For the most part, with their husbands in constant combat, woman remained at home and it as their duty to maintain the household. This meant caring for the children, educating the children, keeping records, dealing with finances, and defending the home. Of course, it was not all “June cleaver” business, for there were a few duties characteristic of the Samurai that women had. For the latter obligation (defending the home), most women wielded a polearm called the naginata, they also wielded a knife called the Kaiken. Woman carried these weapons with them at all times, just as the Samurai carried theirs. A strange duty included cleaning and preparing the decapitated head of the enemy to present to the general.

For woman, there were many traits that had to be upheld, they included humility, obedience, self control, loyalty, and strength. At this time, women were also excluded from political affairs, although that is not to say they were powerless. There were many women at this time period who displayed power. For instance, the wife of Ashikaga Yoshimasa, Hino Tomiko, quickly took his place after he lost interest in politics. There were also woman who presided over their husband decisions.

There are tales also of the perfect Samurai wife. This includes the one of Chiyo, who supposedly saved pennies and pennies by living frugally and making her kimono out of old bits of cloth. She then bought her husband a wonderful steed, helping him tremendously in battle.

At the time, men were attracted o woman of strength, those who “emancipated themselves from the frailty of their sex and displayed a heroic fortitude”. Thus, young woman trained themselves to repress feelings, and master their own weapons. As the years went by, education was also desired among woman. In fact, men would place education as heavy criteria in choosing desirable candidates for marriage. With that said, by he end of the Tokugwa period, nearly every woman in Japan was literate.

Like Samurai, women were also expected to commit Seppuku when the family was dishonored, or she herself had been dishonored. They did not however, commit the act as the men did. They did so in a less painful fashion, they would use their knife to cut the jugular vein in their neck. This was also known as Jigai.

As you can see, although women are not well known in terms of Samurai, they did play a huge role. They were also great fighters, and there were in fact a handful of Woman Samurai.

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To cut to the chase, Seppuku is not a pleasant word, nor does it refer to a pleasant action. Indeed, Seppuku refers to a violent and brutal act of self sacrifice. This term refers to a ritual suicide that was done all too often among Samurai. This ritual suicide became an integral part of the Japanese Bushido code and the discipline of the Samurai Warrior class. Seppuku dates back to the 11th century, and became more prevalent as the years went by.

To begin, the concrete definition of Seppuku, also known as hara kiri, is self-immolation or disembowelment. In crude and literal terms: “Ripping of the abdomen”. At present this act may seem absurd, or disgraceful, but at the time, Samurai viewed it as nothing more than the means of truly preserving honor. In the world of the veraciously proud Samurai, it was admirable for a warrior to realize that he had been defeated, disgraced, or morally wounded, and choose to end his life in a proud way. It meant above all that he (or she) could end life with his/her reputation enhanced.

There were many reasons for a Seppuku, firstly, Samurai preferred to die a noble death over dying at the hand of an enemy. In the case of warriors in battle, most did not perform the traditional seppuku because of their armor. In their case, they simply split the veins at the back of their neck, or fell on their swords. On the other hand many of these suicides were performed on a more formal note.

Seppuku soon became a detailed ritual in the life of the Samurai. The ritual usually went as such; the warrior was bathed, dressed in white robes and seated, either in a garden or a Tatami room. There, three attendants would watch the act and a kaishaku (the one who delivered the final blow i.e.: cutting off the Samurai’s head) would stand by. Once the ritual started, the warrior in ceremonial dress would sit down in front of a raised tray of wood. On the tray lay Japanese paper, the warriors’ favorite meal, and a low cup of Sake. Afterwords, the warrior would begin to compose a “death poem”.

Afterwords a small dais with a bare blade was placed in front of the warrior. The warrior would then slip the shoulder of his garment bellow his knees so that he would not fall in a disgraceful position. Then the warrior would begin the cutting. There were many forms of cutting but the most common was one straight across the stomach. This thus exposes the warrior’s insides (figuratively and literally). Then the warrior would lean forward and the Kaishaku would deliver the final blow.

There were many forms of this suicide including the kanshiin which a warrior would commit the act in protest of a lords decision. Oftentimes, the warrior would cut into his stomach and then bandage the wound. Afterwards, the warrior would make a speech to the lord about how he protests his actions, and then show the wound. Sometimes Seppuku was used as a form of capital punishment for those Samurai who disgraced their name. In such a case, the person would be told of his crime, and given a certain time frame to commit the Seppuku. If the person did not comply, they would often be restrained and executed. In such a case, honor was not brought back, and depending on the seriousness of said crime, the family’s rank cold be completely stripped.

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For Samurai, along with the warrior code of conduct, which included seven basic principles, there were also set regulations that had to be observed. These rules varied with each feudal chief, for they each provided their own code. There was however, a certain degree of uniformity. The rules were similar among all samurai, although there were a few differences.

Below is an example of regulations that each and every Samurai had to observe. These were formulated by General Kato Kiyomasa.

1. Every routine of service must be observed strictly. Military exercises must begin at 6 A.M. Gunnery, Archery, and equestrianism must not be neglected. If any warrior shows greater proficiency than his fellow warriors, he shall receive greater pay.
2. Those warriors who wish for recreation may engage in wrestling, hawing, or deer hunting.
3. In terms of dress, clothing of cotton or pongee (soft and unbleached Japanese silk) may be worn. Any warrior in debt due to extravagance of clothing will be considered a lawbreaker. The only way a warrior will receive extra pay is if he desires to hire instructors in the pursuit of practice in the military arts.
4. The main portion of a warrior’s diet should be rice. At social gatherings, one host for each guest is the limit. The only exception is when men assemble for military exercises; they may dine together.
5. Every Samurai must make himself acquainted with the principles of his craft. Superfluous displays of adornment are forbidden in battle.
6. Dancing and/or organizing dances is unlawful. For the soldier, military amusements alone are suitable. The penalty for violating this provision is death by suicide.
7. Learning should always be encouraged. Military books should be read. Above all, the spirit of loyalty and filial piety must be taught first. Samurai should not engage in poem composing, such amusements are for females. A man born a Samurai must live and die with his sword at hand. Unless this warrior is trained in a time of peace, he will be useless in a time of conflict. The warrior must be brave and warlike at all times.

Whoever finds these rules too severe will be removed from duty. Should any investigation show that a warrior is lacking in qualities worthy of a man, he shall be dismissed immediately. These instructions are imperative for each and every warrior.

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Samurai certainly developed their own culture that was unique to them. They were more then just warriors, they had a unique lifestyle that followed, and in fact you will be surprised at some of the things you learn.

First of all Samurai may not have been the brightest souls in Japan, but they were certainly educated. Yes, Samurai were expected to know how to read and write, they were also encouraged to engage themselves in other arts. Samurai also had a series of different names throughout the course of their lives. All of the names were important to the Samurai in some way. At birth, a Samurai’s given name would stay with him until his coming of age. They were typically strong sounding; you know the “Big and Bad Samurai to be”. For example a common name might have been ‘Victory Forever’, a little bit pretentious yes but these were Samurai. As children Samurai were also given nicknames, for instance the sons might be nicknamed by order of their birth like firstborn: ‘Taro’. As a Samurai came of age, he would be given a name more fitting of him, firing of his character and fighting ability.

In terms of clothing, Samurai typically wore a Kimono and typically consisted of two layers, an outer and inner. There were also winter and summer kimonos, a ceremony would typically be held for the exchanging of summer to winter Kimonos and vice versa. The Kimonos were also plain, and bright or lavishly decorated kimonos were seen as foolish and immodest. This was the opposite however for women in Samurai families as well as young children. Beneath the kimono, a loincloth was worn. Socks were also worn and were called tabi, they were made to separate the first toe form the rest, in order to wear sandals. And yes, Samurai typically wore sandals, and sometimes clogs. There were also special raincoats that Samurai wore, they were made out of straw and are called Kappa. To top it all off, Samurai wore obi, a belt, in order to secure their swords in place at their waist. Hairstyle was also important for Samurai, and it was typically a topknot. This consisted of oiled hair that was slicked back and tied tightly at the top.

Of course, in terms of food, the main dish was rice. Rice was actually seen as food for the wealthy. Typically peasants ate millet. For Samurai, a daily portion of rice would be about 900 grams. Besides rice, potatoes, radishes, beans, cucumbers, yams, various nuts, peaches, apples, and several other foods were also eaten. More importantly fish served as a huge supply of food. Drinking wise, it is of no surprise that Sake was extremely popular, although, we must not forget tea.

When Samurai were to be married a person of higher rank or equal would arrange the marriage. They would typically choose women from a Samurai family. Although, Lower ranked Samurai were allowed to marry commoners. Samurai were also surprisingly allowed to divorce their wives given certain conditions. They had to obtain approval from someone of higher rank. Divorces were though, rare and a typical reason for divorce could be: the wife could not produce viable offspring. A better solution for this though, would have been adoption. Surprisingly also, women could divorce their husbands too, in the end however, it would appear as if the Samurai had divorced her.

And so that is how the culture of Samurai was, unique, and altogether interesting. But then again, what is there about Samurai that is not interesting?

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Bushido derived from both Buddhism and Shintoism. There are seven important principals that can summarize Bushido. Although simple, they were each and every one of them, absolutely essential for these warriors.

Gi: this refers to rectitude, or justice. It is the power of deciding upon a certain course of conduct in accordance with reason, and without wavering; that is to die when it is right to die, to strike when it is right to strike. This principle also held the warriors responsible for choosing at all times, the correct decision from the heart rather than from the mind.

Yu: this referred to courage and bravery. “Courage is doing what is right” That is, a warrior’s bravery came after rectitude, and courage was only courage when the warriors were doing what was right. This last part was very important, for if a warrior died for a cause that was unworthy of death, it was known as a “dog’s death”.

Jin: This referred to benevolence, love, and magnanimity. This was an extreme virtue. The warrior had to display love and commission, and a stone heart made for a terrible samurai. The warrior had to “show universal love to all mankind” or he was not truly a warrior.

Rei: this referred to courtesy, etiquette, and urbanity of manners. This principle was extremely important, as the samurai believed that it was better for one to die than be impolite. The warrior had to be polite and courteous at all times.

Makoto: this referred to honesty, veracity, sincerity, and truthfulness. There is nothing worse that a dishonest warrior. “Sincerity is in the end and the beginning of all tings, without sincerity there would be nothing.” The warrior had to be honorable in thought, word, and deed, always.

Meiyo: This referred to honor, pride, and glory. There are no better words to characterize the Samurai, these characteristics stood out above all because Samurai were born and bred to value the duties and privileges of their profession. The Samurai had to display glory without ego, and promised to be honorable in thought word and deed.

Chugo: This referred to the Samurai duty of Loyalty and devotion. Samurai displayed complete loyalty to their lords. Life for the Samurai was regarded as a means to serve a lord, and everything (education, and training) were conducted accordingly Warriors had to be loyal to any superiors.

These are the seven principles that made up the whole of Bushido. These are also the virtues that a samurai must have and display daily. In he simplest terms, this was the “Way of the Warrior”. This, in retrospect, defeats the perception that “warriors do nothing but fight”. It proves on the other hand, that warriors led a notably moral and honest life.

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It is an almost guaranteed fact that, those who are viewing this website have watched Japanese action movies of some sort. In fact, you were so intrigued by the unique, powerful, and breathtaking fighting styles that you simply wanted to know more. Or maybe, you were interested in a specific type of Japanese combat. That said, this website focuses specifically on Japanese Bushido. Which by the way is not simply a form of combat, no it is much more complex, for Japanese Bushido is a way of life a code of conduct; a warriors code.

In literal terms, Japanese Bushido refers to the “Way of the Warrior”, and originates from the Samurai warrior code. Yes, Bushido is just another way of saying Samurai, which is a warrior class. This way of life stresses martial arts mastery, loyally, frugality, and most importantly honor until death. Its origins date back to the 9th century, and in fact evidence has even shown that Bushido was probably around at the time of the earliest recorded literature in Japan.

Samurai had exceptional skills with the bow and sword, and could have also killed with their bare hands; no one dared to threaten them. Which was why, these Samurai became the ruling class of Japan that is until their later decline. Needless to say, these warriors were tough; they would fight to the death and had no fear. Death was even looked highly upon, for it meant family honor. Away from the battlefield the Samurai led a distinguished way of life. They were forever loyal to the emperor and were extremely trustworthy. They also cared little for material things and money, although they cared deeply about pride.

On the battlefield, these warriors would shout out their name and rank and wait for another warrior to do battle. This battle, would most likely be one on one, for these Bushido preferred single battles. After a battle, there is always a “clear” victor. That is because, the Samurai fight to the death, and they don’t even stop there. Afterwards, the victor slays the head of the defeated Samurai and takes it back to the capital to “show off” and have valid proof of his victory. On the other hand, if a Samurai was defeated, the only way to die “honorably” would be to commit suicide. Although, this was no normal suicide, it was known as seppuku. This was a ritual suicide that was a natural part of the Bushido. It involved for the most part, performing a Hara Kiri which literally meant stomach cutting. This act was seen as a much better alternative to dying at the hands of an enemy because it signified continued honor instead of disgrace. This practice was of course made illegal, however it still continued. In fact it continues to this day, in general Japanese have a very large sense of pride, and still believe in Suicide over disgrace. That is way, to date; Japan has the largest suicide rate in the world.

Although Samurai no longer exist, their legend still lives on. Even now, many still look to the way of the Bushido. They believe that the way of the Bushido is honorable and disciplined one. By the way, just as a reference the Bushido virtues went as such :

Gi - Rectitude
Yu - Courage
Jin - Benevolence
Rei - Respect
Shin - Honesty/Trust
Meiyo - Honor
Chugi Loyalty

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