Get ready to meet Japan's scariest warriors!

From bave commanders and fierce warrior monks, to wandering swordsmen and fearless daughters, the mysterious world of the samurai is revealed in this book. The adventures of Japan's finest samurai are brought to life, from Minamoto Yoshitsune's victory on a mountainside to Toyotomi Hideyoshi's sea battles against Korea's 'turtle ships.'

The book also features:

'Samurai fact' pages packed with information about how samurai fought, the castles in which they lived, and the tradition of hari kiri or 'belly cutting!'
Read about how samurai trained, and th earmor they wore. discover the secrets of making swords so sharp that they could cut a man in half with one blow!

Contents

Introduction
1 the first samurai
A flock of birds
Peasent sodiers
Challenges to combat
Warrior monks
Samurai facts: Archery from horseback
2 The great civil wars
The Battle of Ichinotani
Kamikaze!
A loyal samurai
A brave wife
The Battle of Dan no Ura
Samurai facts: The samurai sword
3 Warlords of the samurai
Splendid messengers
Becoming a samurai
Samurai and the arts
Samurai facts: Japanese armor
4 Guns and Christianity
East meets West
A woodcutter's son
Foot soldiers
the Battle of Nagashino
Samurai facts: Japanese castles
5 The last samurai battles
Turtle ships!
Japan's new shogun
The Shimabara Rebellion
The siege of Osaka castle
A strange character
Wandering swordsmen
Samurai facts: Bushido, hara kiri, and the samurai
Glossary/Index