Cover of The Book of the Samurai

Hagakure (Kyūjitai: 葉隱; Shinjitai: 葉隠; meaning In the Shadow of Leaves), or Hagakure Kikigaki (葉隠聞書) is a practical and spiritual guide for a warrior, drawn from a collection of commentaries by the samurai, Yamamoto Tsunetomo, former retainer to Nabeshima Mitsushige, the third ruler of what is now the Saga prefecture in Japan. Tsuramoto Tashiro compiled these commentaries from his conversations with Tsunetomo from 1709 to 1716; however, it was not published until many years afterwards. Hagakure is also known as the The Book of the Samurai, Analects of Nabeshima or the Hagakure Analects. Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Image File history File links No higher resolution available. ... Look up KyÅ«jitai in Wiktionary, the free dictionary KyÅ«jitai (旧字体, きゅうじたい) is the traditional form of the Japanese kanji used before 1947. ... Shinjitai (in Shinjitai: ; in KyÅ«jitai: æ–°å­—é«”; meaning new character form), are the forms of Kanji used in Japan since the promulgation of the Tōyō Kanji List in 1946. ... This article needs additional references or sources for verification. ... Tsunetomo Yamamoto (12 June 1659 - 1719) was a samurai of the Saga domain in Hizen Province under his lord Mitsushige Nabeshima. ... Nabeshima Mitsushige ) (July 10, 1632-July 2, 1700) was a Japanese daimyo of the early Edo period. ... Saga Prefecture ) is located in the northwest part of the island of KyÅ«shÅ«, Japan. ... Tashiro Tsuramoto ), (b. ... // Events January 12 - Two-month freezing period begins in France - The coast of the Atlantic and Seine River freeze, crops fail and at least 24. ... // Events August 5 - In the Battle of Peterwardein 40. ...

Content

The book records Tsunetomo's views on bushido, the warrior code of the samurai. Hagakure is sometimes said to assert that bushido is really the "Way of Dying" or living as though one was already dead, and that a samurai retainer must be willing to die at any moment in order to be true to his lord. This is a misreading of the statement "武士道と云ふは死ぬ事と見つけたり (The way of the samurai is found in death)", which was intended to mean that a samurai must always think of his death in order to do things well. Japanese samurai in armor, 1860s. ... Warrior code is an ethical code followed by warriors, often those that were privileged by birth, belonging to nobility or another privileged caste to preserve their honour. ... This article or section does not adequately cite its references or sources. ...

Historical context

After his master died, Tsunetomo himself was forbidden to perform Tsuifuku, a retainer's ritual suicide, by an edict of the Tokugawa Shogunate. Hagakure may have been written partially in an effort to outline the role of the samurai in a more peaceful society. Several sections refer to the "old days", and imply a dangerous weakening of the samurai class since that time. Seppuku with ritual attire and second. ... Suicide (Latin sui caedere, to kill oneself) is the act of intentionally taking ones own life. ... The Tokugawa shogunate or Tokugawa bakufu (徳川幕府) (also known as the Edo bakufu) was a feudal military dictatorship of Japan established in 1603 by Tokugawa Ieyasu and ruled by the shoguns of the Tokugawa family until 1868. ...

Influence

Hagakure was not widely known during the decades following Tsunetomo's death. However, it received wider circulation at the start of the 20th century, and by the 1930s had become one of the most famous representations of bushido thought in Japan. Hagakure remains popular among many non-Japanese who are interested in samurai culture. It is also frequently referred to as The Book of the Samurai and was featured prominently in the 1999 Jim Jarmusch film Ghost Dog: The Way of the Samurai. (19th century - 20th century - 21st century - more centuries) Decades: 1900s 1910s 1920s 1930s 1940s 1950s 1960s 1970s 1980s 1990s As a means of recording the passage of time, the 20th century was that century which lasted from 1901–2000 in the sense of the Gregorian calendar (1900–1999... Face The 1930s (years from 1930–1939) were described as an abrupt shift to more radical and conservative lifestyles, as countries were struggling to find a solution to the Great Depression, also known in Europe as the World Depression. ... Jim Jarmusch Jim Jarmusch (born January 22, 1953 in Akron, Ohio) is a noted American independent film director. ...

Editions

• Hagakure, The Way of the Samurai, Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Translated by Takao Mukoh, Angkor Verlag, 2000 (Reprint) ISBN 3-8311-1530-3
• Hagakure, The Book of the Samurai, Yamamoto Tsunetomo, Translated by William Scott Wilson, Kondansha International Ltd., 1979, ISBN 4-7700-1106-7 (Partial translation)

Further Reading

• 葉隠入門 Hagakure Nyūmon The Way of the Samurai: Yukio Mishima on Hagakure in modern life 1967 Translated by Kathryn Sparling, 1977, ISBN 0-465-09089-3
• On Hagakure, by celebrated Japanese novelist Yukio Mishima.

The Code of the Samurai: A Modern Translation of the Bushido Shoshinshu of Taira Shigesuke by Thomas Cleary Yukio Mishima Yukio Mishima ) was the public name of Kimitake Hiraoka , January 14, 1925—November 25, 1970), a Japanese author and playwright, famous for both his highly notable nihilistic post-war writings and the circumstances of his ritual suicide by seppuku. ...

References

External links

Wikiquote has a collection of quotations related to:

Yamamoto Tsunetomo

• Hagakure Kikigaki : Orated Aphorisms of Yamamoto Jocho
• Hagakure! (Selected topics from Hagakure)
• Hagakure Full Text