Japan, early 17th century. The mighty Tokugawa Ieyasu struggles to dominate a country that is bleeding to death in bloody and endless civil wars. His first measure after being appointed shogun will be to reduce the privileges and social status of the warrior class, the samurai. His objective, to ensure peace and achieve a lasting and peaceful shogunate. Thus begins more than 250 years of the Edo period.
It is at this time when the legend of the samurai is forged, the knights of feudal Japan, the greatest exponents of a society that was ruled by Bushido, the way of the warrior. Men who managed to turn values such as respect for tradition, loyalty, heroism, bravery, and a sense of honor into a hallmark of Japanese culture.
The stories included in the book are adaptations of traditional tales told by Kôdan, storyteller, who from generation to generation delighted the publ...read more