The Code of the Samurai

Bushido is the chivalric code of moral principles that the Samurai followed: rectitude, frugality, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honour and loyalty. Influenced by Confucianism, Shinto and Zen Buddhism, it tempers the violence of a warrior with wisdom and serenity. Alongside Sun Tzu’s The Art of War and Machiavelli’s The Prince, Inazo’s book has become influential among military and corporate leaders looking for ways to manage their people and overcome their opponents.

The term bushido was originally used in the 17th Century and came into common use around the world after the original publication of this book in 1899. In the tradition of the Kojiki, the Heike Monogatari, and The Book of Five Rings, this collection of principles sheds a great deal of clarity on the evolution of the Japanese Samurai culture.