The Samurai Castle Master

The Samurai Castle Master is a biography of Todo Takatora, an excellent Japanese castle architect who was also an amazing warrior. It is a book written for a Japanophile. It is packed with references to names, places, and dates, along with Japanese terms. The glossary is fairly good, but that will only get you so far. There are also a number of castle design terms that can be hard for someone without a relevant background to understand.

The history is very interesting, albeit quite dry. If you are a Japanophile, can call to mind the provinces of Japan and their locations, and enjoy medieval Japanese history, this is the book for you. Otherwise, I recommend looking elsewhere for books about Samurai and Japanese castles.

This book is appropriate for younger audiences, so long as they know what they are getting into. I recommend that every library system have a single copy. This is a book that would be useful in a Japanese history class, and if you have the appropriate background, it is a great book to own.

The Samurai Castle Master is not the sort of book that gets boring after the first read! This book is best for teens and adults.