SAMURAI SOLDIER’

S

MINAMOTO YORITOMO

Took title of Shogun (Commander in Chief & head

of Military)

Who’s place is the Shogun taking?

Samurai (Professional Warrior’s) became Japan’s

ruling class

RISE OF THE SAMURAI

Girls & Boys were trained in the arts of War

Daimyos: Warrior-Lords in Japan• Began treating their land like independent kingdoms

Tokugawa Ieyasu became Shogun and established Edo

as capital

ARMOR

Strong, yet flexible

Boxlike panels of armor covered: chest, back &

hips

Metal Guards on legs & arms

Iron Masks

WEAPONS

Bows & Arrows

Spears

Swords-Finest in the world• Long -used for fighting• Shorter- cutting off heads

MILITARY TRAINING

Fencing/Swordsmanship was most intense training

Martial Arts- Using your opponent’s strength

against him

BATTLE

Pre-arranged Time & Date

Shouted out names, ancestors, heroic deeds &

reasons for fighting

Fought 1 on 1 duels• 1. knock opponent off horse 2. wrestle to the ground

3.slit throat

TRAINING IN SELF CONTROL

Learned to endure pain and suffering

Overcome the Fear of Death“Meditation on Inevitable Death should be performed daily. Everyday when one’s mind & body are at peace, one should meditate upon being ripped apart by arrows, rifles, spears and swords, being carried away by surging waves, being thrown into the midst of a great fire, being struck by lightening, being shaken to death by a great earthquake, falling from thousand foot cliffs, dying of disease or committing suicide at the death of one’s master.”

Training in Preparedness:• Must have a “Sixth Sense” about danger

Training in Writing & Literature• Calligraphy• Poetry

• Haiku’s- using images to suggest a mood

TEA CEREMONY

Way to form Political Alliance’s among Samurai

Tea Rooms were simple- engaged in discussions

Amida Buddhism

Founded by Honan

Believer’s could enter

the Pure Land by prayer

TRAINING IN SPIRITUAL STRENGTH

Zen Buddhism

Emphasis on Effort &

discipline

Achieved

Enlightenment through

meditation

Koans-puzzling

questions

CODE OF BUSHIDO & SAMURAI VALUES

Loyalty & Personal Honor-• Loyalty to your Lord• Guard Personal Honor

Ritual Suicide-• Seppuku- ritual suicide• Preserving personal honor, avoiding capture in battle, death of lord, punishment for a crime, atone for a crime and many more…

I have no parents: I make the heavens and Earth my parents.

I have no home: I make awareness my home.

I have no life or death: I make the tides of breathing my life and death.

I have no divine power: I make honesty my divine power.

I have no means: I make understanding my means.

I have no magic secrets: I make character my magic secret.

I have no body: I make endurance my body.

I have no eyes: I make the flash of lightning my eyes. I have no ears: I make sensibility my ears.

I have no limbs: I make promptness my limbs.

I have no strategy: I make “unshadowed by thought” my strategy.

I have no design: I make “seizing opportunity by the forelock” my design.

I have no miracles: I make right action my miracles. I have no principles: I make adaptability to all

circumstances my principles.

I have no tactics: I make emptiness and fullness my tactics.

I have no talents: I make ready wit my talent.

I have no friends: I make my mind my friend.

I have no enemy: I make carelessness my enemy.

I have no armor: I make benevolence and righteousness my armor.

I have no castle: I make immovable mind my castle.

I have no sword: I make absence of mind my sword.

12th Century

Tomoe Gozen- fought in

battles-killed enemy

leader

Koman- Saved Clan’s

banner

WOMEN

17th Century

“when young, women

should obey their

fathers; when grown,

their husbands; when

old, their sons”

Arranged Marriages

Japan

Military Chief rose to Power

(Shogun)

Loyalty & Obligations tied lords &

vassals

Daimyos

Samurai

Code of Bushido (more strict)

JAPAN VS. EUROPE

Europe

Military Chief rose to Power

(King)

Loyalty & Obligations tied lords &

vassals

Landholding Lords

Knights

Code of Chivalry (less strict)

INFLUENCE ON MODERN TIMES

1868- Restored the Power of the Emperor

1940’s- stayed true to Warrior Code• Many killed themselves• Kamikazes

Martial Arts/Judo- reflect Samurai Discipline

Haiku/ Calligraphy