For nearly 700 years, samurai were Japan’s social elite, skilled not only in combat but also in politics and the courtly arts. To equip these warriors in accordance with their status required an ...

History of the End of the Samurai: Black Ships - The end of the samurai came as Japan was forced to open its borders to foreign trade and policy, ending a long period of isolation. And that period ...

A Blockbuster Exhibition on Samurai Reveals How the Warriors Dressed the Part The display of exquisite samurai armor in Oklahoma highlights the importance of aesthetics to Japan’s famed fighters ...