The Samurai
Japan's recorded history dates back
thousands of years. Scientists believe the Japanese people descended from many
groups that migrated to the islands from other parts of Asia, including China
and Korea.
As early as 4500 B.C. the Japanese islands were inhabited by fishermen, hunters and farmers. Scientists believe a race called the "Ainu" were the first inhabitants of what is now Japan. Genetically, the Ainu are believed to be almost identical to Native Americans and other Asiatic peoples.
War played a central part in the history of Japan. Warring clans controlled much of the country. A chief headed each clan, made up of related families. The chiefs were the ancestors of Japan's imperial family. The wars were usually about territory . Only 20% of the land was fit for farming. And the struggle for control of that area eventually gave rise to the Samurai.
In 660 B.C. according to legend, Jimmu Tenno became head of a confederation of warlike clans. Tenno was known as "The Divine Warrior." He led his people from Kyushu to the Kinki region and conquered the people there. Tenno settled in the area of Yamato. This eventually gave rise to the Yamato dynasty and state. The leaders of Yamato believed themselves to be of divine origin.
The Yamato clans conducted many military campaigns on the Asian mainland. The
targets included Korea and China. Those campaigns led to the importation of
Korean and Chinese culture, technology and martial arts.
Emperor Keiko was the first person with the title of "Shogun." The word meant "Barbarian-subduing General." Legend says that Keiko had a son named "Prince Yamato." He was cunning, fearless, strong and a great martial artist. Many believe that Yamato was a rôle model for future Samurai.
Ancient Yayoi warriors developed weapons, armour and a code during the ensuing centuries that became the centerpiece for the Japanese Samurai. Early weapons included bows, arrows and swords. Armour included a helmet that protected head and neck, a breasplate that protected the chest, arm and shoulder protectors, and a belly wrap. Later armour included protection for the legs and thighs. Armour changed as the type of battles changed. A big change occured in the 5th century when horses were introduced to Japan. Another change occured in the 15th century because of the introduction of guns into battle. The code developed from the Chinese concept of the virtues of warriors doing battle to the Samurai code of chivalry known as Kyuba no michi ("The Way of Horse and Bow") to the Bushido code.
One meaning of "Bushido" is "Way of the Warrior." It was at the heart of the beliefs and conduct of the Samurai. The philosophy of Bushido is "freedom from fear." It meant that the Samurai transcended their fear of death. That gave them the peace and power to serve their masters faithfully and loyally and die well if necessary. "Duty" is a primary philosophy of the Samurai.
The Samurai rose out of the continuing battles for land among three main clans: the Minamoto, the Fujiwara and the Taira. The Samurai eventually became a class unto themselves between the 9th and 12th centuries A.D. They were called by two names: Samurai knights/retainers and Bushi warriors. Some of them were related to the ruling class. Others were hired men. They gave complete loyalty to their Daimyo (feudal landowners) and received land and position in return. Each Daimyo used his Samurai to protect his land and to expand his power and rights to more land.
The Samurai became expert in fighting from horseback and on the ground. They practiced armed and un-armed combat. The early Samurai emphasized fighting with the bow and arrow. They used swords for close-in fighting and beheading their enemies. Battles with the Mongols in the late 13th century led to a change in the Samurai's fighting style. They began to use their sword more and also made more use of spears and naginata. The Samurai slowly changed from fighting on horseback to fighting on foot.
The Samurai wore two swords (daisho). One was long; the other short. The long
sword (daito - katana) was more than 24 inches. The short sword (shoto -
wakizashi) was between 12 and 24 inches. The Samurai often gave names to their
swords and believed it was the "soul" of their warriorship. The oldest swords
were straight and had their early design in Korea and China. The Samurai's
desire for tougher, sharper swords for battle gave rise to the curved blade we
still have today. The sword had its beginning as iron combined with carbon. The swordsmith used fire, water, anvil and hammer to shape the world's best swords.
After forging the blade, the sword polisher did his work to prepare the blade
for the "furniture" that surrounded it. Next, the sword tester took the new
blade and cut through the bodies of corpses or condemned criminals. They started
by cutting through the small bones of the body and moved up to the large bones.
Test results were often recorded on the nakago, the metal piece attaching the
sword blade to the handle.
Samurai Dates of Importance
- 660 B.C. - Legend says Jimmu Tenno became Japan's first emperor and set up the ruling Yamato State. Weapons and armour develop.
- 400's A.D. - Horses introduced into Japanese fighting.
- 500's A.D. - Buddhism arrived in Japan; becomes a powerful philosophy for rulers and warriors.
- 500's A.D. - Soga clan dominated the Yamato court.
- 702 A.D. - Taiho law codes established the Great Council of State.
- 781 A.D. - Emperor Kammu came to power and moved capital to Kyoto a few years later.
- 794 A.D. - Heian period began.
- 858 A.D. - Fujiwara family gained control of imperial court.
- 935 A.D. - Taira Masakado revolted and proclaimed himself "The New Emperor." Other Samurai leaders exerted their influence across the land and changed the history of Japan.
- 1180-85 A.D. - Minamoto Yoritomo takes up arms against the Taira clan in The Gempei War.
- 1192 A.D. - Yoritomo became first permanent shogun of Japan and set up his Samurai government in Kamakura.
- Late 1200's A.D. - Mongols invade Japan. The Samurai defeat the Mongols after many years of fierce fighting. The Samurai developed a style of formation combat and depended more on the sword as a primary weapon in battle.
- 1318 A.D. - Go-Daigo became the 96th Emperor of Japan. He attempted to overthrow the Hojo regents, but gave rise instead to a new dynasty of Shoguns, the Ashikaga family, who set up their government in the capital city of Kyoto.
- 1400 A.D. - Master swordsmen established schools to teach their style of ken-jutsu.
- 1467-77 A.D. - The Onin War saw the decline of the Shogun's power and began the Sengoku Jidai ("The Age of the Country at War") which lasted 150 years.
- 1542 A.D. - Portuguese guns were introduced into Japan.
- 1592 A.D. - Hideyoshi invaded Korea on his way to invading China, but died in 1598 before succeeding.
- 1605 A.D. - Miyamoto Musashi, Japan's most famous Samurai, began his musha-shugyo (warrior pilgrimage). Musashi fought and won more than 60 sword fights before the age of 30. He founded the Individual School of Two Skies and taught for many years. At the age of 60, Musashi wrote Gorin No Sho ("The Book of Five Spheres" ... aka - "The Book of Five Rings"), the most famous writing about the Japanese Sword Arts. This book is still in publication today and is recommended. He also wrote "The 35 Articles on the Art of Swordsmanship."
- 1615 A.D. - Tokugawa Ieyasu drew up the "Buke Sho Hatto" (Rules for Martial Families) before his death. It gave Samurai thirteen guides to living as a warrior during peace time.
- 1630 A.D. - Japan cut its ties with the outside world.
- 1867 A.D. - Emperor Mutsuhito regained his traditional powers and took the name Meiji. It was the beginning of the Meiji Restoration. Meiji (Mutsuhito) set up his new capital city in Edo (Tokyo).
- 1868 A.D. - Emperor Meiji introduced the "Five Articles Oath" which began the dismantling of the Samurai class.
- 1873 A.D. - Emperor Meiji established an army based on conscription; an army open to anyone.
- 1876 A.D. - Emperor Meiji declared a new law that ended the wearing of swords. The Samurai had lost their profession and their right to wear swords. Their position as a special class ended after almost 500 years.
Samurai Terms
-
Batto-jutsu
- A sword-drawing art that includes cutting rolled straw targets
- Bo-jutsu - Staff fighting
- Chokuto - Straight sword used in Japan's early history
- Daimyo - Feudal landowner
- Daisho - Samurai's two swords (one long - katana, one short - wakizashi)
- Edo Period - 1600 to 1867 when Tokugawa government ruled Japan
- Giri - Samurai's duty
- Hakama - Divided skirt-pants Samurai wore
- Heian Period - 782 to 1184 when Japan's capital was located in Kyoto
- Iai-jutsu - Art of Drawing the Sword
- Kamakura Period - 1185 to 1332 when the capital of Japan was in Kamakura. Known as the "golden age" of the Japanese sword.
- Katana - Long sword
- Ken Sword - refers specifically to an ancient, two-edge sword made before the ninth century
- Ken-jutsu - Art of the Sword
- Kyo-jutsu - Bow and arrow fighting
- Kyuba no michi - The Way of the Horse and Bow
- Kyu-jutsu - Japanese archery
- Mei - Name of a sword
- Momoyana Period - 1573 - 1599 when Samurai began wearing daisho. Also beginning of the Shinto (new sword) period.
- Mon - Family crest worn on montsuki
- Muramasa - Sword maker
- Muromachi Period - 1392 - 1572 when constant civil wars greatly increased the production of swords.
- Naginata - Long pole with curved blade on one end
- Naginata-jutsu - Way of the Naginata
- Nambokucho Period - 1333 to 1391 when two emperors were competing for power in Japan
- Ronin - Samurai who has no master
- Sensei - One who goes before ... Teacher
- Seppuku - Ritual suicide Shinto
- "New Sword" - any sword made between 1596 and 1870
- Shin Shinto "New New Sword" - any sword made after Meiji Restoration (1870)
- Shogun - Barbarian subduing General (war lord)
- So-jutsu - Spear fighting
- Tachi - Long, deeply curved sword that mounted Samurai used in ancient Japan
- Uchigatana - "Inside sword" - a term for the longer of two swords Samurai wore
- Wakizashi - Short sword