Though their meticulously crafted battle armor and elaborate helmets shaped into utterly frightening countenances could fill the hearts of any foe with terror, Japan's famous samurai warriors also had ...

The traditional katana sword is fashioned only from the purest steel, which the Japanese call tamahagane ("jewel steel"). Over three days and three nights, smelters using ancient techniques shovel ...

Miyamoto Musashi’s duels made him a legend. His writings made him immortal. Here’s what history can (and can't) confirm about the man behind the myth. In this 1840s print by Utagawa Kuniyoshi, ...

Nathan Algren survives Katsumoto’s final battle in The Last Samurai and helps Emperor Meiji understand what the samurai died ...