Kokora Research Paper

While ongoing change became the status quo in late-Tokugawa era Japan the ideals of the samurai—and the respect they receive—endured. And, because samurai could still fall back on the prestige their class represented, members of society still

The term ‘Bushido’ has over the years developed from the traditional translation of ‘the Way of the Warrior’ towards the more modern notion of a “national spirit of Japan, especially the military spirit.” This paper will analyse the impacts that various religious traditions such as Shintoism, Buddhism and Confucianism have had on shaping the classical ideals of the bushido code and the influences that the bushido code played on the actions of the kamikaze fighter pilots during World War II.

The samurai had an unwritten code of honor called the bushido. Bushido means “way of the warrior” (History of the Samurai 3). This provided them with a code to help show them how to live and conduct themselves at home and in battle. One of the most important duties of the samurai was their loyalty to their lord. The samurai would defend their lord until the death. Revenge was also central in the samurai’s

“The Last Samurai” is an epic war film, inspired by the events of the 1877 Satsuma Rebellion led by Sagio Takamori. In the film, a traumatized civil war veteran by the name of Nathan Algren is hired to train soldiers in the Imperial Japanese Army and aid their suppression of the Satsuma Rebellion. During their first battle, Algren is captured by samurai and after avoiding execution begins to learn their way of life before helping them defend against the Imperial Army. While the film keeps true to some aspects of the period, several facts including the reason for the rebellion, Japanese relations with the United States and the warriors experience with firearms are all portrayed in a manner inconsistent with the time period.

The entire Japanese culture is based on honor. Honor extends to the nation, the family, and the individual. The samurai are no exception to a code of honor. The samurai follow the code of bushido. Bushido is closer to the western term of chivalry. Bushido places emphasis on courage, benevolence, justice, politeness, truthfulness, honor, loyalty, and most importantly is self-control. The samurai's primary religion is Zen. The samurai adapted Zen easily due to the philosophy that fits closely to Buddhism. Samurai may act in the extreme when it comes to honor. They will kill anyone who may dishonor them or their lord. Nothing is worse to a samurai than to have corrupt dealings. Some of the warriors believed, "Honor is the power of deciding upon certain course of conduct in accordance with reason, without wavering … to die when it is right to die, to strike when to strike is right." Other warriors believed that "Honor is the bone that gives firmness and stature. As without bones the head cannot rest on top of the spine, nor hands move, nor feet stand, so without honor neither talent nor learning can make of a human frame a

Musui 's Story is a samurai 's autobiography that portrays the Tokugawa society as it was lived during Katsu Kokichi 's life (1802 - 1850). Katsu Kokichi (or Musui) was a man born into a family with hereditary privilege of audience with the shogun, yet he lived a life unworthy of a samurai 's way, running protection racket, cheating, stealing, and lying. Before we discuss how Musui 's lifestyle was against the codes that regulated the behavior of the samurai, it is essential that the role of the samurai in Japanese society be understood.

a. The Ahikaga bakufu collapsed in 1467 over a dispute about who would be the next

A priest taught Taro how to write, and he practiced Zen Buddhism, as he wanted to prepare for being a samurai. Bullied by a couple of ronins one day, Taro ran away and told his master's father, who sent him to Iida castle with a message for his son (Lord Akiyama).

The sly and flexible samurai prepares to unleash his katana while opponent, the knight rides courteously on his horse ready to pull out his sword that lies within a compartment built in his armor. Who will win this deadly battle? The samurai, of course thanks to his agility as well as being ready to attack whenever threatened. This essay will discuss the advantages that the samurai has against the knight, if the two were to ever come in contact on the battlefield.

“The way of a warrior does not include other ways, but if you know the way, you will see it in everything,” Miyamoto Musashi. Roughly a thousand years ago, two elite groups of warriors arose amongst those in the eastern hemisphere, the samurai and knights. Although on different continents, both factions showed infinite similarities. As demonstrated in history, the similarities between samurais and knights immensely outweigh the differences.

Japan is 5,313 miles away from Europe, could it be possible that they have many similarities? Knights and samurai are similar, but some may say that they had different code of honors and different religions and weapons, but this may not be the truth. Samurai and knights had similar views of death, similar codes of honor, and similar training methods. This essay is the real evidence.

With the new dominance of the samurai, it faced many problems relating to any government. Rebellion and civil unrest were not uncommon, and throughout the superiority of the Samurai, there were many different periods of rule, each facing their own dilemmas. Attacks from external threats such as the Mongols among other things, weakened samurai rule and at a certain point, Japanese imperial rule regained power. As samurai rule continued, internal problems such as disloyalty among officials caused instability in their government. Regional officials called Daimyo’s were ignoring orders from the Shogun (head of government) and supported

When Tomoe brought Kayano and Ito to a festival which can only be attended by the peasants, she told them that had it not been for the peasants, there would not have samurais. Tomoe’s opinions are forward-thinking and do not think that samurais should be forbid from the festival.

The samurai code has been developed for over several centuries. They always have a code and that code is to always be honest, fair, and fearless in the face of death. They also always had to be loyal to his lord and that he would gladly die for him. They are expected to guard their own personal honor. The littlest things that happened o]anywhere could lead to a duel between the two. If their lord ever died their samurais would revenge the lords death. Their lives were not even as important as their personal honor or value.

One of the most fundamental philosophies of the samurai is that of detachment from the self. This detachment allows for a freedom from fear, which is essential to the samurai warriors. In the opening of Hagakure, Tsunetomo states that “the Way of the Samurai is found in death”. These rank among the greatest and most well known phrases in Japanese history, and in fact in the history of the world. Death is not to be feared by the samurai, it is to be embraced. The relationship between the samurai and his master is of the utmost importance, and only through detachment can the samurai fully and properly serve his master. These are two core, fundamental philosophies of bushido, and both can are reminiscent of similar ideologies in Buddhism,