Hagakure

Hagakure (Japanese 葉隠 (葉隠) “Hidden in Leaves”), or Hagakure kikigaki (Japanese 葉隠聞書 “Records of the Hidden in Leaves”) is a practical and spiritual guide for a warrior. It is a collection of comments by the samurai Yamamoto Tsunetomo (Jōyō Jin’emon Yamamoto, 1659–1719), a vassal of Nabeshima Mitsushige, the third ruler of the lands of Hizen (today this is part of Saga and Nagasaki prefectures in Japan). Tsuramoto Tsashiro selected these comments from Tsunetomo’s personal conversations with Tsunetomo between 1709 and 1716. Hagakure is also known as the “Nabeshima Collection” or the “Hagakure Collection”; the version that has come down to us consists of 11 books.

“Hagakure” is a treatise on bushidō—the code of honor of the samurai. It proclaims bushidō as “the Way of Death,” or “life as though you were already dead.” According to “Hagakure,” a samurai is ready to die at any moment in order to preserve honor (military honor).

In Yukio Mishima’s view, all the precepts of Jōyō Yamamoto appeared against the backdrop of exaggerated, extremely refined tastes of the Japanese people who lived in the Genroku (1688–1704) and Hōei (1704–1709) eras, as a negation of existing values. For example, it says: “If everything in the world is nothing but pretense, then only death is sincere.”

Like other similar works, the sayings were written under the influence of Sun Tzu’s treatise “The Art of War” and are framed within the canons of Zen Buddhism, Shintoism, and the teachings of Confucius and Mencius. At the same time, Tsunetomo decisively rejects the stance of an irresponsible detached observer characteristic of monks of that time—passive acceptance of the existing order, unprincipled and uncritical following of the majority’s opinion. He also condemns overly zealous study of books about philosophy, strategy, and tactics, because, in his opinion, it develops in a samurai the habit, in moments of decision-making, of taking long reflections, causing doubt and indecision: “If you begin to reason on the battlefield, these thoughts will have no end… After reading a book or scroll, it’s best to burn them or throw them away.”

The stories from “Hagakure” speak of martial valor, duty, conscience, responsibility, compassion, tolerance, and striving for self-improvement in spiritual and professional spheres.