Enshin and His Black Ox: Tales of a Samurai

The son of a high-ranking warrior in the late-fifteenth century and a skilled swordsman, Torii Enshin joined the priesthood and intended to devote his life to the poor. But he soon finds himself having to use his samurai skills once again. These short stories, drawn from Enshin's own accounts, follow him and his faithful companions as they wander across Japan, their adventures presenting a fascinating picture of life in the centuries of unrest before the Tokugawa subjected the country to their iron grip.