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RIMIKA TANAKA

@rimi_monster

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Writer of The Way of the Samurai Women @wayofsamuraiwomen

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In recent times, samurai have been made famous by movies, manga, video games, even fashion. They've become macho icons, but that's only part of the story. Some samurai, particularly those who remained steadfast in the clan household, were women. Some were even warriors.

Join me on my journey as I explore samurai practices, culture and myth, delving into a world full of nature worship, Zen Buddhism, Shinto, martial arts, meditation, poetry and pilgrimage.

All the while, I discover more about my own Japanese and samurai heritage, which my late mother, Akemi, had been so proud of. I also share stories of contemporary samurai-spirited women who have fought, survived and thrived against the odds.

The go-to Japanese specialist Christopher Harding has said this about my book:
‘An unexpectedly tender book: part search for the lost women of samurai history, part love letter to a remarkable mother. Rimika Tanaka writes with warmth and candour about grief, belonging and the courage it takes to build a life between cultures. Rich in wisdom and hope for bicultural families, and full of interest and surprise for everyone.’

I'm the author Rimika Tanaka @rimi_monster. In my book, The Way of the Samurai Women, readers will find examples of inspirational samurai women and a way to live more fully in our busy modern lives.

Published by @headlinebooks ⚔ @headlinehome

#Samurai #SamuraiWomen #Nonfiction #SelfCare #Japan taken in London, United Kingdom by @rimi_monster

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11 days ago

Dear Bookshops,

If you stock my book, The Way of the Samurai Women, then I’d love to come by and sign some books for you - though by “sign” I actually mean stamp 💮 Over the summer, I held a stamp-making workshop with friends, where we each designed and cut our own lino stamps. I was making mine in prep for my book launch.

I’d been inspired by the Edo-period woodblock printmakers who would stamp their name in place of an artist signature. My stamp says りみか (Rimika in hiragana) and has a crescent moon design 🌙 reminiscent of the naginata and Sailor Moon, which both feature in my book.

Thank you,
Rimi

p.s. I can also bring along my dog ROLO

#samuraiwomen #booksigning #japaneseculture #japaneselit #bookshopday taken in Queens Road Peckham by @rimi_monster

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2 days ago

The Way of the Samurai Women is now officially out in the wild! ⚔️ Thank you to everyone who came to celebrate with me and to all of you who’ve supported me on this journey. The book is available now in bookshops and online—go find it!

Could not have pulled off the book launch without these beautiful people:
🍙 Onigiri by @mamas.onigiri.london
🍺 Beers by @orionbeer_uk
📚 Bookshop @stanfordstravel
🎤 Interviewed by @eloiseandtheamazons
📖 Published by @headlinehome @headlinebooks
🖊 Literary agent @watsonlittleltd
📸 Social media @bree_pie

#samuraiwomen #NonFiction #BookLaunch #NewRelease #japan taken in London, United Kingdom by @rimi_monster

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9 days ago

Netsuke of countless faces. I was at the international netsuke convention 2026 working at a friend’s stall while also promoting my books (@gallery_randori) Sheng gave me the task of counting the number of myriad faces on this netsuke, which was carved in the shape of a walnut. So small, so intricate. So many faces of kami, kitsune, tengu and all sorts! Honestly was like the cast of Ghibli’s Spirited Away (千と千尋の神隠し). The number of faces kept shifting. Magical netsuke. Perhaps my guess is 37 (or 35 or 38).

#japaneseart #japanesecraft #netsuke #samurai #spiritedaway taken in Brussels, Belgium by @rimi_monster

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14 days ago

I had my book launch for The Way of the Samurai Women last week at @stanfordstravel bookshop. It was a blast 💥 My friends, family & guests all came out in force to show love and support. I am eternally grateful.

My intro. talk was guided by my friend Eloise Stevens, who made the BBC radio documentary about me writing the book called ‘Searching for my Samurai Mother’ (still available on BBC Sounds). It was the perfect way for people to learn about my book. My process of research: going to meet women masters of martial arts and ancient practices, which the samurai would have done. How I re-connected with my own Japanese & samurai heritage through exploring these disciplines, and came to comprehend more about my late mother, Akemi, who was a teacher of Japanese language & culture. It’s been a journey. Ongoing, still.

Now that the book is out there 🌏 If any of you read it, then please review it on any of these sites, as it helps me rise up in rankings: Amazon, Goodreads, Waterstones. I won’t read the reviews, so you can be as honest as you like. Probs better for my mental health anyway. Thank you again for all the support.

#samuraiwomen #publicationday #japan #gratitude #bookstagrams taken in Neal's Yard, Covent Garden by @rimi_monster

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20 days ago

It’s been super special having my friend Shiori here from Japan, supporting me in the run up to the book launch. We’ve been seeing the sights!
Watched the West End production of Totoro 📣 shout out to Kumiko Mendl in the cast who narrates my audiobook. Go see @totoroshow if you haven’t, it’s sweet & enchanting. 🌱
We visited Oxford and looked around the old university buildings and had afternoon tea 🫖 on a blazing end-of-summer day. 🌞
Tonight we’re doing an event together at a community sauna ♨️ in East London, where we’re discussing samurai women and self-care tips. Then my book launch is in two days time. 🚀
I wrote about Shiori Ito @shiori_ito.films in my book as a contemporary samurai-spirited woman. She’s a documentary film maker and investigative journalist, who made Black Box Diaries @blackboxdiariesdoc and took on the Japanese male-dominated establishment. It’s an amazing film & book, so seek it out if you don’t know it. I’m proud and blessed to call her my friend. I hope you like reading about us in my book The Way of the Samurai Women.

Link in bio

#samurai #women #friendship #feminism #publicationday taken in Oxford by @rimi_monster

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a month ago

Met up with Eloise Stevens, my friend and audio producer who made the BBC radio documentary called ‘Searching for my Samurai Mother’. (You can still listen to it on BBC Sounds.) We were going over what we’d talk about at my book launch, where Eloise will be interviewing me infront of friends & guests about how I came to write the book ‘The Way of the Samurai Women’. It’s almost publication day on 24 September!

You can preorder a copy now via link in bio.

#samurai #women #mother #bbc #publicationday taken in The Old Bookbinders Ale House by @rimi_monster

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a month ago

My books have arrived! A week to go until actual publication date!

You can preorder The Way of the Samurai Women at link in bio ⚔️

#samurai #women #publicationday #japan #bookstagram taken in Woolwich by @rimi_monster

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a month ago

Daruma-san, thank you! This Daruma had one eye filled in by my late mother, Akemi Tanaka, when her book was about to come out. That was 7 years ago. Can you believe that on the exact same date her book was published, mine will be too?

On 24 September (next week!) The Way of the Samurai Women will find its way to bookshop shelves and onto people’s doormats.

In Japan there is a tradition that when you have a goal in life, or make a wish, you get a Daruma and fill in one eye. When that wish has been fulfilled, you fill in the other eye. This Daruma-san has been working hard for many years, and I don’t even know what the original wish was that Akemi made. Still, I believe that the Daruma has done his work, and I’m grateful for his determination on behalf of the both of us.

You can preorder the book via link in bio 👀

だるまさんありがとうございます。

#samurai #japan #goodluck #magic #publicationday taken in London, United Kingdom by @rimi_monster

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a month ago

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT 22 SEP 📣 Samurai Self-care: What samurai women can teach us about stress & survival. In conversation with @shiori_ito.films and (me!) Rimika Tanaka

@eastwaybaths are kindly hosting us in their café for a discussion about what we can takeaway from samurai practices, tips on how to stay sane in this oh-so stressful world, all the while channeling women warriors and survivors.

Exciting guest for the talk is Shiori Ito. A friend who also happens to be an Oscar-nominated film-maker, journalist and hero-figure of mine. I included her story in my book ‘The Way of the Samurai Women’ as a shining example of a contemporary samurai-spirited woman.

Our conversation is happening in a community sauna space, so it should be a chilled and fun discussion with snacks and drinks. All genders welcome.

Tickets are free or donation-based
Happening 22/09/26
Time 7-8pm
Venue @eastwaybaths

Link in bio ♨️

(Illustrations of monkeys in hot spring by Aidan Clifford)

#samurai #selfcare #sauna #esea #wellbeing taken in Hackney Wick by @rimi_monster

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a month ago

I write a blog called A Lack Thereof. It’s all free and available on Substack https://open.substack.com/pub/rimimonster
I like to write about things that peak my interest.
My latest post is about a genre of film that I clearly seek out, which I’m calling British Island Core, inspired after watching an indie film set on the Orkney Isles: The Incomer.
I was born in Japan, then moved to Orkney when I was six, so I tend to write about those places a lot. Now I’m bobbing along in London, writing about this city too.
My first book is called The Way of the Samurai Women and is coming out later this month. Hope you like it 🌊

#writing #orkney #japan #islands #samurai taken in Hackney Wick by @rimi_monster

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a month ago

I opened Jerry’s parcel that he sent me from Tokyo! He said he was sending me a care package before my book launch - what a seeetie.
It contained grape flavour gummie グミ 🍇 bamboo shoot chocs たけのこの里🎍and a selection of curated books and zines by Jerry 🫶
📘Wonderful Half by Ari Ryn
📙 なっちゃんとお面の子著：コナツマキコ
絵：寺田マユミ
📕 About a place on the Kinki Region by Sesuji
📗 Reading Tokyo #zine
📘 If Cats Disappeared from the World by Genki Kawamura
He also got for me water colour 🍊 orange ink stamp pads for my book signing, where I’m planning to use my home carved stamp instead of a signature. Will test run these tomorrow.

Thank you so much Jerry! ジェリーさんありがとう。I’m so lucky to have a best friend like you in Japan.

Book launch almost there on 24 September. For more info see link in bio 🚀
@wayofsamuraiwomen
@busybeebooksjp
@busybeebooksenglish taken in London, United Kingdom by @rimi_monster

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a month ago