Role Of Samurai In Japanese Society

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

As Claus von Clausewitz wrote, “Courage, over all things, is the first quality of a warrior”. In both Western Europe and Japan, an unstable government led to the development of Feudalism, a social system in which lords grant land to nobles in exchange of loyalty and military service. It also introduced a stronger army which was made up of samurai, the Japanese warrior, or knights, the European warrior. The chivalry, or code of conduct of the knights, was made up of Christian beliefs. However, the samurai’s code of conduct, the bushido, was inspired by Confucian and Buddhist thought. Not only did religious beliefs influence the codes of behavior of a warrior, but Christianity influenced Europe, while Confucianism and Buddhism affected the religion in Japan. The differences between the Samurai and the Knights were greater than the similarities because of their armor, the bond to their mastor, and their view of death.

The samurai were a powerful warrior class in Japan, and were very skilled with a sword. Samurai used swords and were trained very well to do many things such as fire a bow while on horseback. The samurai practiced Buddhism, which is a religion that taught people to respect the world to reach enlightenment. When the samurai disobeyed The Bushido Code, they committed Seppuku, which is ritual suicide for the samurai. Japanese culture was influenced by the samurai warrior class.

The samurai were the feudal warriors of ancient Japan. For thousands of years they upheld the code of bushido, the way of the warrior. Samurai were around for thousands of years, but when did they disappear? Does the code of bushido still exist to this day? Exploring the history of the samurai will give an explanation to what has happened to these formidable warriors.

There were two main groups in early Japanese shogunate period. The ‘good citizens’ included nobles, farmers and other free people. The ‘Low citizens’ include slaves, servants and guards. The daimyo and samurais belonged to the warrior class aka Shi. Shi was at the top because they protected the nation from invasion. Farmers were after daimyo’s and samurai’s they were called no. No were important because without food no one could survive. No people were essential as they produce food. Artisans aka ko came next. Ko made paper, fine swords and reed mats. Sho were merchants .The Sho were at the bottom of the social ladder because they didn't make anything. Sho lived by selling rice and other items.

The Japanese society was divided into four classes: samurai, peasants, artisans, and merchants. The samurai was a class of warriors, emerged from Japan during the constant

Japanese Feudalism - a social system founded upon a strict hierarchy with the daimyo at the top, followed by the samurai, then farmers and fishermen, artisans, and finally merchants and shopkeepers.

Samurai were the warriors of japan who were known for their skills as warriors . The samurai date all the way back to the heian period.The samurai were the protectors of the emperors in japan and the land around it.

The Japanese samurai had a specific code to live by called the Bushido. To be a samurai you must have courage, be just, have mercy,and be polite. You must also have honesty, have a sense of honor, be loyal, and have self-control. In Europe knights also had a code to live by and it was called the Knights Code of Chivalry. Like the samurai the knights lived by the following guidelines: Faith, Charity, Justice, Sagacity, Prudence, Temperance, Resolution, Truth, Liberality, Diligence, Hope, and Valour. The knights were taught these characteristics and lived by these to be the best they could at there job.

Have you ever heard of the medieval knights from Europe or the medieval samurais from Japan. Both warrior served a important role in defense for their region. In fact both knights and samurais played a role in a social system known as feudalism. Feudalism began in Europe as early as the 8th century and began in Japan in about 1185 A.D both due to the lack of security. In a one-on-one battle, a samurai would win because of their strong weapons, enforced training, and the acceptance of death.

The samurai were a warrior class in feudal Japan who served the lords of clans in Japanese feudal society. They were highly respected elite warriors in both grand military strategy and individual martial arts. The warrior code that they embodied and the myth of the samurai warrior are still alive in modern Japan today. In his book American Samurai: Myth and Imagination in the Conduct of Battle in the First Marine Division 1941-1951, Craig Cameron draws parallels between the United States Marine Corps and the feudal Japanese samurai. Writing from a post-Vietnam view, Cameron

The it went Lords or Barons who was given land by the king to look after in return to provide military. Then it went Knights who were the warriors of of that time. They were there to provide military service and to protect the kingdom. Lastly it went Peasants who were at the bottom of the class and were given land by the Knights in return for crops which they had to make. Each class was very important and without this it would fail. In the Tokugawa era of Japan they also had a class system which went Emperor who was at the top but had no power but he was just given respect. Then it was shoguns who were in charge of everything as they overthrew the emperor. Then it went Daimyo whose job was to keep peace in villages. Then it was farmer who provided crops for everyone one to eat. After farmers it went artisans who made all the art and clothes in Japan. Finally it went Merchants who ran stores and sold many

Throughout History, there have been many different groups or events that are still widely known today. Groups of people such as the Indians or Vikings are popular groups which are referenced constantly in today’s society. However, none of these groups is more known or referenced than the Japanese Samurai. Originating in 646 AD, these Japanese warriors developed from a loose organization of farmers to the dominant social class in Feudal Japan. Along with their dominant military and political standing, the samurai brought with them a unique code or moral belief that became the core of Samurai culture. Because of this, the Samurai and their principles still affect modern day Japanese society with social customs today

For seven centuries, the samurai ruled Japan as the powerful warrior class. As a class of warriors and knights, they led society in feudal Japan. The loyalty to his lord was much more important than his allegiance to his friends, family and even the emperor. Their philosophy was one liberated him from fear, and for these reasons, the samurai came to be the dominate force throughout medieval Japan.

Have you ever seen a TV show or a movie about Samurai? Have you ever seen someone dressed up as a Samurai, or read a book with one in it? Maybe you just have a vague idea in the back of your head. Well, guess what? That definition or example, you may think is a Samurai is probably only a small taste of what the calm yet strong warriors were like. Samurai were not only the fearless fighters that we may think of at first, in fact, they were educated, controlled, loyal, and well prepared people. To create a broader picture and to ensure that we don’t create stereotypes about samurai and the people of Japan in general, this PSA was created. The purpose of the different gradation of the various illustrations was to emphasize the middle illustration