Theres a ton of great books on the various topics your looking for. r/askhistorians has a recommended book list with some excellent resources. The link to this list is: https://www.reddit.com/r/AskHistorians/wiki/books/eastasia#wiki_japan I'll name a few more that are quiet good and more specific to what you are asking for. Ill break down the suggestions base off each request.

For general japanese history books:

George Sansom's 3 part book series A History of Japan (to 1334, 1334-1615, and 1615-1867) has long been an excellent entry in to the topic of Japanese history. It is both an engaging and informative dive through the history of Japan up until Meiji restoration. It is worth noting though that the series is a bit dated so their are parts that can be a bit problematic, but is is still a book series worth considering.

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Japan Emerging edited by Karl Friday is a book that is mentioned in the r/AskHistorians recommended book list already, but wanted to stress how fantastic this book is. It isnt a straight forward narrative history (which is more what George Sansom series is like). It is a book which touches on different specific topics throughout Japanese history, categorized by general time periods, and each topic is written by different historians and authors that focus more on the subject matter touched upon. Its extremely informative and would be a great follow up to a more narrative history book on the topic.

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For books on samurai specifically:

If you are looking for details on the samurai as warriors, Thomas Conlan's Weapons & Fighting Techniques of the Samurai Warrior 1200-1877 AD is a fantastic resource from a great author/historian. It is almost in the style of a coffee table book, at a large size with great pictures and diagrams throughout, but at the same offers great insight into various aspects of the samurai's arms, armor, and methods of warfare. Strongly recommend giving it a look.

In terms of a narrative history looking at the samurai specifically, I have been reading Jonathan Clement's book A Brief History of the Samurai: The Way of Japan's Elite Warriors. Like I said, it is a narrative history, and is a much shorter read than going through Sansom's 3 books. It focuses much more on the history of the samurai specifically, looking at their origins, famous samurai of various periods, and their impact on Japan throughout history. I think this would be something along the lines of what your looking for, and if you would prefer to listen to the book, it is one of the few books on the subject that is offered on audible!

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Books on transition from Sengoku to Edo

For narrative history, the previously mentioned George Sansom's series, and A Brief History of the Samurai both offer narrative looks at the transition period. Japan Emerging has a few chapters, specifically in "Part V: Bureaucrats, Burghers and Bailiwicks in Early Modern Age" which look at various topics on Sengoku to Edo transition.

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One of my favorite books on Japanese history, Japan Before Tokugawa: Political Consolidation and Economic Growth, 1500-1650, edited by S. Hall, Nagahara Keijia, and Kozo Yamamura, would be a perfect read for this topic. Like Japan Emerging, each chapter is a stand alone piece written by various historians speaking on topics have a more focused understanding of. Also like Japan Emerging, its not really a narrative history, but more like its socio-political, economic, and administrative aspects of the period. It analyzes, in detail, topics such as Nobunaga and Hideyoshi's political strategies and actions, the development of administrative and judicial practice throughout Sengoku period, the economic growth in the transition between Sengoku and Edo period, and more. Can not recommend this book enough!

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One final book on the topic, that might also be worth looking at for various periods, is David John Lu's Sources of Japanese History. Its a real must own for those interested in looking deeper into Japanese history. It looks at different periods throughout Japan's history, using contemporaneous accounts as a vehicle for the exploration. It provides a bit of context to frame the accounts in relation to the period. There is a section in there on the Sengoku period, the transition to Edo period, and the Edo period itself. Is another fantastic book that would be great to look into. It is an older book, but you would be able to find a pretty cheap second hand copy online.

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Hope this helps and be sure to ask any questions if want more recommendations!

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