The Samurai: Minamoto Yoshitune

The Samurai’s Tale by Erik Christian Haugaard is about a boy named Taro, the protagonist in the story. The major characters in the story are Taro, Yoshitoki, Lord Takeda Katsuyori, Lord Akiyama Nobutomo, and Togan. The setting of the story is in Japan, in around the 16th century. In the beginning of the story he was presented as a gift by the great Lord Takeda Shingen to Lord Akiyama after his parents had been killed. By using his wits and suppressing his fierce pride, Taro slowly escalates the ranks of his lord’s household until he achieves his greatest goal—becoming a samurai like his father and Lord Akiyama, whom he has come to admire. The life of a samurai is not so easy, Taro finds himself sacrificing opportunities of love and friendship

The Minamotos won, and the emperor made Minamoto Yoritomo shogun, the head of the military. Yoritomo however wanted more and took all power away from the emperor and made himself dictator. At this time the samurai gained power, through land given to them by the new shogun. Their rise in status was beginning.

Interestingly, Kumagae is named Kumagai in the Kabuki version of the story, a five-act play. There is a forbidden romance between Sagami, a member of the Heike clan, and Kumagai. With the help of Fuji no Kata, the couple is able to escape to Western Japan with their child. Later, Fuji no Kata has a child, who is Atsumori, and this fact is known by Yoshitsune. In this story, Yoshitsune senses that it is destiny for Kumagai and Atsumori to meet on the battlefield, and would be forced into the predicament of not killing the boy because of his debt to Fuji no Kata or losing credibility as a solider for sparing an enemy. He plants a message stating “Anyone killing a son must kill his own son” implying that if Kumagai decided to kill Atsumori, that to repay the debt to Fuji no Kata he

In 1159, Kiyomori of the Taira clan was victorious over the Minamoto clan. Kiyomori murdered all the adults of the Monamoto clan and forced the children into exile. The emperor rewarded Kiyomori victory by giving him an advisor position in the government. This event was significant because Kiyomori was the first warrior in Japan’s government. Like the Fujiwara family, Kiyomori desired a royal bloodline within the Taira clan. So the Taira clan consorted with the imperial family in efforts to secure an imperial bloodline. Later, Kiyomori obtain a higher government position and more importantly a grandson was born and is heir to the throne. Feeling cheated an imperial prince sought the exiled Minamoto to overthrow the Taria clan. In 1180, Yoritomo of the Minamoto clan formed an army and battled with Taira clan that is known as the Genpei War. Eventually, Kiyomori died and the Taria clan shortly declined after him. During these battles warriors ran amok pillaging the Japan’s cuntryside. To end the chaos and violence the imperial turned to Yoritomo. Yoritomo in return raise an army of samurais and took complete control of the government and transformed it into a military government. The Kamakura government consisted of the emperor, shogun, and the house men. The emperor served merely as a figurehead, he little to no control of his government. The shogun had

The young warriors were taught to sacrifice everything for the emperor or lord. In Japan, the emperor represented the laws and the state and was considered divine. Loyalty was an ethical demand stemming from this political theory. A samurai was obligated to appeal to the wisdom of his lord by committing seppuku.

The Samurai’s Tale is about a young boy named Taro, who had became the hero of the story. The main characters in the story was Lord Akiyama, Lord Takeda Shingen, and Togan. This story took place in Japan around the 16th century. The story began with Taro, Murakami Harutomo, arguing with his mother about what she had been telling him to wear for an event that was going to happen without him knowing about. Later that day Taro saw that soldiers came attacking his house, his mother leaving him with Yone in a chest trying to keep them safe in a storehouse that had laid behind the house. A soldier then found them both and took them out of the chest, then as they walked out of the store hold, he found his mother on the ground dead. A plot twist that

Samurai’s were next in the system, they are in the warrior class. Samurais’ were paid by daimyos, they were paid domains. The job of the samurai was to collect taxes and keep order between the peasants. The warrior class was called shi. Shi included daimyos and

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.

2. Harutomo Murakami (Taro)- The hero of the story, the son of a poor samurai who died in battle

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

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

The Samurai’s Tale takes place in the middle of the 16th-century samurai era where samurai armies are battling for the title of shogun. There are many leaders in The Samurai’s Tale, but three stood out for various reasons. Whether for their outstanding ability to lead, great kindness, or even stubbornness. Leaders are the ones that can shift the tide of a battle and completely change its outcome. Murakami Harutomo and Togan were some of the best leaders in the story, while Takeda Katsuyori was one of the worst.

Yoshitsune was a young boy in Ushiwakamaru when his father died in a battle against the Taira clan. After the death of his father, the Taira captured the retired emperor Go-Shirakawa and ever since the Minamoto was trying to retain the power to the emperor. As Yoshitsune grew up, he trained to become a samurai and join the Minamoto to cease revenge of the Taira. He directed many battles and was seen as a hero to the Minamoto and others becoming their military commander.

Yoshiie, who helped his father defeat the Abe (in the process of which he was

Breaching the perimeter of the Edo Castle with a full armament and a flawless plan, the 47 ronin sought vengeance and honor. Seeking remittance in bloodshed, the 47 ronin remained loyal to Asano Takuminokami and avenged his death by killing their enemy, Lord Kira Kozukenosuke. The actions leading to this vendetta initiated during the receiving of the imperial delegation within the Edo Castle. When Kira continually discredits Asano’s efforts to prepare the Castle for the delegation, Asano unsheathed his short-sword and unleashed a fury of slashes towards Kira. Suppressed by Kajikawa Yosobe and unsuccessful in his attempt to kill Kira, Asano received the sentence of death. Although his death sentence was necessary the