JAPANESE FIGHTING HEROES: Warriors, Samurai and Ronins

1-243190

Mix of essays, short stories, and anecdotes follows the lives of samurai, warriors, outliers, and iconoclasts who forged their own paths. Looks at legendary fighters like the demon-killing Minamoto no Yorimitsu, philosophizing samurai Miyamoto Musashi, and the One-Eyed Dragon Date Masamune; as well as creative heroes like the father of Japanese short stories Ryunosuke Akutagawa, the immortal poet Ono no Komachi, and the hilarious Sei Shonagon's insight into human nature. Also explores trailblazers who broke down barriers like the feminist Hiratsuka Raicho, the statesman Fukuzawa Yukichi, and the photographic genius Hiroshi Hamaya. Provides insight into the principles and practices they lived by, as they struggled with universal ideals of honor, duty, courage, and kindness. Contains 30 mono illustrations.