The Japanese SamuraiThe Japanese Samurai

A Sean Viers and Bryan Cross Production

Brief BackgroundBrief Background

Samurai is defined as the word for a Japanese warrior class.

Started to come into existence in the 12th Century

Around 1185 the shogun rose to power and removed power from emperor.

General Samurai Information General Samurai Information

Allowed 2 swords (Long and Short)High Status among communityDifferent rankings of a Samurai

– Kenin – Mounted Samurai– Foot Soldier

BushidoBushido Code Code

Bushido means "way of the warrior” This is the code the Samurai lived by.

The code places emphasis on loyalty, self-sacrifice, justice, and sense of shame, purity, frugality, honor and affection.

Death and SeppukuDeath and Seppuku

The samurai do not fear death because they believe as Buddhism teaches, after death one will be reincarnated and may live another life here on earth.

Seppuku is a ritual suicide and the Samurai saw it as an honorable death.

Hara-kiri translates to stomach cutting, which was a major part of the seppuku ritual.

Seppuku Images courtesy of www.google.com

Reasons for SeppukuReasons for Seppuku

Reasons for committing seppuku were connected to honor, disgrace, and punishment.

Seppuku could also be a way of showing a disagreement with one's master.

Down fall of the SamuraiDown fall of the Samurai

In the late 1800’s the last shogun resigned and the emperor was reinstalled as the formal leader of Japan.

The old feudal system and the privileges of the Japanese samurai class were officially abolished.

The daimyo had to return the land to the emperor for which they received pensions by the Japanese state

““The Last Samurai”The Last Samurai” The Western world had started to develop upgrades in

military and technological warfare such as rifles, pistols, and cannons.

In 1877 the last of the samurai had gathered under the famous samurai Takamori Saigo.

The Samurai had an open field battle with the Japanese military.

V.S

““The Last Samurai” (cont)The Last Samurai” (cont)

There were 60,000 military troops and only 20,000 Samurai

Because the Samurai only used their swords and arrows they got wiped out by the guns and cannons of the military.

After the battle there was only 300 Samurai left. They ran away and committed Seppuku.

““By the Way of the warrior is meant death. By the Way of the warrior is meant death. The Way of the warrior is death. This The Way of the warrior is death. This

means choosing death whenever there is a means choosing death whenever there is a choice between life and death. It means choice between life and death. It means nothing more than this. It means to see nothing more than this. It means to see

things through, being resolved.”things through, being resolved.”

“Yamamoto Tsunetomo”