Upload
felicity-collins
View
239
Download
0
Tags:
Embed Size (px)
Citation preview
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 SamuraiJusticeCourageBenevolence/MercyPolitenessHonesty/SincerityHonorLoyaltySelf Control
Seppuku and Kamikaze
• Seppuku was a form of suicide practiced by samurai when:o Capture by the enemy was
unavoidableo 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