Samurai

In Japan today, the Ako incident of 1703 represents the heart and soul of Japanese society; based on the teaching of Confucius, it embodies the honor, loyalty, and spirit of the Samurai, qualities that are forever imprinted on Japanese culture. During its great and rather turbulent history, the 47 Ronin Incident or Ako Incident is one of the most beloved in Japanese history. The Chingura, as it is called in Japanese, is a tale of kinship, honor, and “crooked government officials.” (Ronin…

really knows the reason why lord Asano wounded Lord Kira with his blade. Many people have arguments of what standars the samurai should of been judged with in this cause effect affair we have on our hands. Some people believed that the ronin should of been judged by Bushido, the honor code of samurai, some believe that the law when of been a correct way of judging the samurai. You have others that what happened to the ronin fair after what happened to their lord, and then other on what is…

differences. The Samurai warriors of Japan lived by…

in the military. (Yasuma Takata and Gotaro Ogawa 10). This new law was significant for military reformation in the Meiji era because this made the samurai class to no longer retain monopoly on military power. The samurai class created the modern army of men of equal status, instead of having benefits because of their status in the society. Many samurai were very upset with the law, they expressed their displeasure by rejecting the Western culture “became a way of demonstrating one’s commitment”…

Period, which have inspired the Japanese culture. His autobiography explains his roots and how he journeys through life from Tokugawa to Meiji. Fukuzawa was the youngest, born into the low-ranking samurai of the Okudaira Clan of Nakatsu on the island of Kyushu. His mother, O-Jun also belonged to a samurai clan of the similar rank. His father had passed away only a year and a half after his birth and the family would move to Nakatsu. Fukuzawa recalls how his mother raised him; “Moreover, my…

original six films in The Lone Wolf and Cub series are some of the most well executed (haha) and definitive Jidaigeki films ever made. In my opinion, Kenji Misumi might be the unsung hero of Japanese cinema while he’s directed some of the foremost samurai films of all time, including the best of this and the Zatoichi series, (among a few others) he’s largely overlooked in North America. While the Shogun Assassin films are well-known cult items (especially in the wake of the Kill Bill series),…

accomplish as many things, as the shuriken. As many don’t know yet, but the Shuriken has influenced many of the present day actions. This handheld weapon was unique and important at its time. In the past, samurais and ninjas had weapons that could be used in close combat only, such as swords. Samurais always carried katanas, wakizashi, and tachi. Ninjas carried a similar sword to the Katana known as the Ninjatō. The introduction of the Shuriken brought a unique way of fighting effectively with…

In the period from the Tokugawa era to the post-WWII era, Japanese society saw a dramatic shift in the prevalence of Japanese militarism and the existence of the traditional Japanese war mentality. Deeply rooted in samurai culture, Japanese militarism served as a foundation for Japanese society throughout the Tokugawa era; the class system gave way to a ‘warrior-elite’ class that dominated the social hierarchy. This pervasive warrior-dominated culture persisted into the Meiji period. Japanese…

are times that we follow our instincts (the gut feel) but there are times that we rationally discern and take precautionary measures to every action we make. This randomness of life is coupled with chances. The film Yojimbo started with a wandering Samurai who aimlessly wander and throws a stick in the air for direction. He took the chance to go beyond his wondering state and followed the path the stick will lead him. His fate led him to a troubled town of rival gangs where he saw war as an…

For example a samurai should act fearless until death. Japan had cultural expectations of men and women. Both men and women shared expectations: loyalty and courage. Men were expected to be loyal to their lords while women were to be loyal to their family and husband. Masago getting raped her loyalty to her husband was broken. The ascension of the Samurai code changed the place of women in Japan. Before the advent of the Samurai, Japanese society had been ordered largely…