Samurai

Samurai are the warriors of pre-modern Japan, being the ruling military class throughout much of Japans’ history. Originating in the Heian period (794-1185), the Samurai were armed supporters of wealthy landowners who left the imperial court after being shut out by the Fujiwara clan. The name “Samurai” originate from this as it roughly translates to “those who serve.” The samurai began to gain dominance in Japan in the Gempei war and Kamakura period (1158-1336) where the two great warrior clans the Minamoto and Taira fought over control of Japan, where Minamoto eventually won and established the Shogunate. The Samurai eventually gained full control over Japan and establish a relatively peaceful age during the Edo period (1615-1867) before losing power and disappearing from Japan in the Meiji period (1868 -1914) as Japan opened it’s borders to foreigner. The Samurai do still influence modern Japanese culture and image, being common in Japanese media, and their ideology and bushido still being present in many Japanese.

Samurais employs a multitude of weapons, such as bow and arrows, spears and gun, but they always use a katana, a Japanese sword, as their main weapon and symbol. Samurai live by the Samurai ethic code of “bushido” (the way of the warrior). The bushido stresses concepts the samurai must abide by, such as loyalty to one’s master, self-discipline and respectful and ethical behaviour. And when samurai go against the teachings of bushido, they are usually punished and commonly have to commit seppuku (the act of suicide by cutting open one’s stomach). Zen Buddhism was also very popular among the samurai as its teachings and practices are mostly aligned with and do not go against samurai beliefs and the bushido.

References:

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2127.html

http://www.history.com/topics/samurai-and-bushido

Japan: Its History and Culture, fourth edition, By W. Scott Morton & J. Kenneth Olenik