Yamaga Soko

The Warrior Scholar Who Defined the Identity and Values of the Samurai

Any scholar of Japan, samurai history and culture is bound to have heard the name Yamaga Soko, the samurai strategist, philosopher and scholar, and in later life, a ronin, noted for his significant contributions in defining the role of the Tokugawa period samurai. He was the founder of the Yamaga-ryu school of military strategy and the Kogaku schools.