THE SAMURAI
SWORDSMAN
A fierce-looking member of the Forty-Seven Ronin.
Samurai engaging in swordplay.
This book is dedicated with grateful thanks to Ian Bottomley, the Curator of Japanese Arms and Armour at the Royal Armouries Museum, who has taught me so much about the samurai swordsman and his legendary weapon.
Published by Tuttle Publishing, an imprint of Periplus Editions (HK) Ltd., with editorial offices at 364 Innovation Drive, North Clarendon, Vermont 05759 U.S.A. and 61 Tai Seng Avenue #02-12, Singapore 534167
Copyright © 2008 by Stephen Turnbull
All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced in any form or by any means, electronic or mechanical, including photocopying, recording, or by any information storage and retrieval system, without prior written permission from the publisher.
Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data
Turnbull, Stephen R.
The Samurai swordsman / master of war Stephen Turnbull.
p. cm.
ISBN: 978-1-4629-0834-9 (ebook)
1. Samurai. I. Title.
DS827.S3T89 2008
952'.02--dc22 2007021014
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First edition
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Printed in Singapore
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Front endpapers: A painted screen depicting the 1570 Battle of the Anegawa. (Fukui Prefectural Museum)
A street scene in an Edo-era Japanese town.
The Forty-Seven Ronin return from their mission.
Contents
| Preface | 8 |
| Chapter 1: Swords and Heroes | 10 |
| The Sword and the Kami 10 | |
| The Rise of the Samurai 13 | |
| Samurai Arms and Armor 16 | |
| The Way of Horse and Bow 17 | |
| The Samurai Battle 22 | |
| The Sword in Combat 25 | |
| Hand-to-Hand Fighting 30 | |
| Chapter 2: Swords in Service | 32 |
| The Dwarf Robbers 32 | |
| The First Mongol Invasion 36 | |
| The Second Mongol Invasion 40 | |
| The Pirates Return 42 | |
| Swords in Action 45 | |
| Chapter 3: Sword and Spear | 48 |
| The Age of Warring States 48 | |
| Changes in Warfare 51 | |
| The Mounted Spearman 52 | |
| The Sword in Battle 57 | |
| Kamiizumi Nobutsuna—the Master Swordsman 58 | |
| The Wolf and the Deer 63 | |
| The Brave Makara Family 63 | |
| The Seven Spears 65 | |
| The Sword in Korea 68 | |
|
The Unwelcome Combat
|
