"By order of the feudal lord, the 'Samurai' crossed the sea, bearing a letter to the Pope. With the ambitious missionary Velasco as their guide, their arduous journey continued through Mexico and Spain, and in Rome, they were pressured to convert to Christianity in order to fulfill their mission. After a seven-year journey, what awaited the 'Samurai' upon their return to their homeland, which had become a land of Christian prohibition and national isolation? Through the life of a man caught in the vortex of politics and lost to the shadows of history, this novel questions the meaning of life and faith." (Shinchosha) This is a first edition copy of Shusaku Endo's "Samurai," published by Shinchosha in April 1980, with its original slipcase. The spine of the slipcase is slightly sun-faded, but the book itself has no stains, writing, or library stamps. Please consider that this is a 44-year-old used book before making a purchase.