Hagakure

Hagakure is a compelling collection of texts by 18th-century samurai Yamamoto Tsunetomo, offering a profound insight into the samurai code of bushido—the principles governing their conduct in life and death. Long considered a secret text for the Nabeshima clan's vassals, this classic now presents 300 carefully selected excerpts translated by William Scott Wilson, who provides a new introduction that reinterprets bushido through the lens of Zen philosophy. The work captures the nuanced and often misunderstood relationship between samurai ideals and the concept of ego, inviting readers to explore the deeper dimensions of honor and bravery.