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How did samurai influence modern japan
Research on japanese samurai
Samurai history
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The film, the Last Samurai (2003), directed by Edward Zwick, is modern retelling of a historic struggle between the Meiji government who wants to embrace Westernization and the Samurai, who are traditionalist and the soul of Japan, who are rebelling against the modernization campaign that sets in the late 19th century in Japan. The film however, centers on the character development of a former United States army captain Nathan Algren (actor: Tom Cruise). Algren is depicted by Zwick as a distressed individual who relives his participation in the bloody and glorifying Civil War against Indian Americans through his nightmares. As remedy to sooth his distress, Algren turns to the consumption of alcohol. Eventually, Algren is approached by his former commanding officer Colonel Bagley after one of his shows, and is offered a job to assist the Meiji government in training the Japanese Army in western style warfare against the Samurai who are led by Katsumoto (actor: Ken Watanabe).
Soon after Algren arrives in Japan, the newly formed westernized Japanese Army composed of “poorly trained peasants who lacked military combat” described by Algren, are swarmed by Samurais in a forest (Zwick 2003, The Last Samurai). Although many Japanese soldiers either fled or had been killed during the combat, Algren manages to kill several Samurais by himself. This intrigues Katsumoto and he orders a stop to warriors from finishing off Algren and instead takes him as a captive. Algren is brought to an isolated village deep in the mountains in where the Samurais reside. In the beginning of Algren recovery process, the nightmares worsen as he continues to see vivid images of himself gunning down Indian children and requests for Saki, a Japanese alcoholic be...
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...t Samurai. With further investigation, one can come to a realization that Bushido has a greater influence than the act of fighting as seen with the character development of Algren illustrated above. Under Bushido, Algren was able to learn the principles of righteousness, politeness, loyalty and honor, and then he applies those principles to his own life and achieves inner peace with himself in which had lost a very long time ago. In a larger context, society as a whole can gain much knowledge from the Samurai and their way of life and apply it to their daily lives because the set of moral principles that are advocated can be applied our social interactions with parents, friends, family or strangers. Hence, Asian religious thoughts in popular culture have the ability to change our perspectives on the outlook of life without necessarily converting us to the religion.
In The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama, a young man is thrown from his established world, left in a new, confusing realm that holds more than meets the eye. In the midst of a violent and ferocious war between the Chinese and Japanese in mid 1937, this young man, Stephen, contracts tuberculosis, and is sent to his family’s summer house in Japan. There he meets the house’s caretaker, Matsu, a simple and reserved man who holds back all but the most necessary speech. This meeting will come to define many of Stephen’s interactions with others throughout the novel: reserved and limited. In this odd land filled with subtle secrets and unspoken uncomfortability, Stephen is prepared for a very quiet and restful period, marked with healing and growth.
In the ancient Japanese culture, one great aspect was on how they emphasized on the intrinsic themes of loyalty and honor. They had fierce warriors known as samurai’s. A samurai was a traditional warrior who would protect and be loyal to their masters no matter what. They were known to be skilled soldiers, benevolent men, self-sacrifice, sense of shame, along with other major characteristics that embodied them as a samurai. While this class of warrior no longer exist today, the remembrance of a samurai is present in the minds of the characters in the novel, The Samurai’s Garden by Gail Tsukiyama. Tsukiyama does a fascinating piece of work by really elaborating and describing the great attributes that Matsu possess of a true samurai. In the
Akira Kurosaw’s Seven Samurai is a film that encompasses various ideologies in order to allow the audience to understand the lives of Japanese people during the 1600’s. The film delves deep in social issues of the roles of the people within the society, the expectations as well as the obligations within the respected castes and elements within groups of ; suffering, working together, protecting family and working for the better good of the community.
...e mechanical and robotic rather than humanistic. As seen in the examples above from Zen at War, the bushidô code embraced Zen , and connected with the religion by interpreting Zen into the previously militaristic lifestyle. Thus pushing forward the militarization of Zen within Japan. As Zen began to integrate itself within the bushidô code and later developed into imperial- Buddhism individuals began to further interpret the scripture and ideas from Zen in ways to further justify war and violence.
Akutagawa is famous for his use of symbolism and aspects of modernism in order to convey a hidden truth about human nature in society. To put it simply, his story, “In a Grove,” is a tale about a murder. However, underlying throughout the story are themes of deception and honor. The murder victim, a trained samurai is lured into a grove and killed, and the suspects are his wife, the robber, and himself. Rather than plead innocent, each suspect pleads guilty to preserve their honors. The blade is a recurring symbol in this story and shows the preservation of this honor. On page 25 the robber, Tajomaru, claims that he “didn't like to resort to unfair means to kill” the samurai, Takehiko. Instead, he claims that he offered to cross swords with him, and then killed him after twenty-three strokes. In this way the sword represents a means to accomplish an act of honor. To murder the samurai without a fight would be dishonorable, but by using the sword Tajomaru achieves honor. Furthermore, Takehiko goes on to claims, You, you don't use your swords. You kill people with your power, with your money,” (Akutagawa 20). Takehiko makes the accusation that the Ju...
Stories about war and implements of such can be observed throughout the course of Japanese history. This shows the prevalence of martial training and the profession of arms as a tradition that has not faded since ancient times (Friday and Humitake 13).
Throughout History, there have been many different groups or events that are still widely known today. Groups of people such as the Indians or Vikings are popular groups which are referenced constantly in today’s society. However, none of these groups is more known or referenced than the Japanese Samurai. Originating in 646 AD, these Japanese warriors developed from a loose organization of farmers to the dominant social class in Feudal Japan. Along with their dominant military and political standing, the samurai brought with them a unique code or moral belief that became the core of Samurai culture. Because of this, the Samurai and their principles still affect modern day Japanese society with social customs today deriving directly and indirectly from the beliefs of the Samurai.
These people who live in the village need the samurai, but they also fear the samurai. What is really interesting about this film is the difference between the simple farming people and the more experienced samurai. The samurai have lived a life of violence and confrontation and the farming people have lived a very simplistic lifestyle.
Han – a period of time in China in which the country was merge together (Dictionary)
The Tale of the Heike is a collection of tales that depict the livelihood of warriors during the Heian and Kamakura period. These tales illustrate that warriors during this period spent their existence dedicated to their duty to the Buddhist Law and that the growing contention arose from each warrior’s devotion and loyalty to the Buddhist Law.
The fundamental philosophy of the samurai is that of detachment from the self. In the opening of Hagakure, Tsunetomo states that “the Way of the Samurai is found in death”. Death is not to be feared by the Samurai, it is to be embraced. The relationship between the samurai and his master is of the utmost importance, and only through detachment can the samurai fully and properly serve his master. These are two core, fundamental philosophies of bushido, and are influenced heavily by two other prominent schools of thought of the time, Zen Buddhism and Confucianism.
In the fall of Hawaii after the bombing of pearl harbor, one specific American-Japanese boy tried his best to achieve his one goal, to bring back up his father’s fishing boat, his name was Tomi. Why was he so anxious to do this? When the Japanese bombed pearl harbor, Tomi’s dad and grandpa were both arrested because they were unidentified Japanese, (the Americans thought they were the Japanese attacking.) Tomi’s personality can be described in an innumerable amount of ways, like being always determined. He adores and cherishes his family, and invariably always tries his best.
From the interactive oral presentation on the Japanese vs. Western Social norms, I have learned a tremendous amount on how Mishima incorporated traditional Japanese and western influences in the novel to portray the loss of traditional Japanese culture within the Japanese society.
In every direction the sea rages and growls, tumbling its inhabitants in an ever-lasting rumble. Glory, honor, and duty are washed upon the glimmering golden shores of the Japanese empire. The sturdy land-bearers clasp hands with those thrown into the savage arms of the ocean. This junction of disparate milieus forms the basis of an interlocking relationship that ties conflicting elements and motifs to paint a coherent, lucid final picture. In The Sailor Who Fell From Grace with the Sea, Mishima incorporates the impact of contradictory settings of land and sea, combative ideologies of the Western and Eastern hemispheres, and inherent dissimilarities amongst the characters’ lifestyles in order to reinforce the discrepancy between his ideal Japan and the country he observed.
There are many historical aspects of the Japanese, but the most interesting is the history of the Samurai. In Japans history war played a large role in the country. Controlling clans fought for parts of the land and overall control of the country. These clans were powerful families that resided in the country and who all wanted power and control of Japan for themselves. The families that would be in control were known as Shoguns. These shoguns would have warriors that fought for them if any of the other clan families would try to attack him in order to overthrow him and take his power from him. The Samurai followed a code that developed from Chinese beliefs when in battle. The Samurais code was known as the Bushido. This code was also known as “The Way of The Warrior” which was the main belief s...