Short History of The Samurai

History of the Samurai

War has been a central piece of history in Japan. Warring clans would control most of the country. There would be a chief at the head of the clan; the clan being made of related families. The chiefs were the ancestors of Japan’s imperial family. Wars were typically fought over the land. Only 20% of the land was fit for farming. The struggle over land eventually led to the rise of the samurai. One important date of the warring class is 660 B.C. That’s when, according to legend, Jimmu Tenno became head of a confederation of warlike clans. Tenno was known as the “Divine Warrior.” He led his clan to the Kinki region from Kyushu and conquered the people there. Tenno then settled in the area of Yamato. This gave rise to the Yamato dynasty and state. The leaders of this dynasty believed themselves to be from a divine origin. The clans of Yamato conducted many military campaigns on the Asian mainland. Korea and China were among the targets. These attacks would bring with them the importation of Korean and Chinese culture, technology and martial arts. Legend says that the first person with the title of “Shogun” was Emperor Keiko. The word meant “Barbarian-subduing General.” Legend states that keiko had a son named “Prince Yamato.” He was cunning, fearless, strong and a great martial artist. Many people think that Yamato was a role model for future Samurai. Ancient Yayoi warriors developed weapons, armor and a code during the ensuing centuries that became the centerpiece for the Japanese Samurai. Among the early weapons were bows, arrow and swords. Armor was a helmet that protected the head and neck, a breastplate that protected the chest, arms and shoulders; there was also a belly wrap. Later armors would include protection for the legs and thighs. Armor changed as battles changed. There was a big change in the 5^th century when horses were introduced to Japan. Then in the 15^th century there was another big change in armor because of the constancy of war and introduction of guns to battle. The code was developed from Chinese concepts of the virtues of warriors doing battle to the Samurai code of chivalry known as Kyuba no michi (Meaning: “The Way of The Horse and Bow”) to the Bushido (Meaning: “Way of The Warrior”) code. Bushido was the heart of beliefs and conduct of the Samurai. The philosophy of Bushido is “Freedom from Fear.” This meaning that the Samurai would transcend their fear of death. Giving the Samurai the peace and power to serve his master faithfully and loyally, and die well if necessary. Duty is a primary philosophy of the Samurai. The Samurai arose from the battling of three main clans: The Minamoto, The Fujiwara and The Taira. The Samurai eventually became a class themselves between the 9^th and 12^th centuries A.D. There were two name for them Samurai (Knight-retainers) and Bushi (Warriors). Some were related to the ruling class. Others were hired. All samurai gave their loyalty to their Daimyo (Feudal landowners) and would receive land and position in return. Each Daimyo would his Samurai to protect his land and also to expand it and his power and rights to more land. The Samurai became very skilled in horseback fighting and on the ground. They practiced armed and unarmed. Early Samurai emphasized fighting with a bow and arrows. The Samurai would use swords for close fighting and beheading their enemies. Battles with Mongols in the late 13^th century led to a change in the Samurai’s fighting style. The samurai began to use their swords more and also made more use of spears and naginata. The Samurai slowly moved from horseback fighting to fighting on foot.

Naginata

The Sword

 The Samurai would wear two swords (daisho). One being long: the other short. The long sword (daito-katana) was typically over 24 inches. The short sword (Shoto-Wakizashi) was typically between 12 and 24 inches. Samurai would often name their swords and belived it was the “soul of their warriorship. The old swords were straight and were designed in Korea and China. The desire for stronger, sharper swords gave rise to the curved design. The sword began as iron combined with carbon (steel). The swordsmith would use fire, water, an anvil, and a hammer to craft the swords. After the sword was forged, the sword polisher worked to prepare the blade for the furniture that would surround it. Next the sword tester took the new blade and cut through corpses or condemned criminals. They would start with small bones and move to larger bones. Test results would often be recorded on nakago (The metal attaching the blade to the handle).