...BOOK ONE A Samurai must become one who is permanently dead. Basically this is saying being a warrior means that if one is faced with the option of life or death the person quickly chooses death.They trust in Bushido that their death is decided by fate and only when the time comes they will be faced with death. Borrow from the wisdom of the past. There will be no excuses that can be taken seriously if you borrow from the wisdom of our elders and of the past, because no matter what circumstances you fall into there has been a person faced with your dilemma and you can learn from the mistakes or decisions. Commit than never waiver. If your mind is set to do something or to accomplish a task and a plan is thought out do not hesitate to do what you believe is right and your instincts will take over as a warrior and the goal will be accomplished. BOOK TWO Never forget the fundamentals. Those who work hard at the practice out of love and passion for what they do tend to get puffed up with pride failing to remember the fundamentals and must stop all extraneous thoughts. There is no better way than to die in battle. As a warrior you must commit yourself to being faced with wars and countless battles you must not wither in the sight of death but race towards it as you are running towards heaven and fight like you are in the presence of God. Right now is that crucial moment and that crucial moment is now. one must treat the present as if this...
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...Bushido: Code of the Samurai By Allen Meeks Samurai live by a code ethics called Bushido. Bushido in Japanese means the way of the warrior. It was loosely based on chivalry. They live by honor and courage. They live and die for their masters. They go into battle fearless. They care about their appearances and usually are artists or poets. They master the martial arts, are frugal, and always have honor in death. Honor and death is what this report is about. Seppuku is a ritual in which a samurai will perform suicide as a way for an honorable death. It usually was performed when a samurai didn’t want to be killed by an enemy or if he has disgraced himself. It was also used if he dishonored his master. A samurai will take a short blade, or tanto, and stab it into his belly and slice left to right disemboweling himself. Meanwhile, a second assistant usually a family member or friend would slice the neck leaving the head hanging by a little piece of skin. It was thought as a bad omen to completely separate the head from the body. The very first act of seppuku recorded was done in 1180 by a Minamoto Yorimasa during the Battle of Uji. But it was not just a ritual performed by samurai. It was also a form of capital punishment as well. This way was only for the common person. They did not have the benefit of having their head cut off. They had to go through the agonizing torture of entrails on the ground and they bleeding to death. Seppuku would be punishment for anything...
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...April 20, 2010 Professor Ravina Legends of the Samurai The Faces of Bushido Bushido, however it is defined, has had a profound impact on Japanese society. Translated, Bushido means “Way of the Warrior” and so it can be defined as a type of code of conduct for samurai. Besides being simply a code applied to Japanese samurai alone, Bushido has also been said to be an integral element in the fabric of Japanese culture and society. Although there is no formalized official written document specifically stating what Bushido is, it remains an entity that has become the quintessential element of Japanese society. Of all the interpretations on what Bushido is, two of the most popular are the Hagakure by Yamamoto Tsunetomo and Bushido, the Soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe. However, both of these writings are influenced by the time period in which they were written, and experiences of their respective authors. By evaluating certain influences on the interpretations of Bushido and the contradictions in them one is able to see how each is using their own version of Bushido to justify the author’s position or achieve a certain end. Bushido as a term itself was not used much later on, but the code itself, although unspoken, can be seen Japanese literature throughout the ages. Starting with the Shoku Nihongi the term “bushi” is used as well as the term “Saburau”, which was applied to those who accompanied nobility. One of the earliest forms of a type of written code of conduct that has Bushido...
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...The Last Samurai – Traditional and Modern Economies A traditional economy is an economic system that relies on a strong social network and is based on primitive methods and tools, whereas a modern economy relies on production, exchange, distribution, and consumption of goods. In the film, The Last Samurai, western Japan fights against the rebelling Samurai who do not wish to modernize and rid of their traditions. The vast differences between a traditional and modern economy are shown throughout the film as both civilizations express different means of production, military capabilities and cultural values. The reign of Emperor Meiji was one of the most revolutionary eras in Japanese history as Japan underwent dramatic changes in its government, economy, and culture. The nation opened its doors to the west and embraced a new world of cultural influences. Japan was transformed into an agrarian society with an industrialized economy and a strict military regime. Revolutionized Japan created modern weaponry such as guns and automatic weapons that were made in industrial factories. Instead of carrying goods using horses, Japan modernized using wagons and trains which made transportation of goods more rapid and efficient. In the film, we can see the paved streets and buildings of western Japan, the use of modern clothing, and advanced military technology. Conversely, the Samurai represent a traditional economy by their use of weapons, transportation, and cultural...
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...HARAKIRI Hanshiro Tsugumo the main character, arrives at the house of Lyi to request a place to kill himself or to commit “seppuku” a politely way to call Harakiri. In that time many samurais ended without work and in poverty. The honorable way under the samurai code of ending that was to commit Harakiri. He was informed that the leader will not tolerate bluffers, and told him about the story of a young samurai, Motome Chijiiwa. Motome was a young samurai teacher, he was married to Hanshiro’s daughter, Miho and had a son called Kingo. Miho and Kingo got sick; this made Motome go to the house of Lyi hoping to receive a few coins to pay a doctor. Desperate for a job or at least some money, many unemployed warriors attempt the "suicide bluff". This was that they went to a wealthy clan requesting permission to perform Harakiri and sometimes the leaders will offer money or a job to avoid a bloody mess. But Motome didn’t have luck doing this and he was forced to kill himself by three samurais, Omodaka Hikoru, Hayato Yazaki and Umenosuke Kawabe. Motome only have a bamboo blade because he sold the real one to help Miho, and was demanded to cut his belly with this, this was an agonizing way of die and to end his suffering he was decapitated. In the movie was said that a samurai should die with a true blade because a blade was a warrior’s soul. Hanshiro at first didn’t say that he knows Motome, but after being accused of doing suicide bluff, he started telling the story of how he knew...
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...Drew LeBlanc Phy/ 105 Comparison Essay March 17, 2013 The Samurai are one of the most ancient warriors known to any civilization. They lived by a code of ethics and honor that many people can learn from at any day in age. Samurai lived and trained by a code of ethics known as Bushido “samurai warrior”, and would die for there beliefs. The biggest thought of the Samurai is education through training. The Samurai came about because they were developed to assist the government on there plans of action. Many different people were establishing armies around Japan to try and overthrow the government that they did not believe in. The Samurai were used in the beginning to keep the laws of the government enforced, and taking out all those who opposed the law of the land. After a few years the Samurai took over as the government making their 900 year stake as the warrior class. The Samurai were seen as almost nobility in the eyes of many due to there mysterious ways, and because of the such high regard people viewed them as. One of the most notable Samurai warriors was Miyamoto Musashi. Miyamoto Musashi was known as one of the best swordsmen who ever lived. He most notable victory was when he took down an opposing school by himself when he was only thirteen. He defeated his opponent, who had a sword, with a wooden training sword that he was very proficient with. Towards the end of Musashi's life he wrote a book called The book of five rings which taught many different ways...
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...Therefore, he decided to use his army to try and make and attempt to kidnap and overthrow the current Emperor. This led to the Boshin War brought out Tokugawa Yoshinobu’s troops and the samurais of the Satsuma and Choshu alliance to fight against each other. The two troops clashed. The winning side was much more in favor to the Satsuma and Choshu alliance because similar to the West, the Emperor was more modernized with advance technology that created strong weapons. Thus, the two alliance won the war and Soshinobu had to surrender to a samurai of Satsuma. The Emperor then began to create reforms to address foreign threats to Japan. After the Emperor took over the throne, Japan was much more powerful and became one of the strongest nation of its...
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...Fukuzawa Yukichi: From Samurai to Capitalist Fukuzawa Yukichi was born in to a low ranking samurai family in 1835. This meant that there was very little chance for Fukuzawa to advance in social class, regardless of his individual ability. In February 1854, just a month after his 19th birthday, Fukuzawa decided to leave his home town Nakatsu to Nagasaki so he can begin his studies in Dutch. Which for the time being was the only prominent Western presence at the time. Once arriving in Nagasaki, Fukuzawa immediately began to study the Dutch language as well "the manufacture and technical operation of guns and cannon." Eventually, he progressed further than his housing patron, Okudaira Iki, who wrote a fake letter from Fukuzawa's mother about being ill. Although knowing the letter was fake, Fukuzawa still left and went to Osaka where his brother was residing in. His brother then holding up a previous obligation, helped Fukuzawa get enrolled at the Tekijuku school for Dutch studies headed by Ogata Koan in April 1855. After a year, Fukuzawa had to depart to Nakatsu to become head of the family because his brother had become very ill and died....
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...Reminiscent of 1600 historical fiction books, Shōgun begins a few months before the Battle of Sekigahara. A Dutch ship come ashore an island and they’re not really sure where they are. The interesting thing about this book is that you see two perspectives and the characters are completely different: an English captain of a Dutch ship John “あんじん”(Pilot) Blackthorn and the rising daimyo, Toranaga Yoshi. An exciting scene happened eight chapters into the book. Another daimyo from another part of the country wants to speak with Blackthorne and sends someone to Toranaga palace to request him. On their way to meet the daimyo, there’s a storm while they’re still four or five hours away from shore. The sailors, first of which is a Portuguese pilot...
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...The loud clunk of swords was all you could hear from the mile away. Brutal screams are deafening as a small family watches from a distance. Although samurai and knights seem very different, they were mostly alike. Their armour and format in which they did tasks/practices was also indistinguishable from each other. Many individuals think that samurai and knights were very different, but this is simply not accurate. Two crucial similarities between the knights and samurai was that they made alluring paintings and poetry, along with promises that they arranged before their death. First of all, both samurai and knights made the beautiful poetry and splendid artwork that people today may see in museums currently. As located in Document F, Samurai Death Poem, is about how one samurai discussed how short a lifespan really is. Also found in the same document, A Knight’s Death, it talks about how they wish they could have more time on Earth. They both have made different points in their poetry, but they came up with the same message. Both samurai and knights wanted to send a signal through the paintings that they created. A majority of the art was about life and landscapes. Art was an escape away from the battlefield, they could just simply...
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...Two of the similarities was that both the warriors started their training at a young age and they trained with wooden weapons. In the first and second excerpt of Document C the author writes, “The rigorous training (of samurai)...began in childhood…[A] prospective knight’s training [began at age four or five] with learning to ride a pony.” Being a knight or a samurai must have been really serious because the warriors start training at a very young age. They spent so most time of their childhood training to fight for the ruler. Samurais and knights had similar training even though they were so far apart in the world. Both of these warriors started learning the basics of being a knight or samurai. There were both women knights and samurai, but...
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...Would you ever suspect a powerful warlord to have the nickname Monkey? For Toyotomo Hideyoshi it wasn’t unusual. For a man who ended Sengoku* in Japan and was in many battles all falling to his success a warlord would be an understatement. Hideyoshi was highly successful and influential to Japan, for his origin of being a pesent. His manipulation and determination got him what he needed and brought him to his highest ranks as a leader. Toyotomi Hideyoshi influenced his people by his increasing power and success across his legacy. Toyotomi Hideyoshi, today recognized as one of Japan’s three great unifiers.The biggest legacy from Hideyoshi was his origin. He was most likely born in Nakamura in Owari province but hence his was born a peasant records are unclear. His rise to power was strictly from his determination as a warrior, and keen eye for manipulation in other men. Just before his heir into power he convinced an opposing warlord, Mino, to submit to the current ruler. During his time ruling over Japan he brought the violence and discrimination between classes to an end by confiscating all swords not owned by samaris. His actions before he truly flourished branched him into Japan's influence as a powerful and strong warlord. To be considered a warlord you must have had participated in many battles and wars. Toyotomi Hideyoshi had done just that. Throughout his ruling Hideyoshi battled with numerous people all across eastern Asia. A loss was never an issue when Hideyoshi...
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...Shoguns, Daimyos and the Samurais through the feudal structure of governance with the Emperor as the head of the hierarchy. It maintained its isolationist policy and never opened-up to the outside world for centuries and was in a stagnant stage in terms of development. However, in the 19th Century it dumped its feudal past and subsequently emerged stronger and economically superior after the rubbles left behind by the Pacific War in the 20th Century. Japan showed her strength in the two World Wars. Japan is now ranked one of the world’s largest power/economy behind The United States and China. It is regarded as a distinct civilization of its own, with very unique history. To fully understand present day Japan and its economic miracle, critical investigation needs to be done on its past history to see where its foundation of modernity and industrialization has been laid. When investigation was done, it showed that the Meiji Era (1868-1912) is considered to be the upward trajectory that fired-up Japanese industrialization and helped establish its modernization path. This started when Japan’s pre-modern political system and its feudal society (1603-1865): the Edo Period, led by the Tokugawa Shogunate, with its band of radical samurais was ended in 1868. The Tokugawa Shogunate/central Government at Edo was weak, corrupt, and incompetent to cope with foreign pressures. In the chaotic and desperate circumstances that ensured, some rural educated Samurais led the banner of the emperor...
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...family’s power for two-hundred fifty years. This system would also contribute to the demise of Tokugawa dominance as well as preparing Japan for the future. The system of alternate attendance required the daimyo from each han to journey to Edo to meet with the shogun every two years. Tokugawa initiated this system to keep an eye on the daimyos and keep them from planning and preparing for an overthrow of his power. To ensure that the daimyos would come to Edo, he commanded that the wives and kids of each daimyo must reside in Edo. Tokugawa used his power to control when each daimyo would have to arrive in Edo to make sure that two of them would not meet up on the way. The daimyo’s procession to Edo was a very elaborate affair with hundreds of samurai and personal attendants accompanying him to flaunt his wealth. These grand processions would show that the daimyo have great respect for Tokugawa and they would commonly bring gifts such as horses or swords. The alternate attendance system also established Edo as the political center of Japan turning the emperor in Kyoto into a ceremonial figure. With all of the daimyo traveling to Edo regularly, all of the high-ranking officials would be congregated and able to meet with Tokugawa. Since the daimyo spent a lot of their time traveling, their power was minimized while the power of the shogun was reinforced, setting up the Tokugawa family to rule for two-hundred fifty years. While the...
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...l The History of the Japanese Samurai and Sword Brandon Stepka SOCI306 The history of the Japanese samurai and sword has always been an interesting topic to me. I will not only be discussing the correlations between the two, but also the evolution of each. Along with that, I will be expanding upon how the Japanese sword was created, how it became popular, and lastly, how it is link to Japanese culture. I would now like to start by giving you a background of the Japanese samurai. The Japanese warrior, also known as the samurai, appeared during the Heian Period (794-1185). They initially started out as warriors and protectors for wealthy landowners. This is partially where the name ‘samurai’ came about, meaning “those who serve”. The samurai truly began to grow during the Kamakura period, where the “establishment of the Kamakura Shogunate, a hereditary military dictatorship, shifted all real political power in Japan to the samurai.” This power was forged by leader Minamoto Yoritomo, who pushed vigorously to establish a high social status for the samurai. Without the acknowledgement of Yoritomo, you would not be considered a samurai; he had the final say. Now that I have given you some basic history of the samurai, I would like to give you some interesting facts that I found to be very cool. First, the Japanese samurai’s would burn incense into their helmets before battle, because of the possibility their heads would be cut off it would not smell. This...
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