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The Bushido Code: The Samurai Culture

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The Samurai were an honorable group of warriors who followed a strict detailed code of conduct called The Bushido Code. Every aspect of their life was dictated by these set of rules in order to live as true loyal men. The Bushido Code not only instructed the Samurai on what to do in times of war or combat, but also how to live during times of peace. Since its origins in feudal Japan, the Bushido Code guided the Samurai on the path of righteousness till death. Today this unwritten, highly discipline code greatly influences numerous aspects of Japan 's current culture and other places in the world.

The origins of the Samurai can be traced back to the Taiko Reforms in 645 A.D. During this period large wealthy landowners known as daimyos established …show more content…

The armor was made from leather and numerous metals designed for agility while providing a decent amount of protection along with mempo or face armor that instilled fear into their enemies. The equipment that they were provided along with their intense training proved the Samurai to be worthy bodyguards to their daimyos (Mensikova, Daenen, Foerst). Later by the 12th century, the Samurai had moved from solely providing protection to effectively holding both political as well as military ranks in Japan. This would last until the mid 19th century with the Meiji Restorations which brought a constitutional monarchy along with democratic reforms. Backed by public support, the Meiji Emperor disbanded the Samurai and reduced the daimyo 's power (Mensikova et al.). Having lost their place of dominance in Japan most integrated back into society relying on their skills in the arts while others became merchants or farmers living their lives in peace.

Throughout the Samurai 's campaign as warriors and politicians they followed a strict moral code known as Bushido. The word Bushido originates from the Japanese words "bushi" meaning “warrior” and "do" meaning “way” with the full translation means “way of the warrior” (Lindberg). The code evolved over time to ensure a Samurai 's loyalty to Japan as well as to …show more content…

The Bushido code is based on eight virtues on top of the basic ideology of dedicating every day to the life of a being warrior. The first virtue is rectitude or justice which dictates that the Samurai would be able to make quick and just decisions. The virtue of courage reflects the ability to follow what is right according to their beliefs. Each action is done for the right reason. Benevolence or mercy keeps Samurai from mindlessly killing; they must show mercy when it is justified. The virtue of respect means that a Samurai should value all life in everything they do and say. Respect should be given no matter if it views differ from their own. Honesty in a Samurai is vital in order to gain both respect and trust from others. The virtue of honor focuses on the Samurai living every moment defending their personal dignity even to the death. Loyalty leads the Samurai to value their comrades along with protecting them on the

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The knight had to change their armor because of the new weapons, and for more protection the knight had changed their armor to covering their whole body so their foot, their head, and their legs. The samurai had armor that had iron scales tied together, lacquered, and then bound into armor plates with silk or leather cords.(I got my information in document D) they also had their right arm free so they can draw their bow faster. The samurai training started out with childhood school with unique combination of physical training, poetry training and spiritual training. When they were young they studied kendo the art of fencing, with bamboo sticks. The moral code of the samurai, and zen buddhism.

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Since the code was very honorable and every samurai was supposed to follow it, some didn’t and would face penalties for their dishonorable

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Young warriors studied the moral code of the samurai, Zen Buddhism and Kendo (Doc. C). A knight begins his journey at age four or five (DOC C). A knight would be sent at age seven or eight, he would be sent to serve as a page to his father’s overlord or to a powerful relative (Doc. C). With a blunted or wooden sword, refining his skills and receiving some religions instructions (Doc. C). Samurai were expected to live according to Bushio, a strict emony called genpuku (Doc. C).

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And according to Document E, the samurai’s duty is to be held above all, this shows that being a samurai comes with great responsibility and determination. The values that the samurai obeyed were very important because it helped give them a sense of morality/correct conduct and it helped them stay at such a high status since samurais were on the upper section of the hierarchy. Based on source C, when comparing the two we can see that their training starts very differently. For samurais, they had a combination of physical training, poetry, and spiritual discipline (Confucianism and Zen (禅)

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Samurai were warrior class who lived by an unwritten code called “Bushido.” They fought for the large landowners called Daimyo, they worked for the Daimyo’s protection and against other powerful landowners. The Samurai was taught the values and traditions, and had to be educated in literature and writing. Therefor samurai were also trained in meditation and fighting techniques such as archery, swordsmanship, and martial arts.

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Righteousness in Bushido means doing the right things to show they are the true warrior, also said as Giri in Japanese. In Chushingura, Asano’s wife drove Oishi away when he told her that they were not going to avenge to Kira. But the 47 Ronin chose to conceal the facts because they wanted to protect Asano’s wife if the bakufu blamed on them (Chushingura). After they succeed to avenge Kira, they were announced to commit suicide in the end of the movie (Chushingura). It proved that the 47 Ronin honored their loyalty to their lord and also showed that they already fulfilled their responsibilities and obligations.

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Japanese soldiers' harsh treatment of prisoners of war during World War II was shaped by cultural norms, military doctrine, and international law. These three factors greatly influenced how poorly the POWs were regarded and treated by their captors, and the public justification and acceptance of such cruelty. The Japanese warrior code known as Bushido, which emerged from feudal Japan and was associated with the Samurai, played a significant role in shaping the attitudes and behaviors of Japanese soldiers towards prisoners of war during World War II. Bushido held virtues such as loyalty, honor, and self-sacrifice at a high regard, and it considered surrender a disgrace. The values instilled by the Bushido code permeated the Imperial Japanese

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The Kamakura period, which saw the emergence of samurai as a specific class, began the practices and code of samurai. Seppuku, a form of ritual suicide and one of the more widely known samurai practices, also developed during this time (Pletcher). The Kamakura period brought the concept of feudalism to Japan and established the rank of shogun: the military leader of Japan. The shift to a military government was reasoning behind the samurai class and evident through the loyal and honorable, yet stoic and disciplined, culture of this time (“Kamakura Period”). The bushido code faced much outside influence, but core emphasis was placed on living frugally, upholding honor, and honing athletic and mental strength in order to remain fearless during battle.

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