The Taming of the Samurai: Honorific Individualism and the Making of Modern Japan, by Eiko Ikegami

Eiko Ikegami's The Taming of the Samurai is a sociological treatise on individualism and collectivism, and on the culture of honor and shame, in Japan. To give a better understanding of the background of Japanese values, Ikegami looks at the progression of the samurai culture from the formation of the samurai class to the Tokugawa post-feudal period, specifically outlining the changes in the definitions of honor and loyalty.

This book is very dense and is recommended for students of college age and above who have had some background in sociology. However, for those who desire advanced reading, it is very informative and more balanced than, for instance, The Chrysanthemum and the Sword, which Ikegami is very critical of. The last section of the final chapter and the epilogue of the book is recommended reading for those interested in learning cultural values; it points out that cultural values, traditions, and idioms are not rules that every member of a society has to follow, but resources. For those who wish to read the entire book, it is recommended to read Bushido and The Chrysanthemum and the Sword beforehand, and Hagakure would be a good follow-up reading.