With their flamboyant clothing and armour, their adherence to Bushi-do - the Way of the Warrior - and the images of lone chivalrous sword-wielding Japanese knights, the Samurai has long been a favourite in the west. A member of the aristocracy from the tenth century, Samuai have a fascinating 700-year history during which they progressed from mounted archers, through the cult of the sword to the use of guns and cannon.Samurai Battles uses clear mapping, contemporary illustrations and Mitsuo Kure's signature re-enactment photography to illustrate the classic battles fought by the warrior knights of Japan. Bands of enthusiasts, with rigid attention to detail and verisimilitude, re-enact and re-create battles and moments from history. This allows 'live' photography detailing the history, the weapons - swords, guns, pikes and clubs - the clothing, armour, flags and fortifications of these fascinating warriors.As well as examining the detail of the armour and weaponry, Samurai looks too at the Samurai women and families, the way Samurai travelled, the social context in which the warriors lived - and all in glorious colour. The illustrations that accompany this book make it stand out from others on the Samurai. In full-colour throughout, the illustrations are composed of:* specially commissioned artwork showing Samurai heraldry, clothing and weaponry in colourful detail* original illustrations, paintings and photographs of artifacts, locations and museum pieces* specially commissioned re-enactment material that provides museum-quality reference material* computer-drawn mapping to show the topographical details of the stories