About Samurai

Introduction

Samurai is a term for Bushi.
In the early Heian period when the samurai appeared, their main job was to protect important people such as the imperial family.

During the Heian period, only samurai who were “servants for high-ranked people” were called samurai.
In the Sengoku period, ”Nobushi” who didn’t serve anyone came to be called samurai.
Their lifestyle is so simple that their diet is two times a day until Kamakura shogunate and their food are simple.

History

When it comes to samurai, may you have the image that their job is to fight.
But the definition of samurai is different  from the Heian period when samurai appeared to unify a whole country. 

Now I will introduce the history of samurai from the early to late phase below. Please check them out.

Early phase : Kamakura shogunate

In the Kamakura Shogunate, samurai used the system called “Soryosei”. 

It means that the leader of the family takes command of everything including the economy and  territory.  If there is a great leader, the family would prosper.

At the same time, agricultural technology was also developed  and they could obtain many crops by expanding the territory.

Although they take over the land their ancestors have owned for generations, sometimes the head family shares it with other families.

As a rule, the brunch family should obey the head family. For example,  when they went to war, the members of the brunch stood on the battlefield.

In the Kamakura Shogunate, it is important to have a martial arts level so the boys should have practiced it from an early age.
Especially archery and horse riding they were instructed strictly in order to be successful on the battlefield. 

There was also a lecture but they thought  that martial arts are much more important. 

Also, military power is centered in this period but it is said that women could take high status. 

The diet of samurai in the Kamakura period was very simple.

Only they eat twice a day, once in the morning and evening. The main food was brown rice.

In addition, pickled plums have been eaten since this time, and jellyfish and uchiawabi were also common on a daily meal.

In general,  they eat not only seafood, vegetables and grain but eat animal meat they hunt such as birds, wild boar, and deer.

Middle: Ashikaga shogunate

During the Ashikaga shogunate period, the battle increased more and more. 

If you participated in the battle and would be a success, you could get territory so they work hard to expand their territory.

Warlords who leave good results in battle will steadily gain power and aim to unify the world.

In the Heian period when the samurai appeared first, their role was just a bodyguard, but they changed to gain power by themselves and the time is “ability first”.

Compared to the Kamakura period, territorial disputes intensified and developed into full-fledged power struggles.

Finally, samurai can participate in politics.

Originally, the noble had political power but in the Kamakura period, if you were a high-ranked bushi, you could participate in politics.

It proves that the status of samurai is gradually changing.

In daily life, during the Kamakura period, samurai ate two meals a day, but  they ate three times a day.

The number of menus per meal also became more varied, and upper-class samurai sometimes hired professional cooks to prepare meals.

The main food was rice porridge, which was made by boiling brown rice to a firm consistency.

The Japanese food culture of eating three meals a day has continued from this period to the present day.

Although they entered the Sengoku period in earnest, they weren’t just only fighting but they liked  “waka” “renka” “noh” (Japanese poem)

They became popular in this period and it gradually expanded by doing the ceremony of waka in various places. 

Late: Tokugawa shogunate

Samurai existed in the Edo period, but there were no battles because Japan was unified already.
Instead of fighting, samurai mainly did jobs similar to government workers, such as castle guards and financial accounting.

If you think they work hard  like present government servants, it’s not like that.

For example, castle keepers were given two days off after working one day.
So it seems that they were able to spend their time flexibly. 

When we compare it to the time of war,  It is said that because the number of people was no longer needed, the reason why the number of workers was overflowing.

However,amny samurais found it difficult to make ends meet just by working at the castle.

In such a case, it seems that he did a sub job to cover his living expenses.

Some sub-jobs include private tutors teaching children schoolwork.
Among the shogunate servants, the jobs were given priority to the senior vassals, so the lower-ranking vassals had more free time.

Also, the servant didn’t only go to the shogunate every day, but they worked  from home. 

It’s similar to the current way of working, such as remote work.

Some samurais were not the servants of the shogun, but who worked for the lords of each domain.

Each of them was assigned a job, such as watching over the lord’s castle, acting on behalf of the lord, or doing civil official-like work such as accounting.

In addition, there was also a job called “Oku” to take care of the lord’s personal belongings.

During this period, there was a system called “sankin kotai”. When the samurai went to the castle of the feudal lord, their lifestyle was like a modern dormitory.

The place where samurai live

The place where the samurai lived was classified by status. 

”Daimyo yashiki”: Castle of Daimyo.

“Daimyo yashiki” is a place where the vassals serve the shogun stay in. 

There are 3 types: “Kamiyashiki” where the daimyo and his wife live, “Nakayashiki”  where the heir and retired feudal lord live, “Shimoyashiki” which is constructed as a villa in a suburb. 

 In addition to the above uses, they are classified according to the distance from Edo Castle. 

“Hatamoto yashiki”: the castle of shogunate vassal

 “Hatamoto Yashiki” is a castle where a vassal of the rank is called ‘Omemi’ who can be received in the audience by the Shogun.
This yashiki is divided in size from about 1600㎡ to 7600 ㎡ and the size is determined according to the asset.

Family members and vassals live together, and also row houses where servants live are placed nearby.

In addition to “hatamoto yashik”, there were those who had what is called ‘houyashiki’ in the suburbs.

“Gokeninyashiki”: the castle of immediate vassal

“Gokenin yashiki” is that samurai who are called ‘Gokenin’, which was lower ranked than a vassal of the shogunate.
Not only one castle per family, but those who belonged to the same group lived together in a castle.

Even though each of them had their castle within the site, they still lived in groups.
The ground and castle are more narrow than “Hatamoto yashiki” or “Gokeninyashiki” and per room is about 10㎡ to 14㎡.
It is said that 70% of the samurai who were in Edo lived in Gokenin yashiki.

“Ashigaru nagaya”: Row residence for foot soldier

“Ashigaru nagaya” is a residence where low-ranked bushi who is called “ashigaru” live. Each home had a width of 3 ken and a depth of 3 ken so total they have two spaces about 10㎡. A foot soldier and his family lived there.
It is similar to a training camp today, and the building is very simple.

Swords for samurai

Swords and Katana  (Japanese swords) are weapons that prove samurai.
There are various types of swords, so please check below.

“Choku to”: Stragiht sword

The straight sword is said to be the first single-edged sword, and came from China and Korea.
It means a straight sword, and there is no curve like the Japanese sword that you may think generally.
It was easier to pull it out if it was curved, so the shape  was changing after the 8th century.

“Katana”: A traditional Japanese sword

“Katana” is the most famous Japanese sword because it was a trademark of the samurai.
It is about 3-4 feet long and has a curve of about 1 inch.

Due to the long blade, it is easy to get close to the enemy and attack from a distance.

There are many variations of how to make Japanese swords, such as “Shinogi-zukuri”, “Shobu-zukuri”, and “Kisaki-Moroha-zukuri”.
The most common method of making Japanese swords is “Shinogi-zukuri”.
Shobu-zukuri is an older variation and does not include the battle that separates the main blade from the tip.
As the name suggests, “Kisaki-Moroha-zukuri” is characterized by the fact that both sides are blades.

“Kodachi”: Small knife

“Kodachi is a small knife with a blade length of 2 shaku (about 60 cm).
It began to be used after the 13th century. It is not used for battle.

It is said that it was mainly used by the children of samurai warriors, and women carried it  for self-defense.

“Tachi”:  sword

The tachi was first made as a sword used by samurai.
It is longer than a sword and its curved shape is distinctive.
Length is about 75 cm, and  it was used as a large sword.

Its main feature is that it can be used while riding a horse due to its wide attack range.

Another weapon

Samurai used not only swords but also other various weapons to fight.

Lance

May you have an image of fighting with swords during the Sengoku period.
However, the spear was the main weapon during this period.

As the spear is longer than the sword, it’s easier to keep a distance.
The biggest advantage is that you can attack without the risk of getting close to the target.

When we think of attacking with a spear, we tend to have an image of thrusting with a sharp edge.

However, what was adopted in the battle of the Sengoku period was the tactic of “hitting”.

Hitting the enemy’s head while bending the long spear was extremely damaging, and it is said to have 10 times the impact of a thrust.

One of the reasons why spears were used in battle was that they didn’t require much special skill and were easier to use than other weapons.

Bow and arrow

Bows and arrows are suitable for long-range attacks.

Since children of samurai families were taught horse riding, bow and arrow training from an early age, we can see that it was an important weapon in battle.

During the Sengoku period, instead of battling one-on-one, archery troops formed groups and shot all at once. This tactic is mainly used.
Its greatest strength is that it damages the enemy with long-range attacks by covering fire from behind the soldiers fighting on the front lines.

Firearm

It is said that the achievement of the firearm troop  was great in giving the Oda army the upper hand in the Battle of Nagashino.
The biggest strength of guns is that you can target your enemies without taking any risks.

In the case of a sword battle, it will inevitably become close combat with the opponent.

However, firearms  have high attack power and can aim at enemies from a long distance.

Cannon

Cannons appeared in battles during the Sengoku period.

Cannons cannot attack continuously, but they are large weapons capable of overwhelming destructive power and wide-range attacks.

Due to its high destructive power, it was mainly used in castle attacks.

Armor for samurai

Samurai wore armor to protect themselves.

There are several types of this armor, so let’s check them out.

Large armor

“O-yoroi” is a type of armor that was born with the prosperity of the samurai in the middle of the Heian period.

During this period, “cavalry battles”,  in which one-on-one battles were fought by shooting bows and arrows at each other, were the main tactic.

Maybe you feel uneasy about defending against an enemy by just nimble movement. 

By equipping a large armor, it was possible to reduce the damage caused by the bow attack from the opponent.

Because the large armor is designed to make it easy to move the upper body, it also has the advantage of being easy to shoot with a bow and arrow even when mounted.

“Domaru”: simple body suit

In Heian period battles, high-ranked bushi fought with bows and arrows.
On the other hand, close-quarters combat using long swords and naginatas was the main weapon among the followers and lower-ranking samurai.
Therefore, it had to be an armor that could be moved more smoothly than the large armor so  the domaru was used for close combat.

The domaru was simpler than the large armor, but it was made to surround the torso.

The part below the torso is divided into 8 pieces called kusazuri, and the mobility of the legs was secured.

Stomach band

A stomach band is armor made by simplifying the domaru.
It is worn by low-ranked  samurai who are lightly armed since there is a gap in the back, an attack from behind can be fatal.
It has the advantage of being easy to move because it is a simplified version of the domaru and is lightweight, but it is somewhat insufficient in terms of defensive power.

“Toseigusoku”

“Tosei Gusoku”  is an armor that covers the entire body, unlike “Oyoroi”, “Domaru”, and “Stomach band”.

In the Sengoku period, in addition to fighting with bows, arrows and swords, attacks with penetrating weapons such as firearms  and cannons were used.

Since conventional armor, which protects the torso, has insufficient protection, “Tosei gusoku” was adopted.

It uses more iron plates than “Oyoroi”, and is made with mobility to prepare for close combat.

What is “Bushido”

“Bushido” is a word that was born after the Middle Ages.
It is a unique sense of ethics rooted mainly in the samurai class, and it is also rooted in our minds. 

However, “Bushido” doesn’t have a clear definition so you may perceive it as “the way of life of a samurai.”
Since there are no books that explicitly mention “Bushido”, even among Japanese people it is a very vague idea.

By the way, do you know the famous quote in Hagakure written by Tsunetomo Yamamoto, “Bushido means death?”

This is a record of samurai rules handed down from generation to generation in the Nabeshima family of the Saga domain.

By being prepared to die, you can discover the value of life, and you can know the spirit of the samurai who can do their best now.

As you can see from this quote, the samurai always lived in the moment.

We understand that they couldn’t feel relieved from the bottom of their heart in the days of fighting. 

Unlike other people, it is the only occupation that puts one’s life.
So “Bushido” spirits spread as bushido because it is thought that they were always conscious of their way of life. 

Samurai don’t  waste their days because they live side by side with death all the time.

Usually, they live with the awareness that “today may be the day I die”, so they do what they want to do and live each day to the fullest.

Always think about “the best thing you can do right now” and live every day without waste, this can also be said to be one of Bushido.

Bushido mainly emphasized five things: sacrifice, courtesy, frugality, frugality, and honorable martial arts.

Shobu means respect for military affairs, and we can see that the philosophy is to be loyal in the event of war and to live humbly without being arrogant.

No matter how highly ranked the samurai was, those with an arrogant attitude did not succeed.

A brilliant samurai who always looked ahead and took a steady step forward was the one who made a name for himself.

Also, samurai do not swing their blades arrogantly.

They also showed respect to their opponents in battle and praised them even when they lost.

This can be said to be an important bushido that also leads to modern sportsmanship.

By the way,  the famous politician Inazo Nitobe also mentioned Bushido.

What he emphasized in Bushido are “righteousness” and “courage.”

“Justice” means “justice”.
It refers to the right way as a person, and in modern times, the expression “morals” is easy to understand.
The samurai’s “justice” is to never bend and always push forward on the right path.
Inazo Nitobe claimed this “righteousness” as the most important spirit in Bushido.

However, even if you have the spirit of righteousness, it is meaningless if you cannot put it into practice.
What is as important as righteousness is the “courage” or “bravery” to carry out that righteousness.
No matter how strong your convictions are, you cannot carry them out without courage.
“Courage” is an important bushido spirit that should be accompanied by “righteousness.”

Even if you have enough ‘courage’, without ‘righteousness’ it can lead you in the wrong direction.
We must always act with conviction.

Bushido is still relevant today.
Although the situation is not tense like a turbulent period, it is precisely for this reason that we need “righteousness” and “courage” to discipline ourselves with the spirit of Bushido and push forward to achieve our goals.

In order to fulfill your dreams and achieve your goals, it is important to “take your life at the moment”.
Life is limited, even in situations where death isn’t next door.
We don’t know what will happen, and we don’t know when we will die.
In order to live without regrets, we must be conscious of the Bushido spirit.

Famous samurai

Among the samurai who lived in the Sengoku period, there are many who have made a name for themselves.
I will introduce military commanders who survived the Sengoku period with a strong Bushido spirit.

Oda Nobunaga

Oda Nobunaga, was a famous warlord during the  Sengoku period.
Even now, he is a popular and charismatic figure with many fans overseas.

With his unparalleled strength and leadership, he won one battle after another, but unfortunately, his wish to take over the world never came true. 

Akechi Mitsuhide, a vassal, suddenly rebelled just a little before the unification of the country. Nobunaga was driven to defeat at Honnoji Temple in Kyoto and committed suicide halfway through his ambition.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi

Toyotomi Hideyoshi was a military commander who was active as a senior vassal of Oda Nobunaga. 

Originally from a peasant background, he started his career as bushi when he was 15 years old.
After serving Matsushita Yukitsuna as a samurai, he became Oda Nobunaga’s apprentice. Raise his means and climb up to the top of the ashigaru group.
After that, he left many achievements and won Nobunaga’s trust.
Ultimately, he takes revenge on Nobunaga and achieves the unification of the world.

Tokugawa Ieyasu

Ieyasu Tokugawa is also a famous Sengoku daimyo who is talked about alongside Nobunaga Oda and Hideyoshi Toyotomi.
He was originally a hostage of the Imagawa family, but when the Imagawa family fell, he became independent and gained power.
After Hideyoshi’s death, he won the Battle of Sekigahara and became a world man.
He is the person who opened the Edo Shogunate and will hold the real power of the Shogunate for 15 generations.

Takeda Shingen

Takeda Shingen, who was called “Kai no Tora”, was a fierce general who tormented Nobunaga Oda.
Leading the cavalry that was said to be the strongest at the time, he will win many battles.
In the end, he fell ill and ended his life, but it is said that if he had not died, the history of Japan would have changed.

Uesugi Kenshin

Kenshin Uesugi, who was called the “Dragon of Echigo”, is a military commander who is known as a rival of Shingen Takeda.
Possessing unparalleled fighting talent, he has achieved numerous achievements.

Kenshin was a military commander who valued “righteousness”.
When he learned that his rival, Kai, was suffering from a salt shortage due to the strategy of a neighboring country, he sent salt to help, even though it was his enemy country.
From this anecdote, the phrase “send salt to the enemy” still remains today.

Date Masamune

Date Masamune, the military commander of Dewa and Mutsu provinces, known as “Single eye Dragon Masamune”.
There is an anecdote that he was good at dealing with the world, and although he was captured by Hideyoshi Toyotomi and was on the verge of being executed, he escaped execution due to his natural way of dealing.

Imagwa Yoshimoto

Yoshimoto Imagawa was born as the fifth son of Ujichika Imagawa and governed  Suruga Province.
Known as “the best archer on the Tokaido,” he was a fierce general who boasted overwhelming strength and held Ieyasu Tokugawa hostage when he was a child.

He was accustomed to fighting and was respected by those around him at the time, but he was cut down by Nobunaga Oda when he showed momentary carelessness in the “Battle of Okehazama”.

Akechi Mitsuhide

After serving Echizen Asakura Yoshikage, Akechi Mitsuhide became a high-ranked vassal under Oda Nobunaga.
Like Hideyoshi Toyotomi, he was from a low social background, but he left behind many achievements, gained Nobunaga’s trust, and rose to the rank of high-ranked vassal.

However, he rebelled in the Honnoji Incident and forced his lord, Nobunaga Oda, to commit suicide.
After the Honnoji Incident, he won the world for about 10 days but was cornered by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who vowed to avenge his lord and was defeated in the Battle of Yamazaki.

Saito Dosan

Saito Dosan, who ruled Mino Province, was a man who was good at conspiracy.
Because they skillfully deceived others and grew up, they were feared by the name of “Mamushi”, which is said to come out of their parents’ stomachs.

However, in the end, a feud with his son Yoshitatsu Saito started, and he lost the battle and died in battle. By the way, Dosan’s daughter, Nohime, married Nobunaga Oda, a feudal lord of Owari, a neighboring country.

Museums

There are many samurai-themed museums.
We will introduce some of the most popular spots below 

Samurai museum

At the Samurai Museum,  many armors such as armor, helmets, and swords symbolized by samurai on display.
Since you can see the actual weapons and armor up close, you can feel the remnants of the Sengoku period more realistically.
It also introduces haiku written by famous warlords, so you can immerse yourself in the world of history.

Also, at the Samurai Museum, you can watch a sword fight show with a sense of realism. For those who wish, there is also a service where you can directly hold the sword and learn the katana.
You can also take a commemorative photo wearing a Jinbaori or kimono.

The Ii art samurai museum

The Ii Museum is an art museum run by a direct descendant of Ii Naomasa, the head of the Tokugawa Shitenno.
There are many historical works on display.
In addition to displaying weapons and armor, historical materials are also on display, making this an irresistible museum for history lovers.

Most of the materials are related to the Ii family, but we also have special features such as Mitsuhide Akechi and Josui Kawate.
The director’s papers are also available on the web, so if you are interested, please check them out.

Samurai art of museum

The Samurai Art Museum is an art museum in Berlin, Germany.
It is said to be the best samurai collection in Europe, with various armor and weapons on display.
Originally a German man’s private art museum, it was relocated. But the overwhelming number of exhibits of 3,000 items astonished us.
The museum also has a Noh stage and a tea room, making it one of the great attractions of being able to feel the culture of the Sengoku period even outside of Japan.

Japanese Sword Museum

The Japanese sword museum is operated with the aim of preserving and exhibiting domestic Japanese swords and spreading the culture of Japanese swords.
It differs from other museums in that it only focuses on Japanese swords, and it is popular not only with Japanese but also with foreign tourists.

Theme park

There are many theme parks in Japan where you can feel the samurai spirit and experience actual samurai. 

Check in the below. 

Nikko Edomura

Nikko Edomura cannot be excluded when introducing samurai theme parks.
It is a theme park that reproduces the Edo period, and there are many exhibits about samurai.
On the other hand, once you step inside, you will find yourself in the old town of Edo, and you may even pass by samurai as you walk.
It is recommended for those who want to feel the samurai era first-hand, as you can enjoy the atmosphere.

Among the five areas, the one where you can feel the samurai the most is the samurai residence.
Samurai actually live here, so you can get a glimpse of the life of a samurai.

If you go to a makeover shop, you can change into clothes from the Edo period, and you can enjoy walking around the city as is.
There is also a service called Edo work experience where you can experience the work of the Edo period, which is very popular with children.

Samurai Ninja Museum

At the Samurai Ninja Experience Museum in Kyoto, you can not only appreciate armor but also experience being a samurai or a ninja.
If you wear armor costumes and helmets and take a commemorative photo, you will be able to feel the world of the samurai more closely.
There is also an experience where you can actually hold a sword and have a lecture on how to hold and hold it.

Of course, there are also many full-fledged weapons and weapons.
It is also a big point that you can appreciate weapons more realistically than in a glass case like a general museum.

Toei Kyoto Studio Park

Toei Uzumasa Eigamura is, as the name suggests, a theme park with a movie motif.
The sword fighting show of the period drama is held, so it is a big attraction that you can see the actual samurai battle up close.

It also has a makeover studio where you can become a character in period dramas. It’s a very popular spot for both adults and children because you can not only see the life of a samurai but also experience it yourself. You can enjoy the atmosphere of being a samurai or a feudal lord, so it’s an irresistible service for history and samurai lovers.

Samurai movies

There are also many movies made about samurai, who were the heroes of Japan.
So I will introduce recommended  works.

Love and Honor

Starring Takuya Kimura, Samurai Ichibu is a classic samurai film written by Shusaku Fujisawa and directed by Yoji Yamada. 

The story begins when Shinnojo, a samurai who lives modestly, loses his eyesight due to the poison of the shellfish he ate and becomes blind.

His wife, Kayo, asks Shinnojo’s boss for a favor for him, who is about to lose his job in the clan due to his blindness.
However, Kayo’s boss Shimada, who has been interested in Kayo for a long time, takes advantage of her weakness and takes advantage of her.
Knowing this, Shinnojo burns with revenge, and despite the overwhelming disadvantage of being blind, he devotes himself to training and challenges Shimada to a duel.
It is a work that makes you think about what “Bushi no Ichibu” is.

13 Assasins

This is also a masterpiece that has attracted public attention.
And this movie is set in the Edo period.
In order to deal with Matsudaira Naritsugu, who has repeatedly been abusive, Doi, who is a senior councilor, orders Shinzaemon Shimada, who is the watchman, to assassinate Matsudaira.
The story is that Shimada investigates Qishao’s deeds and gathers 12 brave men to carry out his plan.

Zatoichi: Blind Swordman

Zatoichi is a classic samurai movie starring Beat Takeshi (Takeshi Kitano).
The town where the blind samurai Ichi arrives is governed by the yakuza Ginzo clan, and the townspeople are forced to live a hard life.

Two geisha attacked a market set up by gambling in the town.
He heard that their parents were killed by bandits when they were young and that they were looking for his revenge.
By chance, the geisha knows that the enemy is Ginzo, and enters their castle.

This story is also an epic revenge drama, and the blind samurai, Ichi, is involved and causes uproar.
Takeshi Kitano, a film director called “Kitano of the world”, himself directed and starred in this work, which attracted a great deal of attention.