The Samurai are one of the most easily recognisable aspects of Japan's past and only ceased to exist less than 140 years ago. They dominated feudal Japan for hundreds of years ever since Yoritomo Minamoto established himself in 1192 as the country's first military dictator or shogun. Before then the samurai were under the sway of the court nobility who summoned them for military duties but Yoritomo's victory ensured samurai domination until 1867 when the last shogun renounced power and restored the emperor.

Although samurai are perhaps more famous for wielding the katana or long sword, and their adherence to their code of chivalry called bushido, they were originally first and foremost equestrian archers and during the period of Warring States, or Sengoku Jidai (1467-1638), developed into mounted spearmen. Their devotion to a leader was such that they would commit seppuku or suicide should he die and this contempt of death was similarly played out in battle where they would often be at the forefront and attempt to take the head of a worthy adversary. Once the Tokugawa shogunate brought Japan under their rule of iron a long period of peace ensued but with it heralded over 200 years of isolation from the outside world. Fear of Western military might prompted Japan to open her doors to foreign trade and with it the abolition of feudalism and the samurai caste.

Other protagonists made their mark along with the samurai: the warrior monks and, most importantly, the sinister ninja. The warrior monks were follows of Buddhism and maintained large private armies in their fortified temples and fought numerous times against the samurai. Clad in white robes and wielding their traditional weapon, the naginata, they were formidable fighters. Along with the samurai the ninja are well known in the Western world. They were assassins, saboteurs and spies rolled into one. Clad in black so that only their eyes were seen their ability to despatch targets without being seen gave them a supernatural image that has endured to the present day.

The Age of the Samurai is divided into the following sections:

Arms and Armour - a description of arms and armour used in medieval Japan including the famous katana, longbows and arrows and the various suits of armour worn.

Battles and Conflicts - essays covering the most notable battles in Japanese history including the invasions of Khubilai Khan's Mongols and Nagashino.

Historic Figures - descriptions of people both great and small who left their mark on Japan during the age of the samurai.

Society and Culture - this section covers aspects such as Japanese dress and samurai suicide.

Warriors - descriptions of the fighters of medieval Japan including their recruitment, training, the weapons and tactics they used.