This suit of armor bears the crest of the powerful Ikeda family. The helmet dates to the 14th century, and the suit—including the bear-fur shoes—dates to the 18th. The Ann & Gabriel Barbier ...

The term "samurai" comes from the Japanese word saburau, meaning "to serve," and was first used in A.D. 702 to describe mid-to-low-ranking court administrators and, later, armed imperial guards.

Not many people know the true story of The Last Samurai, the sweeping Tom Cruise epic of 2003. His character, the noble Captain Algren, was actually primarily based on a real person: the French ...