JAPAN AND ITS LEGACIES

Samurai Samurai were members of the military class in Japan. They were the Japanese warriors. Samurai followed the Bushido Code which means “the way of the warrior.” The Bushido Code had stressed concepts such as loyalty, self discipline, unity and honor. A samurai would rather die in battle than be captured by their enemy. A samurai could use a range of weapons but their favorite was the sword.

Rise of the Samurai The samurai importance rose dramatically in the Heian Period(794-1185). During this period, powerful landowners hired private warriors (samurai) to protect their property. In the Muromachi Period(1333-1573) Japan was locked in civil wars between several independent states. This made the demand for samurai very high which also contributed to the rise of the samurai. Finally, in the Edo Period(1603-1868) the official hierarchy system place the samurai at the top. Only a samurai was allowed to carry a sword in Japan. Samurai were forced to lie in castle towns and received income from their owners in the form of rice.

Decline of the Samurai In 1615 the Osaka Castle was defeated, this was Tokugawa’s last potential enemy. When this happened the need for military skill fell and a lot of samurai became bureaucrats, artist, or teachers. By 1868, Japan’s feudal era ended and the samurai class was abolished. Although samurai do not exist today, it is a legacy that we all remember.

Shinto Shinto is an ancient Japanese religion. It started in 500 BCE and its name was derived from the Chinese word shin tao which means “the way of the gods” Unlike other religions, Shinto has no real founder, scriptures or religious law. Shinto creation stories tell of the lives of Kami (gods).

The Kami Izanagi-no-mikoto and Izanami-no-mikoto were a divine kami couple, who in gave birth to the Japanese islands and many other kami. Amonth these kami was the Amaterasu Omikami (sun goddess) and was considered as the chief deity. Most kami have shrines dedicated to them and Amaterasu’s shrine is at Ise. Shintoist follow the code of Confucianism.

Four Affirmations There are four affirmations in Shinto: Tradition and Family: The family is seen as the main mechanism by which traditions are preserved. Love and Nature: Nature is sacred; to be in contact with nature is to be close to the Gods. Natural objects are worshipped as sacred spirits. Physical Cleanliness: Followers of Shinto take baths, wash their hands, and rinse out their mouth often. Matsuri: The worship and honor given to the Kami and ancestral spirits.

Noh and Kyogen Traditional Japanese performing arts developed in the fourteenth century during the Muromachi period (1333 to 1573) under the playwrights Kannami (1333–1384) and his son Zeami (1363–1443). There were two types called Noh and Kyogen. However, they have been combined to form "the art of Nogaku".

Noh and Kyogen Noh is a combination of dance, drama, music and poetry. Kyogen, on the other hand, is more comical and puts emphasis on dialogue. Noh tends to be more serious and uses subjects from history or classical literature, while Kyogen generally uses everyday life as its subject. Often, Kyogen is performed during intermissions of Noh performances to change the mood.

Facts There are about 1500 people who make a living from Noh, including musicians and performers There are about 250 plays in the classical repertoire of Noh Noh aims to express "yuugen", which means "elegant and ideal beauty". To show this, the main actor wears a very beautiful mask when performing.