About Samurai Lord

Samurai Lord is a history site about the warlords, swordsmen and other people of Japan's Sengoku ("Warring States") period, written from the historical record. We publish in Japanese and in English.

Who We Are

What We Write About

We write about the people who shaped sixteenth-century Japan, from Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu to their brothers, strategists and rivals, as well as famous swordsmen such as Miyamoto Musashi and figures such as Yasuke. Our articles cover what they did, how they died, what they were like, and the stories that grew up around them.

We write for readers who already love Japanese history and for those meeting it for the first time, including people who first heard these names through novels, dramas, anime or games.

How We Write: Our Editorial Policy

1. We start from the sources

For every article, we first check what the records from the person's own time actually say, such as letters, diaries, chronicles and official documents. Only then do we turn to later biographies, legends, plays and novels. When a famous story first appears in a record written long after the events, we say so, and we tell you when and by whom it was written.

2. We separate fact from legend

Key statements in our articles carry a label showing how well they are supported. Where historians disagree, we say so and explain how each side reads the evidence, rather than picking a side and presenting it as settled.

3. We show the original words

For important passages, we quote the original Japanese and give an English translation in a "Source Box," along with a note on what the passage does and does not tell us. Translations are our own unless another translator is named.

• Names: Japanese names are given family name first (Oda Nobunaga), with long vowels marked (Ōta Gyūichi)
• Dates: we use the Western calendar (the Julian calendar before October 1582, the Gregorian after), adding Japanese era dates where they help
• Ages: we give ages by Western reckoning in English and note when a source uses the traditional Japanese count

4. We use images we can account for

The character illustrations on this site are either original works made for Samurai Lord or licensed stock illustrations. They are imaginative, not reconstructions of how anyone looked. Historical paintings, prints and photographs come from public-domain or openly licensed sources and are credited in each article, and our maps, timelines and charts are made by us. We do not use images whose origin we cannot confirm.

5. We correct our mistakes

History keeps being re-examined. We revise our articles as new research appears or readers point out errors. If you notice something wrong, please tell us through our contact form, and we will check and correct it.

Contact

Questions, corrections and other messages are welcome through our contact form. The form is in Japanese, but please feel free to write in English.