Samurai - Japan’s trusted Warriors

Samurai were trusted warriors known for their utmost loyalty and trustworthiness.

They are well known for their loyalty and valor in Japan and throughout the whole world.

In this post, I would like to shed light of some of the facts about their lives, principles.

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HISTORY.

Samurai were very much active from the pre-modern era. That is from the Heian period which existed from the late 8th century and 9th century. But their military skill and leadership acumen helped them ascend to ruling positions and became evident during the Edo Period which lasted for 268 years (1603-1867).

During the Heian Period, they were just warriors who were tasked with subduing the people of the Emishi in the Tohoku Region. This responsibility was given to them by Emperor Kanmu who first introduced the title Shogun (Military general) to the Samurai and entrusted them to conquer the Emishi people.

These Samurai slowly became the rulers of small areas, going to war and gaining lands of other smaller clans and finally surpassed the aristocracy and raised under Shoguns to become rulers and warriors.

During the Edo period, their martial skills were required less due to the prevailing peace and harmony of the Edo Period. They then turned to teaching, arts and bureaucracy.

The Samurai rule was abolished when the feudal rule ended in Japan.

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Samurai were Earlier known as the Bushi (武士　ぶし).

The term Samurai（侍　さむらい） became famous from the 10th Century. They were warriors and were earlier known as the bushi (武士　ぶし) meaning warriors. They samurai（侍　さむらい） belonged to the middle and upper ranks of warriors who were trained in military tactics and strategy, who by the 12th century synonymous with the word Bushi (武士　ぶし).

Bushi referred to warriors who may or may not be Samurais.

The word Samurai（侍　さむらい）?? existed till the Meiji Restoration when modernization began.

??The Code of the Samurai was Bushido (武士道　ぶしどう)

Bushido (武士道　ぶしどう) was their code of conduct. In other words, Samurai followed the Bushido.

Bushido (武士道　ぶしどう) is quite self-explanatory by the Kanji.

Bushi武士　ぶし means a warrior and do 道 どう　means the way. Hence it translated to the Way of the Warriors.

Interestingly the Samurai had no written code of conduct but followed a code which was later formalised as the Bushido (武士道　ぶしどう). Bushido (武士道　ぶしどう) came into being in the 16th century.

It required the Samurai to follow the codes like Obedience, skill, self-discipline, self-sacrifice, courage, and honor.

The codes held courage, honor, and personal loyalty beyond their lives. They would be ready to give their lives but not endanger the virtues required of them.

Note: (This was a theory more than reality as the Bushido (武士道　ぶしどう) were written much later than the period of the Samurai.).

?They were a distinct social class.

The Middle and upper tier of warriors were chosen to serve the nobility, simply put the royalty. Earlier these were just any courageous Samurai.

During the peaceful Edo Period (1603-1867), the whole lot of Samurai warriors became a closed caste. This was because a lot of measures were being amended by the Tokugawa Shogunate to bring forth a social order.

Samurai would ordinarily wear two swords on their sides before the Edo period. During the period of reorganization, this practice was permitted as it was an emblem of their social order and position. But the Samurais were asked to take up civil services or enter any trade they chose.

During their prime, the Samurai accounted for 10 percent of the Japanese population.

In present times, most Japanese people have a samurai ancestry.

They became their Swords.

Samurai used many weapons in their warfare but the most important one was the sword called Chokuto- a small sized slim sword which became common during the Middles ages. Sword making industry was very popular and lucrative as a lot swords were produced for the samurai. The straight, small, and slim swords of the Middle Ages paved way for the curved swords called the Katana (刀　かたな)

Katana (刀　かたな) was carried as a pair with a smaller sword. This pair of Katana (刀　かたな) and the smaller sword was called daisho, which was a symbol of the Samurai Class.

Samurai lives became their swords in that they became one with their swords.

Other Weapons Used by Samurai

The Samurai used the long bows called the Yumi (弓　ゆみ）and the yari（槍　やり）or spear.

These traditional weapons were given up in 16th century for the modern western weapons like the tanegashima which was a long-distance flintlock rifle which gained popularity during the Edo period.

Samurai donned highly functional Armor.

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A Samurai Armor was flexible, sturdy and designed to aid in mobility of the body during war. The armors were made of lacquer plates of of metal or leathers and fastened by leather or silk laces.

Large and rectangular shoulder shields and light armoured shields protected the arms leaving the right arm sleeveless for maximum movement. The samurai helmet consisted of riveted metal plate. Tied behind the helmet around the heads were the protective.

Samurai were highly literate.

Samurai were required to show fine manners as attendants to the nobility. They were literate in subjects other than weapon wielding. As part of their high-profile role, they were expected to constantly upgrade themselves in several ways. MANY Samurai were skilled in math.

They also gained expertise in Tea ceremony, flower arrangements, creating rock gardens. They showed great skills in arts, poetry, calligraphy, and literature.

?Female Samurai and Foreign Samurais.

This fact is very startling as being Samurai was predominant a male domain and they were natives of JAPAN. But it is a little-known fact that there were women Samurais as well. These women belonged to the Bushi Class and received the very same training in warfare and strategy as their male counterparts.

They were called the Onna Bugeisha and fought alongside the male samurais. They wielded the lighter spear with a curved blade, called the Naginata.

A famous female samurai was Tomoe Gozen

And yes, there were a few rare foreigners who were permitted to fight alongside Samurai. These permissions were given by the Shoguns. Notable among them was a black Samurai named Yasuke who came along with Jesuit priests and chosen to fight with the forces of the fierce warrior and one of the unifiers of Japan, Oda Nobunaga

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Seppuku（切腹　せっぷく）- Killing oneself rather than accepting defeat or capture

Seppuku （切腹　せっぷく）was a means of preserving one’s loyalty.

Seppuku （切腹　せっぷく）means ritual suicide by disembowelment and is considered a respectable and honorable face-saving act when faced with dishonor or defeat.

May be a punishment or a voluntary act when the samurai fails to follow the Bushidou and /or faces defeat.

There are two forms of seppuku（切腹　せっぷく） First is when the samurai pierces his stomach, cuts from left to right and cuts open his stomach and disembowels himself. After this act, an attendant cuts off his head.

The formal version of of seppuku（切腹　せっぷく） is like this.

Samurai has a bath. Wears a white gown. Is served his favourite food. A sword is placed on a plate in front of him. Once he finishes the meal, the samurai would roll the cloth over the sword and cut himself into half.

The attendant decapacitates him and leaves a small piece of flesh and the head is allowed to fall forward creating the impression of the samurai holding his head.

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