The Japanese samurai have an almost mythical reputation. The idea of katana-wielding warriors adhering to a noble code is incredibly romantic. Moreover, it was supported by legends and films. But in fact, many real facts about samurai are kept silent, since this would destroy the romantic flair created by cinema and literature.
1. “Horo” capes
Samurai wore massive 2-meter horo capes, which were stuffed with lightweight materials and fluttered around the samurai's body at the slightest wind. The horo was supposed to protect the samurai from arrows. The horo was also the main status symbol of the war. An enemy killed in battle wearing a horo was buried with honors.
2. Samurai swords
In the 13th century, when Japan was attacked by the Mongols, the inhabitants of the Land of the Rising Sun first encountered an army equipped with heavy armor. Their swords did not stand up to criticism at that moment. 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 making larger, heavier swords to resist the Mongols.
3. Samurai “sissies”
In feudal Japan, a man who spent the night with a woman was considered a sissy. Samurai believed that sex with women had a "feminizing" effect on a man's mind and body. The samurai married if he needed it to procreate, but he never allowed himself to get carried away by his wife. If a samurai was seen kissing his wife in public, then his masculinity was questioned. At the same time, homosexual relationships were perceived as something ordinary.
4. Guarantor-lover
When a boy was learning the art of the samurai, he was often paired with an older man. The elder taught the boy martial arts, etiquette, a code of honor, and in return used him to satisfy lust. This 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 an older guarantor-lover is like a young girl without a groom.” It really was treated like a marriage.
5. Immediately and in front of a witness
If a samurai was treated disrespectfully by someone from the lower class, he could kill this person on the spot. There were several rules. The samurai had to do this immediately and in front of witnesses. Moreover, not doing this was considered shameful.
6. Right trouser leg only
Samurai began to be paranoid about their bathrooms after the incident of the daimyo Uesugi Kenshin, who was killed in the toilet in the 16th century. The killer sneaked into the toilet and stabbed Uesugi Kenshin with a spear, catching him by surprise with his pants down. After this, his rival Takeda Shingen became concerned that someone might do something similar to him and took action. Since then, all martial arts masters began to teach adherents to go to the toilet with their right pant leg completely lowered in order to ensure freedom of action. Samurai bathrooms were designed to be safe from assassins.
7. Post-mortem smell
A legendary samurai named Shigenari Kimura fought his last battle in 1615, defending a castle in Osaka. He boldly led his troops onto the battlefield, after carefully cutting his hair and fumigating his helmet with incense. Kimura knew that he would not survive and decided to "take care" of his future killer, leaving him with a fragrant corpse. He knew his head would be someone's trophy and he wanted it to smell good.
8. Dog in armor
At least one set of samurai armor, custom-made for a dog, survives today. Details are no longer known regarding how the dog armor was used, but scientists believe that it was likely that the armor was not intended for combat, but rather that it was used during parades or was simply ordered by someone from a collector. However, at one point in history, a samurai walked the streets of a Japanese city with a dog dressed in full battle armor.
9. Shakuhachi
One of the strangest types of samurai weapons are shakuhachi - bamboo flutes. Initially, these were simply musical instruments played by Buddhist monks. Over time, flutes were transformed when a group of Buddhists called komuso began walking around with baskets on their heads, playing the flute and preaching. The samurai realized that these people with baskets on their heads were simply the perfect disguise and began to pretend to be them. The samurai spies who were sent to suppress uprisings looked like monks in komuso. At the same time, samurai flutes had spikes for use as self-defense weapons.
10. Samurai Devotion
The Samurai Code didn't actually exist until the 1600s, and before that, samurai constantly betrayed their masters. Even after this, the samurai's loyalty existed only on paper, but 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 any chance to slaughter him and go to serve the one who pays more. When Western missionaries first came to Japan, they were shocked by how much betrayal and backstabbing they saw.
And in continuation of the Japanese theme, we publish.
Japanese samurai are known, perhaps, all over the world. They are sometimes compared to European knights, but this comparison is not entirely accurate. From Japanese, the word "samurai" is translated as "a person who serves." Medieval samurai for the most part were noble and fearless fighters, fighting against enemies with the help of katanas and other weapons. But when did they appear, how did they live in different periods of Japanese history, and what rules did they follow? About all this in our article.
The origins of the samurai as a class
Samurai appeared as a result of the Taika reforms that started in the Land of the Rising Sun in 646. These reforms can be called the largest socio-political transformations in the history of ancient Japan, which were carried out under the leadership of Prince Naka no Oe.
Emperor Kammu gave a big impetus to strengthening the samurai at the beginning of the ninth century. This emperor turned to existing regional clans for help in a war against the Ainu, another people who lived on the islands of the Japanese archipelago. By the way, there are only a few tens of thousands of Ainu left now.
In the 10th–12th centuries, in the process of “showdowns” between feudal lords, influential families were formed. They had their own fairly substantial military detachments, the members of which were only nominally in the service of the emperor. In fact, every major feudal lord then needed well-trained professional warriors. They became the samurai. During this period, the foundations of the unwritten samurai code “The Way of the Bow and the Horse” were formed, which was later transformed into a clear set of rules “The Way of the Warrior” (“Bushido”).
Samurai in the Minamoto and Edo eras
The final formation of the samurai as a special privileged class occurred, according to most researchers, during the reign of the Minamoto house in the Land of the Rising Sun (this is the period from 1192 to 1333). The accession of Minamoto was preceded by a civil war between feudal clans. The very course of this war created the preconditions for the emergence of the shogunate - a form of government with a shogun (that is, a military leader) at the head.
After the Taira clan was defeated, Minamoto no Yoritomo forced the emperor to give him the title of shogun (thus becoming the first shogun), and he made the small fishing settlement of Kamakura his own residence. Now the shogun was the most powerful person in the country: the highest-ranking samurai and the chief minister at the same time. Of course, official power in the Japanese state belonged to the emperor, and the court also had some influence. But the position of the court and the emperor still could not be called dominant - for example, the emperor was constantly forced to follow the instructions of the shogun, otherwise he would be forced to abdicate the throne.
Yoritomo established a new governing body for Japan, called the "field headquarters." Like the shogun himself, almost all of his ministers were samurai. As a result, the principles of the samurai class spread to all areas of Japanese society.
Minomoto no Yorimoto - the first shogun and the highest-ranking samurai of the late 12th century
The "golden age" of samuraiism is considered to be the period from the first shogun to the Onin Civil War (1467–1477). On the one hand, it was a fairly peaceful period, on the other, the number of samurai was relatively small, which allowed them to have good income.
Then in the history of Japan there came a period of many internecine wars, in which samurai took an active part.
In the mid-16th century, there was a feeling that the empire, shaken by conflicts, would forever fall apart into separate parts, but the daimyo (prince) from the island of Honshu, Oda Nobunaga, managed to start the process of unifying the state. This process was long, and only in 1598 was true autocracy established. Tokugawa Ieyasu became the ruler of Japan. He chose the city of Edo (present-day Tokyo) as his residence and became the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled for more than 250 years (this era is also called the Edo era).
With the rise of the Tokugawa house to power, the class of samurai increased significantly - almost every fifth Japanese became a samurai. Since internal feudal wars were a thing of the past, samurai military units at this time were used mainly to suppress peasant uprisings.
The most senior and important samurai were the so-called hatamoto - direct vassals of the shogun. However, the bulk of the samurai performed the duties of vassals of the daimyo, and most often they did not have land, but received a certain salary from their master. At the same time, they had quite great privileges. For example, Tokugawa legislation allowed a samurai to kill on the spot a “commoner” who behaved indecently without any consequences.
There is a misconception that all samurai were fairly wealthy people. But that's not true. Already under the Tokugawa shogunate, there were poor samurai who lived not much better than ordinary peasants. And in order to feed their families, some of them still had to cultivate the land.
Education and code of the samurai
When raising future samurai, they tried to instill in them indifference to death, physical pain and fear, a cult of respect for elders and loyalty to their master. The mentor and family primarily focused on developing the character of the young man who took this path, developing in him courage, endurance and patience. Character was developed by reading stories about the exploits of heroes who glorified themselves as samurai of the past, and by watching relevant theatrical productions.
Sometimes the father ordered the future warrior, in order to become bolder, to go alone to a cemetery or other “bad” place. It was common practice for teenagers to attend public executions, and they were also sent to examine the bodies and heads of dead criminals. Moreover, the young man, the future samurai, was obliged to leave a special sign that would prove that he was not shirking, but was actually here. Often, future samurai were forced to do hard work, spend sleepless nights, walk barefoot in winter, etc.
It is known for certain that samurai were not only fearless, but also very educated people. The Code of Bushido, which was already mentioned above, stated that a warrior must improve himself by any means. And therefore, the samurai did not shy away from poetry, painting and ikebana, they studied mathematics, calligraphy, and held tea ceremonies.
Zen Buddhism also had a huge influence on the samurai class. It came from China and spread throughout Japan at the end of the 12th century. Samurai found Zen Buddhism as a religious movement very attractive, as it contributed to the development of self-control, will and composure. In any situation, without unnecessary thoughts or doubts, the samurai had to go straight to the enemy, without looking back or to the side, in order to destroy him.
Another interesting fact: according to Bushido, the samurai was obliged to carry out the orders of his master unquestioningly. And even if he ordered to commit suicide or go with a detachment of ten people against an army of a thousand, this had to be carried out. By the way, the feudal lords sometimes gave the order to the samurai to go to certain death, to battle with an enemy superior in numbers, just to get rid of him. But one should not think that samurai never passed from master to master. This often happened during skirmishes between small feudal lords.
The worst thing for a samurai was to lose honor and cover himself with shame in battle. They said about such people that they were not even worthy of death. Such a warrior wandered around the country and tried to earn money like an ordinary mercenary. Their services were used in Japan, but they were treated with disdain.
One of the most shocking things associated with samurai is the ritual of hara-kiri or seppuku. A samurai had to commit suicide if he was unable to follow Bushido or was captured by his enemies. And the ritual of seppuku was considered an honorable way to die. It is interesting that the components of this ritual were a ceremonial bath, a meal with the most favorite food, and the writing of the last poem - tank. And next to the samurai performing the ritual, there was always a faithful comrade, who at a certain moment had to cut off his head in order to stop the torment.
Appearance, weapons and armor of the samurai
What medieval samurai looked like is reliably known from many sources. Over the course of many centuries, their appearance has remained almost unchanged. Most often, samurai wore wide trousers, reminiscent of a skirt in cut, with a bun of hair on their heads called motodori. For this hairstyle, the forehead was shaved bald, and the remaining hair was braided into a knot and secured on the top of the head.
As for weapons, samurai have used different types throughout their long history. Initially, the main weapon was a thin short sword called a chokuto. Then the samurai switched to curved swords, which eventually transformed into the katanas known throughout the world today. In the Bushido code it was said that the soul of a samurai is contained in his katana. And it is not surprising that this sword was considered the most important attribute of a warrior. As a rule, katanas were used in conjunction with a daisho, a short copy of the main sword (daisho, by the way, only samurai had the right to wear - that is, it was an element of status).
In addition to swords, samurai also used bows, since with the development of warfare, personal courage and the ability to fight the enemy in close combat began to matter much less. And when gunpowder appeared in the 16th century, bows gave way to firearms and cannons. For example, flintlock guns called tanegashima were popular in the Edo era.
On the battlefield, samurai wore special armor - armor. This armor was luxuriously decorated and looked somewhat ridiculous, but each part had its own specific function. The armor was both durable and flexible, allowing its owner to move freely on the battlefield. The armor was made of metal plates tied together with leather and silk laces. The arms were protected by rectangular shoulder shields and armored sleeves. Sometimes such a sleeve was not worn on the right hand to make fighting easier.
An integral element of the armor was Kabuto's helmet. Its cup-shaped part was made of metal plates connected with rivets. An interesting feature of this helmet is the presence of a balaclava (exactly like Darth Vader from Star Wars). It protected the owner's neck from possible blows from swords and arrows. Along with helmets, samurai sometimes wore gloomy Mengu masks to intimidate the enemy.
In general, this combat clothing was very effective, and the United States Army, as experts say, created the first body armor based on medieval Japanese armor.
Decline of the samurai class
The beginning of the collapse of the samurai class is due to the fact that daimyo no longer needed large personal detachments of warriors, as was the case during the period of feudal fragmentation. As a result, many samurai were left out of work and turned into ronin (samurai without a master) or ninja - secret mercenary killers.
And by the middle of the eighteenth century, the process of extinction of the samurai class of samurai began to go even faster. The development of manufactories and the strengthening of the positions of the bourgeoisie led to the gradual degeneration (primarily economic) of samurai. More and more samurai fell into debt with moneylenders. Many of the warriors changed their qualifications and turned into ordinary traders and farmers. In addition, samurai became participants and organizers of various schools of martial arts, tea ceremony, engraving, Zen philosophy, and belles lettres - this is how these people expressed their keen desire for traditional Japanese culture.
After the bourgeois Meiji Revolution of 1867–1868, the samurai, like other feudal classes, were officially abolished, but for some time they retained their privileged position.
Those samurai who actually owned the land even under Tokugawa, after the agrarian reforms of 1872–1873, legally secured their rights to it. In addition, former samurai joined the ranks of officials, army and navy officers, etc.
And in 1876, the famous “Decree on the Ban of Swords” was issued in Japan. It directly prohibited the carrying of traditional edged weapons, and this ultimately “finished off” the samurai. Over time, they became simply part of history, and their traditions became an element of the unique Japanese flavor.
Documentary film “Times and Warriors. Samurai."
Who are samurai? They represent the feudal class of Japan, which was held in great esteem and respect among all other classes. Samurai were feared and respected for their cruelty in battles and nobility in peaceful life. The great names of the samurai of Japan are written in history, which will forever remember these legendary figures.
This is a kind of analogue of European knights, who swore an oath 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 strictly bound by a 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 were subordinate to the powerful shogun.
The era of daimyo lasted from the 10th to the mid-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 Land of the Rising Sun. Ordinary mortals admired them, admiring their cruelty, courage, cunning and resourcefulness. The samurai were credited with many feats, 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 of Japan
We can talk endlessly about great samurai. Their stories are shrouded in an aura of mystery and nobility; very often undeserved feats were attributed to them, but these individuals still remained the subject 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 control in the history of the Japanese state was created. Before his work began, all samurai were simply hired warriors for aristocrats. After this, he took the Taira clan under his protection and quickly achieved success in political activities. In 1156, Kiyomori, together with Minamoto no Yoshimoto (head of the Minamoto clan), managed to suppress the rebellion and began to rule the two highest warrior clans in Kyoto. As a result, their alliance 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 his career. In 1171, he gave his daughter in marriage to Emperor Takakura. A little later, their first child was born, who was often used as leverage on the emperor. However, the samurai’s plans could not be implemented; he died of 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 that Japanese history has known. He rose significantly through the ranks and received great recognition after 3,000 soldiers under his leadership won the Battle of Nagakute (1584). He fought with such vigor that even his 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 was never able to fully recover. His squad was called the “Red Devils” for the corresponding color of the armor that the warriors wore during battle to intimidate their opponents.
- Date Masamune (1567 - 1636)
The list of “The Most Famous Samurai” continues with this legendary figure. The daimyo was ruthless and merciless, as almost everyone said about him. He was an outstanding warrior and an excellent strategist, and his personality was made 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 his eye caused a split in the family and his younger brother Date came to power. Already being 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 created considerable excitement. As a result, the neighboring clan turned to the 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 instructions.
Although this contradicts some ideas about samurai, Date Masamune was a supporter of religion and culture. He even knew the Pope personally.
- 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 the reputation of being the most dangerous and merciless. He was a true warrior, even in the depths of his soul. So, for example, Oda Nobunaga, who, by the way, was not very happy with his followers, considered Tadakatsu a real samurai among all the 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 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 only 16 years old at the time. After this, he was able to free the Tokugawa daughters from hostages at Kaminogo Castle in 1562. The year 1582 was decisive for him in his career and in gaining a leading position - he helped the future Shogun escape from his pursuers to the province of Mikawa. Local ninjas helped him in this operation.
Hattori Hanzo was an excellent swordsman and in his last years, as historical sources say, he hid under the guise of a monk. Many often attributed supernatural abilities to this samurai. They 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 of Japanese folklore. Stories about his origins are varied: 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 each of his battles. An interesting fact is that at the age of 17 he was more than 2 meters tall. He learned the art of using a naginata (a long weapon that is a mixture of a spear and an axe) and left a Buddhist monastery to join a sect of mountain monks.
According to legend, he went to the Gojo Bridge in Kyoto and was able to disarm every passing swordsman. 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. Several years later, while under siege, Yoshitsune committed ritual suicide while Benkei fought for his master. Rumor has it that the remaining soldiers were afraid to oppose this giant. In that battle, the samurai killed about 300 soldiers, who saw with their own eyes how the giant, pierced by arrows, was still standing. So everyone was able to find out about Benkei’s “standing death.”
- Uesugi Kenshin (1530 - 1578)
He was one of the most powerful commanders of the Sengoku era in Japan. He believed in the Buddhist god of war, and his followers were convinced that Uesugi Kenshin was an incarnation of Bishamonten. He was the youngest ruler of Echigo Province - 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 stop them from exchanging gifts. And when Shingen died in 1573, Kenshin could not come to terms with the loss of such a worthy opponent.
Data on the death of Uesugi Kenshin are ambiguous. Some say that he died from the consequences of heavy drinking, others are inclined to believe 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 wing, then united with the Imagawa clan - as a result, the young warlord gained power over all nearby territories.
He was the only samurai who had enough strength and skill to defeat the powerful Oda Nobunaga, who was striving for power over all of Japan. Shingen died while preparing for the next battle. Some say that he was wounded by a soldier, while others are inclined to believe that the samurai died from 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 start of the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu gained power in 1600, three years later he became shogun, and after another two he abdicated his position, but remained in power the rest of the time until his death. He was one of the most famous commanders in the entire 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, two of his strongest rivals, were dead. The Tokugawa Shogunate, thanks to Ieyasu's cunning mind and tactical thinking, would rule Japan for another 250 years.
- Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536 - 1598)
He is also the most famous samurai of his kind. He was a general and a great politician of the Sengoku era, as well as the second unifier of Japan and the man who brought an end to the Warring States period. Hideyoshi made efforts to create some cultural heritage. For example, he introduced a restriction that meant 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 Nobunaga's great general. He failed to obtain the title of shogun, but made himself regent and built a palace. As his health began to fail, 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.
Samurai embodied the image of an ideal warrior who revered culture and laws, and who took his chosen path in life seriously. When a samurai failed his master or himself, according to local customs he had to be subjected to the ritual of “seppuku” - ritual suicide, i.e. hara-kiri.
1. Hojo Ujitsuna (1487 - 1541)
Ujitsuna sparked a long-standing feud with the Uesugi clan - the owner of Edo Castle, which has now grown into the giant metropolis of Tokyo, but then it was an ordinary castle covering a fishing village. Having taken over Edo Castle, Ujitsuna managed to spread his family's influence throughout the Kanto region (Japan's most populous island, where the capital of the state is located - Tokyo) and by the time of his death in 1541, the Hojo clan was one of the most powerful and dominant families in Japan.
2. Hattori Hanzo (1542 - 1596)
This name may be familiar to fans of Quentin Tarantino, since it was based on the real life biography of Hattori Hanzo that Quentin created the image of the swordsman for the film Kill Bill. Starting at the age of 16, he fought for survival, participating in many battles. Hanzo was devoted to Tokugawa Ieyasu, saving the life of this man more than once, who later founded the shogunate, which ruled Japan for more than 250 years (1603 - 1868). Throughout Japan he is known as a great and devoted samurai who has become a legend. His name can be found carved at the entrance to the imperial palace.
3. Uesugi Kenshin (1530 - 1578)
Uesugi Kenshin was a strong military leader and also the leader of the Nagao clan. He was distinguished by his outstanding ability as a commander, resulting in his troops achieving 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 feuded for 14 years, during which time they engaged in several one-on-one fights. Kenshin died in 1578, the circumstances of his death remain unclear. Modern historians believe it was something similar to stomach cancer.
4. Shimazu Yoshihisa (1533 - 1611)
This is another Japanese warlord who lived throughout the bloody Sengoku period. While still a young man, he established himself as a talented commander, a trait that later allowed him and his comrades to capture most of the Kyushu region. Yoshihisa became the first to unite the entire Kyushu region; it was subsequently defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (a military and political figure, the unifier of Japan) and his 200,000-strong army.
5. Mori Motonari (1497 - 1571)
Mori Motonari grew up in relative obscurity, but this 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, and equally unexpected was the series of victories he won over strong and respected opponents. He eventually captured 10 of the 11 provinces in the Chugoku region. Many of his victories were against much larger and more experienced opponents, making his feats even more impressive.
6. Miyamoto Musashi (1584 - 1645)
Miyamoto Musashi was a samurai whose words and opinions still mark modern Japan. 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 sword technique of kenjutsu, calling it niten ichi, when the fight is fought with two swords. According to legend, he traveled through ancient Japan, and during his travels he managed to win many fights. His ideas, strategies, tactics and philosophies are the subject of study to this day.
7. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536 - 1598)
Toyotomi Hideyoshi is considered one of Japan's Founding Fathers, one of three men whose actions helped unify Japan and end the long and bloody Sengoku era. Hideyoshi succeeded his former master Oda Nobunaga, and began to implement social and cultural reforms that determined the future direction of Japan for a period of 250 years. He banned sword ownership by non-samurai, and also began a nationwide search for all swords and other weapons that were henceforth to belong only to samurai. Although this concentrated all military power in the hands of the samurai, such a move was a huge breakthrough towards general peace since the reign of the Sengoku era.
8. Takeda Shingen (1521 - 1573)
Takeda Shingen was perhaps the most dangerous commander of the entire Sengoku era. When it turned out that his father was going to leave everything to his other son, Shingen allied himself with several other powerful samurai clans, which pushed him to expand beyond his home province of Kai. Shingen became one of the few who were able to defeat the army of Oda Nabunaga, who at that time was successfully capturing other territories of Japan. He died in 1573, suffering from illness, but by this point he was well on his way to consolidating power over all of Japan.
9. Oda Nobunaga (1534 - 1582)
Oda Nobunaga was the driving force behind the unification of Japan. He was the first military leader to rally a huge number of provinces around himself and made his samurai the dominant military force throughout Japan. By 1559, he had already captured his home province of Owari and decided to continue what he had started, expanding his borders. For 20 years, Nobunaga slowly rose to power, emerging as one of the country's most feared military leaders. Only a couple of people, including Takeda Shingen, managed to win victories against his unique military tactics and strategy.
10. Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543-1616)
Tokugawa Ieyasu had amazing insight and unique intuition, which more than once rescued him in the most hopeless and dangerous life situations. Even in his youth, he was able to recognize and deeply understand the danger looming over the country as a result of cruel and merciless inter-feudal wars that lasted a whole century. Having suffered fear for the life of himself and his family and friends, Ieyasu firmly decided to devote himself to the struggle to establish peace in the country and revive its national statehood.
Japanese culture appears to Westerners as a collection of ideas and colorful images. And the most striking of them is the image of a samurai warrior. It has a heroic aura and is considered a unique symbol of courage and perseverance in battle. But do we know everything about samurai? How does the truth about these warriors differ from legends and myths?
Samurai: definition of the word
In the understanding of Europeans, any Japanese warrior taking part in a battle is a samurai. In fact, this statement is completely incorrect. A samurai is a special class of feudal lords who have received a special education, undergone an initiation ritual 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 seen in the very definition of “samurai”. The meaning of the word translated from Japanese is the verb “to serve.” Therefore, it is not surprising that the life of a samurai is closely connected with the life of his master - the daimyo. Many Europeans believe that a samurai is a service person who can be called by the Japanese word “bushi”. But this is also a mistaken opinion; these two words should not be confused.
The samurai has a broader and more comprehensive meaning; in wartime he represented the best protection for the master, and in peacetime he was an ordinary servant. Bushi, on the other hand, belong to the class of simple warriors who could be hired for a period of time. Payment for services was made in money, but most often feudal lords paid for the services of warriors in rice.
History of samurai: a brief historical background
The samurai as a class originated in the seventh century. During this period, Japan was experiencing feudal fragmentation, and every major feudal lord needed well-trained professional warriors. They became samurai.
Young warriors were often starved 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. To prevent death from frightening future samurai, they were often taken to watch executions, and at night they themselves had to come to the bodies of those executed and leave their mark on them. Often they were sent to places where, according to legend, ghosts live, and were left there without drink or food for several nights. As a result, the young men developed fearlessness and amazing composure; they could think soberly in any situation.
In addition to martial arts, samurai were taught writing and history, but these disciplines were not what a samurai should actually do. It was just an addition 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 initiation into warriors
The samurai's teacher and his future daimyo, with whom vassal relations were established, had to be present at the initiation ceremony. The ritual was accompanied by receiving one's own set of swords - daisho, shaving one's head and receiving new clothes as an adult samurai. At the same time, the young man underwent 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 was the samurai’s birthday, and under his new name he would be known throughout his independent life.
Could a commoner become a samurai?
The legend of the samurai, who belongs to the upper class of Japanese society, has the totality of all positive qualities and is crystal clear in thoughts, is firmly entrenched in the European imagination. 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 were trained in the same way and subsequently received absolutely equal salaries from the master.
Therefore, samurai changed their masters quite often, 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.
Women samurai: myth or reality?
In historical sources and Japanese literature of the Middle Ages, practically nothing is mentioned about women warriors, but they quite often became samurai. There were absolutely no restrictions on this in the code of honor.
Girls were also adopted from their families at age eight and initiated at sixteen. As a weapon, a samurai woman received from her teacher a short dagger or a long and sharp spear. In battle, it was capable of cutting through enemy armor with ease. Studies by Japanese scientists indicate the popularity of military affairs among women. They did a DNA test on the remains of samurai who died in battles found at excavations; to their surprise, 30% of the warriors turned out to be women.
Bushido Code: Brief Provisions
The samurai code of conduct was formed from numerous laws and regulations that were compiled into a single source around the thirteenth century. During this period, samurai were just beginning to emerge as a separate class of Japanese society. By the sixteenth century, Bushido had finally taken shape and began to represent the true philosophy of the samurai.
The warrior's code covered almost all areas of life, each with its own special rule of behavior. For example, according to this philosophy, a samurai is one who knows exactly how to live and die. He is ready to boldly go alone against a hundred enemies, knowing that death awaits him ahead. Legends were made about such brave men; their relatives were proud of them and placed portraits of samurai who died in battle in their houses.
The samurai's code of honor ordered him to constantly improve and train not only his body and mind, but also his spirit. Only a strong spirit could be a warrior worthy of battle. If ordered by the master, 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, Europeans romanticized everything connected with this period in the country’s history. Now it is difficult to find grains of truth among the numerous legends, but one thing is quite difficult to argue with: the samurai is as bright 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.
