Samurai, diplomats and Yasuke: 10 books to read if you love Shōgun

Clavell beyond Japan

Tai-Pan is another historical novel by James Clavell, whose Shōgun helped inspire the Hulu and FX miniseries. Both books belong to the loosely connected collection known to fans as the Asian Saga.

Set in British Hong Kong after the First Opium War, Tai-Pan shifts the focus from Japan to China. The novel shares some of Shōgun’s themes and political interests, while following European travelers in East Asia.

A samurai mission abroad

Shūsaku Endō’s The Samurai was first published in 1980 and appeared in English translation 17 years later. Its story reverses Shōgun’s central cultural encounter: Japanese travelers journey to Europe rather than Europeans arriving in Japan.

The novel draws on a 17th-century diplomatic mission to Mexico. Its protagonist, Hasekura Rokuemon, was a real samurai who led the mission and faced cultural clashes abroad.

History behind the drama

At more than 900 pages, Taiko follows Toyotomi Hideyoshi, known as “The Great Unifier.” Hideyoshi lived near the end of the 16th century and inspired the Shōgun character Nakamura Hidetoshi, also called “The Taiko.” The novel traces Hideyoshi’s life from childhood through his rise to power and death in 1598. First issued as newspaper serials in 1937, it was published in English as a complete book in 1992.

Yasuke and samurai politics

The African Samurai tells the story of Yasuke, a man likely from present-day Mozambique who was sold by the Portuguese to the Japanese. He later became a respected bodyguard to Lord Nobunaga.

Some historical records say Yasuke may have received the samurai title after saving Nobunaga twice. The book also echoes Shōgun through its themes of a foreigner entering Japanese samurai politics and rival clans.