The Way and the Religion of the Samurai
The rise of the samurai started in japan around 900 B.C. to 250 A.D. They had developed weapons, armor and a code and this evolved into a model for the medieval samurai. Their weapons included bows, arrows and swords. Their armor was made up of a designed helmet, a breastplate, arm, chest and shoulder plates and a belly plate. They used these to either protect or fight against others. they also had multiple religion beliefs and they honored each one. Although their not samurais all the time they also had paintings and different art styles.
Bushido was one of their beliefs and it was the conduct of the Samurai. Their main saying was "freedom from fear." A Samurai was expected to overcome his fear of death. This gave him the peace and power to serve his master faithfully and loyally and to die if necessary. Duty was his primary obligation. Samurais are to lead their lives and follow the bushido religion. Bushido stressed loyalty to one's master, self-discipline and respect, and also ethical behavior. After a defeat, some Samurai chose to commit a ritual suicide called Seppuku rather than be captured or die a dishonorable death.
Samurai became an expert at fighting both from horses and on the ground. They practiced both armed and unarmed combat. The early Samurai emphasized fighting with a bow and arrow and used swords only for hand to hand fighting and for removing heads of their enemies. Certain battles in the 13th century led to a change in the Samurai's fighting style. Swords began to be used more often and spears were also cam in handy. The Samurai was very slow changing from horse to on foot due to all the amour and weapons.
Samurai usually wore two swords. One was long and the other ...
... middle of paper ...
...d from the samurai ethic and now are very important to success in business' in Japan.
The samurai made japan culture different back then and maybe they never had thought that it would have change the modern world now. All the traditions they had and all of the techniques they used can still be found throughout the world today. Especially their art and religion. Their art can be found all over the world today, some being old and some new. Their shinto and Buddhism can still be found all throughout the Japanese culture today in the modern world.
Work Cited https://www.etap.org/demo/grade7_history/lesson5/instructiontutor_last.html "Shoguns, Samurai, and Japanese Culture." Shoguns, Samurai, and Japanese Culture. N.p., n.d. Web. 20 Mar. 2014. http://www.mv.com/ipusers/smg/Samurai%20Essay.htm http://www-personal.umich.edu/~malokofs/SCA/Persona/History/samurai.html
Even though knights and samurai have many similarities, they have their differences. Knight’s armor and weapons were different. The knights also had different training. Lastly, they followed different codes. The little differences that set knights and samurai apart give knights an advantage in a one on one
The first way that samurais have an advantage is with their armor. In document D written by Terry Bennett it says that the knights have pure metal on them which weighs from 40-60 pounds.not only do the knights have tons of weight , but they also put armor on their
Japanese Samurai-What did they wear? What weapon did they use? How were they physically and
As learners of Europe and Japan, the question “ who would win a battle-a samurai or knight” is commonly kept in mind. A samurai and knight are similar in many ways. A samurai would mostly win the battle because they have better weapons, armor, and training. While knights and samurai have many similarities, in a one on one battle, the advantage would be to the samurai and this can be seen in weapons, armor, and training.
According to Document C “Japan Memoirs of a Secret Empire”, talks about how the samurai and knights both started training at a young ages. The knights started training at ages 4-5 a little earlier than the Samurai who started training at 6-7. The Samurai training only lasted until they were 14 unlike the knights whose training lasted until they were 21. Although, the samurai training was shorter they still covered all the important areas. They also had similar armor and both consisted of metal. The samurai had a little bit more movement in their arms, but the armor was used for the same reasons, protection. Document D by Terry Bennett says, “Samurai did not wear armor on their right arm so they could easily draw their bow.” These similarities were significant because without these things both classes would lose the battle every time, and if they didn’t have armor they would get killed, and these similarities is one of the reasons the two groups are so alike. Both of the classes were so a like that’s it’s hard to acknowledge their
As can be seen above, European knights and Japanese Samurais shared lots of differences including training, armor, weaponry, true values and rules. This is because they both came from different countries, and have different lifestyles, cultures, and religions, which influenced them to develop
Japan lasted from 1185-1603. During that time Japan had emperors, shoguns, daimyos, samurai, and peasants who were all apart of a social class, and all together it was called the Samurai Society. The emperor was just a figurehead for the shogun. The shogun was a powerful military leader that ruled in the emperor’s name. Daimyo were powerful landlords. The daimyo often led armies of samurai. These samurai were trained professional warriors who served daimyo and shoguns. The samurai had to follow a certain code of rules for samurai called Bushido. One of their rules included to always have self-discipline to become a good samurai. The samurai warriors wore light armor, helmets (usually shaped like an animal), and had two swords around their waist. Their armor had a lot of detail and color to it, like their unique helmets. After the samurai comes the peasants, which included farmers and fishermen. They usually always work, then pay takes to the shogun. They usually gave the shogun what they earned from working like food or crops. What made their jobs a bit difficult was their topography. Japan’s topography included many mountains, undersea volcanoes, and barely any flat land to farm on. The Japanese didn’t only work they also practiced their religion. For example, they practiced Confucianism, Buddhism (...
Bushido - ???- the feudal-military Japanese code of behavior; the way of the warrior [samurai] Japanese chivalry [knighthood]
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.
One of the most fundamental philosophies of the samurai is that of detachment from the self. This detachment allows for a freedom from fear, which is essential to the samurai warriors. In the opening of Hagakure, Tsunetomo states that “the Way of the Samurai is found in death”. These rank among the greatest and most well known phrases in Japanese history, and in fact in the history of the world. 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 both can are reminiscent of similar ideologies in Buddhism, and Confucianism.
The first topic that i will talk about is, the characteristics of the Japanese Samurai. The question for this topic is, What were the characteristics of the samurai and the samurai culture. The samurai were a culture unique to to Japan, This is together makes my thesis. The samurai followed a code of honor called “Bushido.” While the Samurai would train they would learn the code of honor Bushido. Bushido circles around religion called “zen.” Bushido also showed how a Samurai should live their lives as a samurai. The Samurai were very religious
Thesis. In my essay I will be talking about the samurais and knights their weapons and armor, their religious beliefs, And their edumacation.
Japanese sword history spans several centuries. It is commonly divided into five major periods, the Jokoto and Koto periods or the ancient swords, pre-650 A.D, and the old swords from post-650 A.D. until 1596 A.D. when the Shinto...
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...
Japan is a fascinating multifaceted culture, on one hand it is filled with many traditions dating back thousands of years and yet is a society with continually changing fads,