The word “samurai” represents ideas of courage, honor, self-sacrifice, and loyalty. However, common understanding is often a product of imagination. This book explores the concept from medieval reality, through early modern changes, up to today's diverse culture, challenging past perceptions and debunking myths.

The figure of the samurai is unique in global understanding, read both as a symbol of Japan and as a worldwide icon of virtue and brave warriors.

Published to accompany an important exhibition at the British Museum, this is the first book to explore the extensive history of the samurai through objects from international collections. It discusses the historical roots of the warrior class of samurai during the medieval civil wars and examines the stories told about their achievements.

From the early 1600s, with the establishment of peace, the samurai became an official class fulfilling bureaucratic roles. The ideal of the medieval warrior acquired legendary status, leading to endless representations in pop culture of heroic bravery from previous examples.

As the highest social class, the samurai were consumers of luxury goods, and their preferences set standards for the rest of society. Political tensions intensified during the 1850s, culminating in a civil war in 1868 and the abolition of the samurai social class in 1876. With Japan fully opening to international visitors, the concept of the samurai was packaged for foreign tourists and reinterpreted to serve as a model for the modern soldier during a period of military conflict and imperial expansion.

The image of the samurai has been interpreted and recreated in Japan and around the world in numerous ways. Discussions about national myth and the global samurai bring history into the present through a wide variety of films, television series, manga, video games, and more.

Pages: 304, Dimensions: 24x24cm