CODE OF THE SAMURAI ~ BUSHIDO : The Soul of japan – Inazo Niobe

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ISBN 978-0-7858-3052-8 
Verdict:  👍👍👍
Originally this book was written in 1900 (revised in 1905) by the amazing Japanese Scholar / Public officer who had a deep appreciation of Western Civilisation through the times and had appreciation for the Classics allowing him to analyse and compare the teachings of the Japanese Bushido (Samurai) in a Feudal System with that of the European counterparts through history
A nice short read !

I found this amazing book on my travels earlier this year – Originally I was attracted to this Hardback book  by its use of the Traditional Chinese Book Binding techniques – Just holding / reading this book gives one great pleasure ~ especially If like me you are interested in Physical Books that present  Lessons of Value – Then maybe you would want to buy a copy.

When Nitobe talks of the Influence of Bushido he states “What Japan was she owed to the samurai. They were not only the flower of the nation but its root as well” p81 This is highlighted in his reference to the Jap/China wars where Japan prevailed not because of its weapons but because of the inherent mind-set?
Bu-shi-domeans literally “Military-Night-Ways” and this book seeks to presents the “the common standard of behaviour” i.e. the thinking / teachings behind the Bushido way – Comparing it to Western Classics , teachings, Philosophies to show how similar they are and in some cases more advanced in the Japanese thinking was.
I won’t do my usual page by page review as it would just simply result in plagiarism!  – but I have created this picture to show the teaching of Bushido 
I recommend this short read,as there are some great insights into the German (Bismarck), American period - Ideologies with reference to Japan – I discovered so many interesting things like Merchants or Tradespeople were considered of low importance in the feudal system lower than academics. How times have changed ! 
This book presents a 'point-in-time' (1900) view on the cultural differences between the West when applied to Bushido e.g.  
Self-Control - “American husbands kiss their wives in public and beat them in private; Japanese husbands beat theirs in public and kiss them in private” p54

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