Bushido: The Soul of Japan

by Inazo Nitobe

Overview

'What Japan was she owed to the samurai. They were not only the flower of the nation, but its root as well.'

Inazo Nitobe's book, the most influential ever written on Bushido, or the samurai Way of the Warrior, argues that the philosophy of Bushido is the true key to understanding 'the soul of Japan'.

One of twenty new books in the bestselling Penguin Great Ideas series. This new selection showcases a diverse list of thinkers who have helped shape our world today, from anarchists to stoics, feminists to prophets, satirists to Zen Buddhists.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780141994468
Publisher:	Penguin UK
Publication date:	09/24/2020
Series:	Penguin Great Ideas
Sold by:	Barnes & Noble
Format:	eBook
Pages:	144
Sales rank:	1,003,233
File size:	607 KB

About the Author

Inazo Nitobe (1862 - 1933) was a Japanese economist, diplomat and writer. He was a major actor in the League of Nations, and served in the Japanese parliament. His important work Bushido: The Soul of Japan is one of the best early explorations of Japanese culture and samurai ethics written in the English language.

Table of Contents

Bushido as an Ethical System 1

Sources of Bushido 7

Rectitude or Justice 14

Courage, the Spirit of Daring and Bearing 17

Benevolence, the Feeling of Distress 22

Politeness 31

Veracity or Truthfulness 38

Honor 44

The Duty of Loyalty 50

Education and Training of a Samurai 57

Self-Control 62

The Institutions of Suicide and Redress 67

The Sword, the Soul of the Samurai 81

The Training and Position of Woman 85

The Influence of Bushido 97

Is Bushido Still Alive? 103

The Future of Bushido 112

Editorial Reviews

"Very strongly recommended reading for students of Japanese cultural history and the martial arts, Bushido: The Soul of Japan is a powerful presentation and a moving book with ideas as relevant today as they were 100 years ago." -Midwest Book Review

From the Publisher