Yamaga Sokō

Yamaga Sokō
Portrait of Yamaga Sokō, with inscription by Mizuno Masamori
Born(1622-09-21)September 21, 1622
DiedOctober 23, 1685(1685-10-23) (aged 63)
Edo, Japan
NationalityJapanese
Occupation(s)Philosopher, writer

Yamaga Sokō (山鹿 素行; 21 September 1622 23 October 1685) was a Japanese military writer and philosopher under the Tokugawa shogunate of Edo period in Japan. As a scholar he applied the Confucian idea of the "superior man" to the samurai class of Japan. This became an important part of the samurai way of life and code of conduct.