Japan’s Warrior: The Samurai

The Job of a Samurai The Samurai were specially trained warriors who served to protect their daimyo While other people fought, the samurai were the absolute elite of combat During the Shogun era, the Samurai would become a ruling elite in Japan

The Life of a Samurai Samurai were strictly restricted from doing any business or work In return for their services, Samurai did not have to pay any taxes or any rent Samurai owed absolute obedience to their daimyo

The Life of a Samurai The position of Samurai was passed from father to son Samurai were the only people allowed to posses swords and ride horses Either than this, Samurai were expected to live a plain and simple life

The Ronin Samurai that found themselves without a daimyo were known as a ronin These samurai would often turn into outlaws or find another daimyo who they could protect and serve under

Zen Buddhism The religion that all samurai followed was known as Zen Buddhism The word Zen means meditation and samurai practiced this a lot Through deep thought and discipline, Samurai contemplated the meaning of life

Zen Buddhism The samurai used this discipline and tranquility in both daily life and in battle As Zen Buddhists, samurai were required to attend tea ceremonies guided by a Zen priest

Bushido Whereas knights in Europe has the warrior code chivalry, the samurai code was known as bushido The samurai were required to live by a set of rules and follow eight virtues The Eight Virtues of a Samurai  Justice  Courage  Benevolence/Mercy  Politeness  Honesty/Sincerity  Honor  Loyalty  Self Control The Eight Virtues of a Samurai  Justice  Courage  Benevolence/Mercy  Politeness  Honesty/Sincerity  Honor  Loyalty  Self Control

Seppuku and Kamikaze Seppuku was a form of suicide practiced by samurai when: o Capture by the enemy was unavoidable o A samurai had broken a serious offence Samurai performed suicide by cutting their abdomen from left to right Seppuku was practiced in the form of kamikaze as recently as WW2

Weapons: The Katana The main sword of the samurai was known as a katana The katana is widely regarded as the best sword ever made The sword weighs under five pounds and usually ranges from 3-4 feet

Weapons: The Yumi While samurai are most famous for their swordsmanship, they started as powerful bowman Bows were traditionally made out of bamboo and were just over two feet long The Yumi was comparable to the famous longbow of Britain

Armor A samurai’s armor weighed 50 pounds, as opposed to a knight’s 100 pounds Armor was built to move with the samurai Armour, specifically the helmet, would be used to identify the samurai wearing it