Hagakure (Japanese 葉 隠 hidden under the leaves, hidden among the leaves) a practical and spiritual guide for a warrior, consisting of the thoughts of the samurai Tsunetomo Yamamoto (1659–1719), former vassal daimyō Mitsushige Nabeshima. They were written on the basis of conversations from 1710–1717 between Yamamoto and the young samurai Tashiro Tsuramoto, but they were first published many years later. The manuscript was hidden in the Nabeshima family for over 150 years. It was not disclosed until after 1868.
Hagakure is a transcript of Tsunetomo (or Jōchō )'s gaze on the bushidō code, and its main theme is the search for an answer to the question of what the true meaning of the Way of the Samurai is. The most important thing, according to Tsunetomo, is to be ready to die at any moment in life and to submit to the will of your master. Tsunetomo also emphasizes maintaining balance regardless of the situation, on the basis of which you can achieve the ability to make quick and correct decisions, primarily by freeing yourself from the fear of death.
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