner in which Oda Nobunaga secured his victory which has earned Nagashino such a reputation. "

Every student of Japanese history will be conscious of the importance of the battle of Sekigahara and most will be aware that it was the defection of a significant part of Tokugawa Ieyasu's opponents which helped him to victory but Anthony Bryant's account of the battle explains that there was much more to this battle than treachery. His description of the fighting will interest military historians.

The two books devoted to samurai commanders are useful compendia of biographical information. The books on Japanese fortified temples and monasteries and on Japanese castles provide interesting information about defensive architecture. The book on Japanese warrior monks coves not only their beliefs but also their life, weapons and training. The Ninja have always fascinated visitors to Japan and Turnbull's account of these elusive warriors provides a graphic account of how they acted and appeared. The Ashigaru were the samurai's foot-soldiers and Turnbull describes their weapons, life and training. Samurai Heraldry provides a useful guide to the banners and standards of the samurai armies.

I found the black and white illustrations and photographs illuminating, but thought the colour paintings at best crude.

Stephen Turnbull has made quite a corner for himself in writing about the samurai, their life and weapons. Altogether this is a collection of booklets which will be valuable to the student of Japanese military history.