Japanese culture appears to Western people as a collection of ideas and colorful images. And the most striking of them is the image of a samurai warrior. He has a heroic halo and is considered a kind of symbol of courage and fortitude in battle. But do we know everything about samurai? How different is the truth about these warriors from legends and myths?

Samurai: word definition

In the understanding of Europeans, any Japanese warrior taking part in a battle is a samurai. In fact, this statement is fundamentally wrong. The samurai is a special class of feudal lords who received special education, underwent a ritual of initiation and have a distinctive sign - a Japanese sword. The purpose of such a warrior's life was to serve his master. He must be devoted to him with all his being and unquestioningly carry out any orders.

This goal can be traced in the very definition of "samurai". The meaning of the word translated from Japanese sounds like the verb "to serve". Therefore, it is not surprising that the life of a samurai is closely connected with the life of his master - daimyo. Many Europeans believe that a samurai is a servant person who can be called the Japanese word "bushi". But this is also an erroneous opinion; these two words should not be confused.

The samurai has a broader and more comprehensive meaning, in wartime he was the best protection for the master, and in peacetime he was an ordinary servant. Bushi belong to the class of simple warriors who could be hired for a while. Payment for services was made in money, but most often the feudal lords paid for the services of soldiers with rice.

Samurai History: A Brief Historical Background

Samurai as an estate originated in the seventh century. During this period, Japan was experiencing feudal fragmentation, and every major feudal lord needed well-trained professional warriors. They were the samurai.

Young warriors were often starved to death and forced to stay awake for several nights in a row. They did all the hard work around the house, walked barefoot at any time of the year, and woke up with the first rays of the sun. In order not to scare future samurai death, they were often taken to watch executions, and at night they had to come to the bodies of the executed and leave their mark on them. Often they were sent to places where, according to legend, ghosts lived, and left there without food or drink for several nights. As a result, the young men developed fearlessness and amazing composure, they could think soberly in any situation.

In addition to the martial art, samurai were taught writing and history, but these disciplines were not what a samurai should actually do. It was just an add-on that could help in battle in one way or another.

By the age of sixteen, the young man was considered fully trained and could begin the rite of initiation and initiation into the samurai.

Rite of passage into warriors

The samurai teacher and his future daimyo, with whom vassal relations were consolidated, had to be present at the initiation ceremony. The ceremony was accompanied by obtaining their own set of swords - daise, shaving their heads and getting new clothes for an adult samurai. At the same time, the young man passed several tests that were supposed to show his strength and skills. At the end of the ceremony, he was given a new name, replacing the one given at birth. It was believed that this day is the birthday of the samurai, and under the new name he will be known throughout his independent life.

Could a commoner become a samurai?

In the European view, the legend of the samurai, who belongs to the upper class of Japanese society, has a set of all positive qualities and is crystal clear in his thoughts, is firmly entrenched. In fact, this is the most common myth about feudal warriors. Indeed, in reality, a samurai is not necessarily a person from high society, absolutely any peasant could become a warrior. There was no difference between the origins of the samurai, they trained in the same way and subsequently received absolutely equal salaries from the master.

Therefore, samurai quite often changed their masters, feeling that they were losing the battle. It was quite normal for them to bring the head of the old one to the new master, thus deciding the outcome of the battle in their favor.

Samurai women: myth or reality?

In historical sources and Japanese literature of the Middle Ages, practically nothing is mentioned about female warriors, but they quite often became samurai. There were absolutely no restrictions on this in the code of honor.

Girls were also brought up from a family at eight years old and performed an initiation ceremony at sixteen. As a weapon, a samurai woman received a short dagger or a long and sharp spear from the teacher. In battle, it was capable of cutting through enemy armor with ease. The popularity of military affairs among women is evidenced by studies by Japanese scientists. They made a DNA test on the remains of the bodies of samurai who died in battles found at the excavation, to their surprise, 30% of the soldiers turned out to be women.

Bushido Code: Brief Provisions

The samurai code of conduct was formed from numerous laws and regulations that were collected into a single source around the thirteenth century. During this period, the samurai had just begun to form as a separate class of Japanese society. By the sixteenth century, bushido had finally taken shape and began to represent the real philosophy of the samurai.

The warrior's code covered almost all spheres of life, each had its own special rule of behavior. For example, according to this philosophy, a samurai is someone who knows exactly how to live and die. He is ready to boldly go alone on a hundred enemies, knowing that death awaits him ahead. Legends were made about such brave men, their relatives were proud of them and put in the house portraits of samurai who died in battle.

The samurai's code of honor ordered him to constantly improve and train not only the body and mind, but also the spirit. Only a strong spirit could be a warrior worthy of a fight. In case of the order of the lord, the samurai had to commit hara-kiri and die with a smile and gratitude on his lips.

In Japan, the story of the samurai is still successfully used; it brings fabulous money to the country's tourism industry. After all, everything connected with this period in the history of the country was romanticized by Europeans. Now it is already difficult to find grains of truth among the numerous legends, but one is quite difficult to argue with: the samurai is as vivid a symbol of modern Japan as a kimono or sushi. It is through this prism that Europeans perceive the history of the Land of the Rising Sun.

In world history there have always been such groups of people whose image has forever remained romanticized in people's hearts. Western pop culture draws on European and American heroic personalities, bringing them to life in westerns, medieval films and fairy tales, in countries ruled by kings and queens. Cowboys and Knights have always served as the ideal portrayal for popular media products, thanks to the countless adventures and exciting situations they find themselves in with enviable consistency.

Samurai were analogous to the European knights, a noble military class in medieval Japan. For hundreds of years, samurai have played an essential sacred role in Japanese society. The samurai swore allegiance to his master and pledged to serve him with his blade and wisdom, following a certain set of moral and philosophical rules called bushido. Following the path of bushido helped the samurai realize the concept of chivalry, achieve mastery in martial arts, honor such concepts as loyalty, honor, service, and prefer death to dishonor. Some samurai could become military leaders by inheritance, without waiting for the will of the master.

After tales of samurai spread outside Japan, people from all over the planet took a keen interest in their history. It was actually very exciting: the samurai embodied the image of an ideal warrior who respected culture and laws, who was serious about his chosen life path. When a samurai let down a master or himself, according to local customs, he had to be subjected to the ritual "seppuku" - ritual suicide. On our list, you will find ten of the greatest samurai who have lived in Japan at one time or another.

10. Hojo Ujitsuna (1487 - 1541)

Hojo Ujitsuna was the son of Hojo Soun, the founder of the Hojo clan, which controlled a large section of the Kanto region, the most populous island in Japan, during the Sengoku period (1467 - 1603). The Sengoku period was characterized by constant wars between families of high-ranking military personnel, and Hojo Ujitsuna was lucky to be born during this period of time, in 1487. Ujitsuna rekindled a long-standing feud with the Uesugi clan, taking over Edo Castle in 1524, one of the main centers of power in medieval Japan. He managed to spread his family's influence throughout the Kanto region, and by the time of his death in 1541, the Hojo clan was one of the most powerful and dominant families in Japan.

9. Hattori Hanzo (1542 - 1596)

This name may be familiar to fans of Quentin Tarantino's work, since it was on the basis of the real biography of Hattori Hanzo that Quentin created the image of a swordsman for the film "Kill Bill". Not much is known about Hanzo's early life, but historians tend to believe that he was born in 1542. Starting at the age of 16, he fought to survive, participating in many battles. Hanzo was loyal to Tokugawa Ieyasu, saving the life of this man more than once, who later founded the shogunate, who ruled Japan for more than 250 years, from 1603 to 1868. He is known throughout Japan as a great and devoted samurai who has become a legend. His name can be found carved at the entrance to the imperial palace.

8.Uesugi Kenshin (1530 - 1578)


Uesugi Kenshin was a strong warlord and part-time leader of the Nagao clan. He was distinguished by his outstanding ability as a commander, as a result of which his troops won many victories on the battlefield. His rivalry with Takeda Shingen, another warlord, was one of the most widely known in history during the Sengoku period. They fought for 14 years, during which time they participated in several one-on-one fights. Kenshin died in 1578, the circumstances of his death remained unclear. Modern historians believe that it was something like stomach cancer.

7. Shimazu Yoshihisa (1533 - 1611)


This is another Japanese warlord who lived during the bloody Sengoku period. Born in 1533, as a young man, he established himself as a talented commander, later this trait allowed him and his comrades to capture most of the Kyushu region. Thanks to his successes on the battlefield, he earned the selfless loyalty of his servants (sworn swords, as they were also called), who fought desperately for him on the battlefield. Yoshihisa was the first to unite the entire Kyushu region, and later he was defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi and his 200,000-strong army.

6. Mori Motonari (1497 - 1571)

Mori Motonari grew up in relative obscurity, but that did not stop him from taking control of several of the largest clans in Japan and becoming one of the most feared and powerful warlords of the Sengoku period. His appearance on the general stage was sudden, just as unexpected was a series of victories that he won over strong and respected rivals. Ultimately, he captured 10 of the 11 Chugoku provinces. Many of his victories were won over much more numerous and more experienced opponents, which made his feats even more impressive.

5. Miyamoto Musashi (1584 - 1645)

Miyamoto Musashi was a samurai whose words and opinions still bear their imprint on modern Japan. Musashi was a ronin, a masterless samurai who lived during the Sengoku period. Today he is known as the author of The Book of Five Rings, which describes the strategy and philosophy of samurai in battle. He was the first to use a new fighting style in the kenjutsu sword technique, calling it niten ichi, when the fight is fought with two swords. According to legend, he traveled across ancient Japan, and during the trip managed to win many fights. His ideas, strategies, tactics and philosophy are still the subject of study today.

4. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536 - 1598)

Toyotomi Hideyoshi is considered one of the founding fathers of Japan, one of three people whose actions helped unify Japan and end the long and bloody Sengoku era. Hideyoshi succeeded his former master, Oda Nobunaga, and began to carry out social and cultural reforms that determined the further direction of Japan's development over an interval of 250 years. He banned the possession of a sword to persons who are not samurai, and also began a nationwide search for all swords and other weapons, which were henceforth to belong only to samurai. Despite the fact that this concentrated all military power in the hands of the samurai, such a step was a huge breakthrough on the path to common peace since the reign of the Sengoku era.

3. Takeda Shingen (1521 - 1573)

Takeda Shingen was arguably the most dangerous commander in the Sengoku era. He was born the heir to the Takeda clan, but personally seized power when it was revealed that his father was going to leave everything to his other son. Shingen allied with several other powerful samurai clans, which pushed him to move beyond his home province of Kai. Shingen became one of the few who was able to defeat the army of Oda Nabunaga, who at that time was successfully conquering other territories of Japan. He died in 1573, suffering from an illness, but by this time he was already on his way to consolidating power over all of Japan. Many historians believe that if he had not fallen ill, then Oda Nabunaga would never have come to power again.

2. Oda Nobunaga (1534 - 1582)


Oda Nobunaga was the driving force behind the unification of Japan. He was the first warlord to rally a huge number of provinces around him and made his samurai the dominant military force in all of Japan. By 1559, he had already captured his native province of Owari and decided to continue what he had begun, expanding his borders. For 20 years, Nobunaga slowly rose to power, posing as one of the most fearsome military leaders in the country. Only a couple of people, among whom was Takeda Shingen, managed to win victories in the fight against his unique military tactics and strategy. Luckily for Nobunaga, Shingen died and left the country to be torn apart. In 1582, at the height of his power, Nobunaga fell victim to a coup d'état launched by his own general, Akeshi Mitsuhide. Realizing that defeat was inevitable, Nobunaga retreated inside the Honno-Ji temple in Kyoto and committed seppuku (samurai ritual suicide).

1. Tokugawa Ieyasu


Tokugawa Ieyasu may not have been the most effective samurai, but by the end of the Sengoku period he was the man with the best cards. Ieyasu formed an alliance between the Tokugawa and Oda Nobunaga clans, but with the death of the latter, a huge military force was left without a commander in chief. Although Toyotomi Hideyoshi replaced Nobunaga, his absolute rule over the country lasted for a very short time. From 1584 to 1598, Tokugawa Ieyasu's forces fought against Toyotomi Hideyoshi's army for control of the country. In 1598 Hideyoshi died of illness, leaving a 5-year-old son as heir. In 1600, at the Battle of Sekigahara, the Tokugawa army dealt a fatal blow to the remnants of the Oda-Toyotomi alliance. From that moment on, he became the first shogun whose dynasty ruled over Japan until the revival of the Meiji dynasty in 1868. The years of the Tokugawa clan's reign left their mark on the country's development path, isolating it from the rest of the world for a whole quarter of a millennium.

Tags:

Who are samurai? They represent the feudal class of Japan, which was highly respected and respected among all other classes. Samurai were feared and respected for their brutality in battles and nobility in peaceful life. The great names of the samurai of Japan are written in history that will forever remember these legendary personalities.

This is a kind of analogue of European knights who swore to serve faithfully to their master and played one of the most important roles in the Japanese community. Their activities and way of life were rigidly bound by the code of honor, which was called "bushido". The great samurai of Japan fought for the feudal lords or daimyo - the most powerful rulers of the country who obeyed the powerful shogun.

The daimyo era lasted from the 10th to the middle of the 19th century. During this time, the samurai managed to surround themselves with a kind of aura of nobility, they were feared and respected even outside the country of the Rising Sun. Ordinary mortals admired them, worshiping their cruelty, courage, cunning and resourcefulness. Many feats were counted among the samurai, but the truth was actually much more prosaic - the famous samurai of Japan were ordinary killers, but what was the nature of their crimes!

Top most famous samurai in Japan

You can talk about great samurai endlessly. Their stories are shrouded in an aura of mystery and nobility, very often they were credited with undeserved feats, but these personalities still remained an object of worship and selfless respect.

• Taira no Kiyomori (1118 - 1181)

He was a commander and warrior, thanks to whom the first samurai administrative system of government in the history of the Japanese state was created. Before the beginning of his activities, all samurai were simply hired warriors for the aristocrats. After that, he took the Taira clan under his protection and quickly achieved success in political activity. In 1156, Kiyomori, along with Minamoto no Yoshimoto (the head of the Minamoto clan), managed to suppress the rebellion and began to rule the two highest clans of warriors in Kyoto. As a result, their union turned into bitter rivals, and in 1159 Kiyomori defeated Yoshimoto. Thus, Kiyomori became the head of the most powerful warrior clan in Kyoto.

Kiyomori was able to seriously advance the career ladder. In 1171, he married his daughter to Emperor Takakura. A little later, their firstborn was born, which was often used as a lever of pressure on the emperor. However, the plans of the samurai could not be implemented, he died of a fever in 1181.

• Ii Naomasa (1561 - 1602)

He was a famous general or daimyo during the period when the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu was in power. He was one of the most loyal samurai in Japanese history. He advanced significantly in the ranks and gained great recognition after 3000 soldiers under his leadership won the battle of Nagakute (1584). He fought with such vigor that even opponents admired his behavior on the battlefield. The battle of Sekigahara brought him the greatest popularity. During the battle, he was hit by a stray bullet, after which he could not fully recover. His squad was called "Red Devils" for the corresponding color of the armor worn by the warriors during the battle to intimidate opponents.

• Date Masamune (1567 - 1636)

The list of "The most famous samurai" continues this legendary personality. Daimyo was ruthless and merciless, as almost everyone said about him. He was an outstanding warrior and an excellent strategist, and his personality became even more memorable due to the loss of one eye, for which Masamune received the nickname "One-Eyed Dragon". He was supposed to take the leading place in the clan after his father, but the loss of an eye caused a split in the family and the younger brother Date came to power. Already as a general, the samurai was able to gain a good reputation and was rightfully considered a leader. It was after this that he launched a campaign in order to defeat the neighboring clans. This generated considerable excitement. As a result, a neighboring clan turned to his father with a request to curb his eldest son. Terumune was kidnapped, but he managed to warn his son about a similar outcome of events and asked him to kill all members of neighboring clans. Date Masamune followed his father's instruction.

Although this contradicts some ideas about samurai, Date Masamune was a supporter of religion and culture. He even personally knew the Pope.

• Honda Tadakatsu (1548 - 1610)

He was a general and one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Ieyasu along with Ii Naomasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa, and Sakai Tadatsugu. Of the four, Honda Tadakatsu had a reputation for being the most dangerous and ruthless. He was a true warrior, even at the bottom of his soul. So, for example, Oda Nobunaga, who, by the way, was not very happy with his followers, considered Tadakatsu to be a real samurai among all other samurai. It was often said about him that Honda bypassed death itself, since he never received serious injuries, despite the fact that the number of his battles exceeded 100.

• Hattori Hanzo (1542 - 1596)

He was the most famous samurai and ninja of the Sengoku era. Thanks to him, Emperor Tokugawa Ieyasu survived, and also a little later became the ruler of a united Japan. Hattori Hanzo showed brilliant military tactics, for which he received the nickname Devil Hanzo. He won his first battle at a very young age - Hanzo was then only 16 years old. After that, he was able to free the Tokugawa daughters from the hostages at the Kamino castle in 1562. 1582 was a decisive year for him in his career and conquest of a leading position - he helped the future Shogun escape from his pursuers to the Mikawa province. In this operation, he was assisted by local ninjas.

Hattori Hanzo was an excellent swordsman and in his last years, according to historical sources, he hid under the guise of a monk. Many people often attributed supernatural abilities to this samurai. It was said that he could instantly hide and appear in the most unexpected places.

• Benkei (1155 - 1189)

He was a warrior monk who was in the service of Minamoto no Yoshitsune. Benkei is perhaps the most popular hero in Japanese folklore. The stories about his origins are multifaceted: some claim that he was born to a raped woman, while others are inclined to believe that Benkei was a descendant of a god. Rumor has it that this samurai killed at least 200 people in every battle. An interesting fact - at the age of 17 he was more than 2 meters tall. He learned the skill of using the naginata (a long weapon that is a mixture of a spear and an ax) and left the Buddhist monastery to join the sect of mountain monks.

According to legend, he went to the Gojo Bridge in Kyoto, and was able to disarm every passing fencer. Thus, he was able to collect 999 swords. During the 1000th battle with Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Benkei was defeated and forced to become his vassal. A few years later, while under siege, Yoshitsune committed ritual suicide while Benkei fought for his master. Rumor has it that the rest of the soldiers were afraid to oppose this giant. In that battle, the samurai laid down about 300 soldiers, who saw with their own eyes how the giant pierced by arrows was still standing. So everyone was able to learn about Benkei's "standing death."

• Uesugi Kenshin (1530 - 1578)

He was one of the most powerful generals of the Sengoku era in Japan. He believed in the Buddhist god of war, and his followers were convinced that Uesugi Kenshin was the incarnation of Bishamonten. He was the youngest ruler of the province of Echigo - at the age of 14, he took the place of his older brother.

He agreed to go against the greatest commander Takeda Shingen. In 1561, the largest battle between Shingen and Kenshin took place. The results of the battle were mixed, as both sides lost about 3,000 people in this battle. They were rivals for more than 14 years, but even this fact did not prevent them from exchanging gifts. And when Shingen died in 1573, Kenshin could not accept the loss of such a worthy rival.

Data on the death of Uesugi Kenshin is mixed. Someone says that he died from the consequences of heavy drinking, someone is inclined to the version that he was seriously ill.

• Takeda Shingen (1521 - 1573)

This is perhaps the most famous samurai in Japanese history. He is known, by and large, for his unique military tactics. Often referred to as the "Tiger of Kai" for its distinctive characteristics on the battlefield. At the age of 20, he took the Takeda clan under his tutelage, then united with the Imagawa clan - as a result, the young military leader gained power over all the surrounding territories.

He was the only samurai who possessed sufficient strength and skill to defeat the powerful Oda Nobunaga, who was striving for power over all of Japan. Shingen died while preparing for another battle. Some say that he was wounded by a soldier, while others are inclined to believe that the samurai died of a serious illness.

• Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543 - 1616)

He is the first shogun and founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. His family practically ruled the land of the Rising Sun from 1600 until the beginning of the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu received power in 1600, three years later became shoguns, and two more years later abdicated, but remained in power the rest of the time until his death. He was one of the most famous military leaders in the history of Japan.

This samurai outlived many famous rulers in his lifetime: Oda Nobunaga laid the foundation for the shogunate, Toyotomi Hideyoshi seized power, Shingen and Kenshin, the two strongest rivals, were dead. The Tokugawa shogunate, thanks to Ieyasu's cunning mind and tactical thinking, will rule Japan for the next 250 years.

• Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536 - 1598)

It is also the most famous samurai of its kind. He was the general and great politician of the Sengoku era, as well as the second unifier of Japan and the man who ended the Warring States period. Hideyoshi has made efforts to create some cultural heritage. So, for example, he introduced a restriction from which it followed that only members of the samurai class could carry weapons. In addition, he financed the construction and restoration of many temples, and also played a significant role in the history of Christianity in Japan.

Hideyoshi, despite his peasant origins, was able to become the great general of Nobunaga. He was unable to obtain the title of shogun, but made himself regent and built a palace. When his health began to falter, Hideyoshi began to conquer the Ming Dynasty with the help of Korea. The class reforms carried out by the samurai significantly changed the Japanese social system.

The Japanese samurai have an almost mythical reputation. The idea of \u200b\u200bwarriors mastering a katana and adhering to a noble code is incredibly romantic. In addition, it was backed up by legends and films. But in fact, many of the real facts about the samurai are kept secret, as this would destroy the romantic flair created by cinema and literature.

1. Capes "good"

The samurai wore massive 2-meter khoro capes, which were stuffed with lightweight materials and soared around the samurai's body in the slightest wind. Horo were supposed to protect the samurai from arrows. They were also the main status symbol of war. The enemy killed in battle, on whom he was wearing a good, was buried with honors.

2. Samurai swords

In the 13th century, when the Mongols attacked Japan, the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun first encountered an army equipped with heavy armor. Their swords at that moment did not stand up to criticism. Thin Japanese weapons got stuck in Mongolian leather armor, and often simply broke in half. These thin samurai swords broke so often that they were forced to abandon them and begin to make larger and heavier swords in order to resist the Mongols.

3. Samura - "sissies"

In feudal Japan, it was believed that a man who spends the night with a woman is a sissy. The samurai believed that sex with women has a "feminizing" effect on the mind and body of a man. The samurai married if it was necessary for him to procreate, but he never allowed himself to be carried away by his wife. If a samurai was seen kissing his wife in public, then his masculinity was called into question. At the same time, homosexual relationships were perceived as something commonplace.

4. Surety-lover

When the boy was studying the art of samurai, he often lived in pairs with a mature man. The elder taught the boy martial arts, etiquette, code of honor, and in return used him to satisfy lust. It was called "sudo", which means "the path from boy to teenager." When a boy turned 13, he usually swore allegiance to his teacher and lived with him for the next six years. This was considered completely normal. One Japanese poet wrote: "A young man without a senior guarantor-lover is like a young girl without a groom." It was really treated like a marriage.

5. Immediately and with a witness

If a samurai was treated disrespectfully by someone from the lower class, then he could kill that person on the spot. However, there were several rules. The samurai had to do it immediately and in front of witnesses. Moreover, it was considered shameful not to do this.

6. Right leg only

Samurai became paranoid about their bathroom after the case of the daimyo Uesugi Kenshin, who was killed in the toilet in the 16th century. The killer made his way to the toilet and stabbed Uesugi Kenshin with a spear, catching him by surprise with his pants down. After that, his rival Takeda Shingen worried that someone might do something similar to him, and took action. Since then, all martial artists have begun to teach adepts to go to the toilet with the right leg fully lowered to ensure freedom of action. Samurai bathrooms were planned to be protected from assassins.

7. Death smell

A legendary samurai named Shigenari Kimura fought his last battle in 1615, defending a castle in Osaka. He boldly led his troops to the battlefield, having carefully cut his hair and fumigated his helmet with incense. Kimura knew that he would not survive and decided to "take care" of his future killer, leaving him a fragrant corpse. He knew his head was going to be someone's trophy and he wanted it to smell good.

8. Dog in armor

Today, at least one set of custom-made samurai armor for the dog survives. Details are no longer known as to how the dog's armor was used, but scientists believe that the armor was probably not intended for combat, but rather was used during parades or was simply ordered by some collector. However, at one point in history, a samurai walked the streets of a Japanese city with a dog dressed in full combat armor.

9. Shakuhachi

One of the strangest types of samurai weapons is the shakuhachi - bamboo flutes. Initially, these were just musical instruments played by Buddhist monks. Over time, the flutes were transformed when a group of Buddhists called komuso began walking with baskets on their heads, playing the flute and preaching. The samurai realized that these people with baskets on their heads were just perfect disguises and began to pretend to be them. The samurai spies who were sent to quell the uprisings looked like monks in komuso. At the same time, the samurai flutes had spikes for use as a weapon of self-defense.

10. Loyalty of the samurai

The samurai code didn't really exist until the 1600s, and before that, samurai constantly betrayed their masters. Even after that, the samurai's loyalty existed only on paper, not in real life. If the owner did not care about the samurai and did not adequately reward the warrior who protected him, then the samurai, as a rule, used every chance to kill him and go to serve the one who pays more. When Western missionaries first came to Japan, they were shocked by how many betrayals and murders they saw in the back.

And in continuation of the Japanese theme, we publish.

A stunning series of vintage photographs show the life of Japanese samurai 130 years ago. Among the pictures there are those that depict the hara-kiri ritual, aka seppuku. It was used by warriors who wanted to die, retaining their honor - either voluntarily, or when they were captured by the enemy. The ceremonial bowel release was actually part of a more complex ritual and was performed in front of spectators. In one of the pictures, a young samurai pierces his stomach with a katana.

Warriors are watching the hara-kiri of a samurai in white.

Samurai emerged during the Heian period around 710 AD with the goal of subjugating local people in the Tohoku region of northern Honshu. Over time, they grew more powerful and became the military elite in Japan. They were the ruling class from the 12th to the 19th century.

The samurai makes himself hara-kiri, or seppuku, a suicide ritual by releasing the intestines.

The samurai followed a Confucian-influenced code known as bushido, literally "the way of the warrior." The unwritten and unspoken code celebrated modesty, loyalty, mastery of the martial arts, and honor until death. The rules also called the samurai for heroic courage, fierce defense of family pride and selfless devotion to the master.

A group of samurai in antique armor and weapons, circa 1870.

In the 15th and 16th centuries, there were many warring factions, but later their number decreased. The fearless warriors wore plate armor and a variety of weapons, including a bow and arrow, spears, guns, and of course the samurai sword. However, during the Edo period, peace persisted, and many samurai became teachers, artists or officials, as the need to master the martial arts lost paramount importance.

Photo taken and colored by Felice Beato: women in a traditional Japanese shop, late 19th century.

When Emperor Meiji ascended the throne in 1868, he began to abolish the powers of the samurai. He first stripped them of their right to be the only army in Japan, and from 1873 he began to form a Western-style conscript army.

One of the first war photographers, the Venetian Felice Beato, took this photograph around 1862.

Samurai became shizoku, allied with another social class under the influence of the Meiji reforms, and the right to wear the katana was lost, as was the right to execute anyone who publicly disrespected the samurai.

A group of samurai, circa 1890. Illustration for the booklet "In Japan: Types, Costumes and Mores."

The term shizoku (unnamed nobility) remained a part of Japanese culture until the end of World War II, but was abandoned in 1947. Despite the fact that at the peak of their heyday, samurai made up no more than 10% of the population of Japan, their influence is still very noticeable in Japanese culture, especially in modern martial arts.

Samurai in traditional dress and shoes blowing into a seashell.

Three Japanese samurai in full gear.

Flamboyant traditional armor and ancient weapons on samurai, circa 1890.

Samurai is ...

Samurai is a Japanese warrior. Even to this day, stories of the courage and fortitude of the samurai have survived. The samurai estate existed until the bourgeois revolution, and even after that, some features in society were preserved. A samurai is not just a warrior, initially only feudal lords became them. The lifestyle and virtues of medieval samurai are widely reflected in art. Such popularization led to a distortion of some facts about the warriors of feudal Japan.

Inception

The meaning of the word samurai can be interpreted as "a person who served." The first samurai appeared in the 7th century. During the reign of Taika, a number of different reforms were carried out. Thus, a privileged class of warriors emerged. Initially, these were people who already occupied a high position in society and were landowners. Samurai became widespread in the 9th century, when the Japanese emperor Kammu waged a war against the Ainu. Over the next centuries, clear dogmas are formed that define the warrior. A set of rules "Bushido" appears, which states that a samurai is a person who puts loyalty to his master above all else. This is the practical difference from European chivalry. "Bushido" also indicated kindness, decency, honesty, but the focus was still on loyalty to the war and the master.

Ideology

Among the samurai, the most revered are such virtues as courage, loyalty, lack of fear of death and suffering. This nihilism is due not least to the influence of Buddhism. The path of the warrior (literal translation of "Bushido") also presupposed moral and psychological development. Many procedures, such as meditation, have been designed to maintain a person's balance and spiritual calmness. The main task of the "path of the spirit" consisted in cleansing from emotional experiences and the formation of an indifferent attitude towards worldly vanity.

The lack of fear of death has become a kind of cult. Hara-kiri is a prime example of this ideology. This is ritual suicide with a special knife. Harakiri was considered a dignified death for any samurai. The person who decided to do it would kneel down and then rip open his stomach. Similar methods of suicide were observed even among the warriors of ancient Rome. The belly was chosen as the target because the Japanese believed that this is where the soul of a person resides. With hara-kiri, a samurai friend could be present, who decapitated him after ripping. Such an execution was allowed only for petty crimes or deviations from the code.

Who is a samurai

Contemporary art has somewhat distorted the image of the samurai. In ancient Japan, a samurai is, first of all, a feudal lord. The poor classes could not belong to this movement. In addition to social prejudice, this was also due to material problems. Samurai ammunition and weapons were very expensive, and training lasted a lifetime. The warrior was raised from childhood. These were, first of all, hard physical training. The teenager had to constantly work and train. For this, he had a personal mentor, who was the ideal and spiritual image of courage for the student. The training basically consisted of endless repetition of the same combat situations. This was done in order for the fighter to memorize actions under certain conditions at a reflex level.

Spiritual education of the samurai

In addition to physical training, there was also moral training. From childhood, a father had to teach his son not to be afraid of pain and hardship. To temper the spirit, a teenager could be woken up at night and ordered to go to a place that was considered cursed. Also in their youth, future soldiers were taken to watch the executions of criminals. In some stages, it was forbidden to sleep or even eat. Such privations were supposed to temper the body and spirit of the samurai. Home, family, and children have never been a soldier's priority according to Bushido. Before leaving for the war, he vowed to forget them and not remember them until he returned.

Among the samurai, there was a special elite - the Daimyo. It was believed that these are the most experienced and brave warriors. However, in reality, these were just large feudal lords who actually ruled individual regions. A samurai is not necessarily a man. History has preserved many memories of female warriors.

Samurai weapons

Samurai - this is, first of all, a man in expensive armor. On the battlefield, this is what distinguished them from the ashigaru, the peasant militia. Samurai armor was difficult to make and could cost more than an entire settlement. Unlike European armor, samurai armor consisted mainly of metal plates. They were connected with each other by silk threads and covered with leather. As a weapon, samurai used swords - katanas, something between a saber and a European knight's sword. In addition to the katana, the samurai carried a small dagger with him. Also used were yari - spears with a long sting. Some samurai used bows. With the advent of firearms, armor lost its practical use and was used only as an attribute of high status. Some elements of the armor were used as a manifestation of military rank in capitalist Japan. In the Russian film "Priest" the samurai is shown in modern society, which is not uncommon.