Ikegami uses the first 11 pages to introduce the aim of her book. After reading this section, it may take a minute to digest exactly what this aim is. She offers a layered analysis of the Samurai, leaving the reader to pick apart the pieces needed to understand her thesis. She attempts to tackle many ideas surrounding honour, such as dignity, reputation, self-esteem and violence (6). Then she mentions the importance of politics and state-building. On top of this, she adds complexity by addressing tensions between conformity and individuality. Finally, she claims that “the development of the Samurai class was marked by two major cultural themes: control and change”. (11) We can see how this information makes for a slightly overwhelming introduction. For a clearer understanding, I will highlight the following passage “I will investigate the social process by which a violent class with an honorific culture emerged, developed, and was subsequently tamed through centuries of state building.” (7) This seems to be the goal of the book, while also exploring a broad range of other social and cultural contexts within Japan throughout its history. Personally, I believe a simplified version like the one stated above should be put at the forefront of the introduction so that readers understand exactly why they are reading her book by the first pages. 

     Ikegami distinguishes herself from earlier works on the Samurai by using ancient texts, even if they are extremist or flaunt outrageous behaviour (8). She claims these should not be skipped because “ writings of samurai intellectuals are important, not because the represented the average samurai (often they did not) but because the analysis of such materials contains clues to their elusive “ethnomentality” and to hidden power struggles among them” (8). We will see the use of ancient stories in chapters throughout her book. These stories bring rich context and entertainment to the reader. 

     Finally, as the title suggests, throughout this book, we will be seeing constant ideas surrounding honour. Ikegami states “that the fact that the Samurai’s honor culture cannot be reduced to a neatly codified formula does not mean that no social code existed.” (8) Samurai’s honour culture was complex, and Ikegami’s book will help readers understand how it was formed, why it continued to change, how the honour culture impacted Japanese society. As well as how society impacted the honour code.

Ikegami, Eiko. The Taming of the Samurai. U.S.A: Harvard University Press, 1995.