75 Life Lessons From the Japanese Samurai

Hagakure (‘in the shadow of leaves’) is a book of thoughts and sayings that capture the essence of the Bushido — the Way of the Samurai warrior. These thoughts and sayings were narrated by Yamamoto Tsunetomo, (1659–1719) a samurai of the Saga Domain in Hizen Province, who devoted his life to his master, Nabeshima Mitsushige.

As one might expect, Hagakure contains many useful life lessons, but also many passages pertaining to beheadings, and some of what I hope my readers won’t find useful such as the following:

If you cut a face lengthwise, and urinate on it, and trample on it with straw sandals, it is said that the skin will come off.

I have spared you Tsunetomo’s ponderings on such matters and summarised only the most profound and applicable life lessons from the book, below. Where practical, I’ve categorized passages, and added my own interpretations and commentary.

The version of Hagakure I worked with was translated by William Scott Wilson.

On Rationalising Our Behaviour

1.We make our logic according to what we like.

2. People think that they can clear up profound matters if they consider them deeply, but they exercise perverse thoughts and come to no good because they do they’re reflecting with…