Search results
Oct 14, 2023 · The samurai's identity was moulded by the tactics, customs and philosophies pertaining to war. It was their duty to serve their warlord, especially in battle where a glorious death was to be longed for.
- Orders For War
- Armour and Equipment
- Preparing The Troops
- Gathering Information
- Encampment
- The Field of Battle
- Post-Battle Ceremony
- Returning Home
- About The Historical Texts
The samurai tended to live on the land of which they were overlords, maintaining their own martial family traditions – such as castle building, gunnery, cavalry and even a mixture of astronomy and astrology – while awaiting orders for war. Upon receipt of such orders, the samurai would proceed from their fortified manor houses, flying their persona...
Samurai armour had to be attuned with the five Taoist elements: wood, fire, earth, metal and water. Helmet type, the colour of laces and plates, the bamboo banner pole, and even the colour of the horse had to be in unison with the ‘Cycle of Creation’ in the theory of the five elements – and not in a ‘Cycle of Destruction’. Thus, a colour that repre...
Esoteric tacticians called gunbaisha debated the most auspicious day for the army of samurai to leave, each arguing that his own family system was correct. As the factions within the samurai army jostled for positions of power, rules of obedience – such as no raping or theft – were set in place; rewards of land or gold were outlined; words of weakn...
By this point, ninja – the samurai army’s Special Forces – had already returned with detailed maps of the area, as well as information about the enemy generals (such as their crests, family connections and signatures). Some will have stayed within the enemy area to be hired as mercenaries in order to attack the enemy population from within, if need...
Each night the army would arrive at an area already marked out with flags, where they erected marquee-like tents with pre-made detachable poles and waterproofed paper roofs. A virtual town was created, complete with paths and restricted areas, all encompassed by banks and ditches outside a bamboo wall. As darkness fell, the camp torches were lit an...
After a prolonged shadowing, during which the samurai army and the enemy army each tried to gain the upper hand, the forces would meet. Now the samurai had to control their retainers as the “wave of fear” – as they called it – passed over their men. Once settled, the forces arranged themselves on the battlefield – foot soldiers and archers to the f...
Inside the command centre was the ‘turret of arrival’, a place where the lead secretary – an important man – recorded the deeds, the dead, the injuries, and enemy heads in separate ledgers. Care was taken lest he incorrectly recorded who took the first head, so candidates who claimed this honour were interviewed and their stories checked, with time...
When the war was over, the army returned home. Promises kept were rewarded, wealth gained was distributed, promotions were given, new land was settled, wives and children were greeted, the dead were mourned and celebrations and ceremonies were had by all. The gods were praised, for victory had been achieved. Antony Cummins is the author of Samurai ...
This guide is based on a work by Natori Sanjūrō Masazumi, who is well known in the samurai history community, primarily for his 'Shoninki', or 'True Path of the Ninja' – one of the most reliable records about the famous Japanese spies. His incredibly detailed military study manuals, written around the 1670s and until very recently lost on library s...
- Rachel Dinning
He had served Fujiwara no Tadahira as a young man, but eventually won a power struggle within the Taira clan and became a powerful figure in the Kanto region. In 939, Fujiwara no Haruaki, a powerful figure in the Hitachi province, fled to Masakado.
Jul 5, 2019 · Samurai were employed by feudal lords (daimyo) for their martial skills in order to defend the lord's territories against rivals, to fight enemies identified by the government, and battle with hostile tribes and bandits. For this reason, samurai could live in barracks, in a castle or in their own private homes.
- Mark Cartwright
- Samurai were an elite class of Japanese warriors who performed military service for nobles. They were well-trained and highly skilled at riding hor...
- Many samurai, especially the highest levels of the class, fought to the death. If they were in danger of being captured they often killed themselve...
- Ronin, meaning 'wanderer' or 'masterless warrior', was a term applied to samurai who could not find regular military service. Ronin were particular...
- Samurai do not exist today, this class of Japanese warriors was formally abolished in 1876.
Mar 9, 2021 · Young samurai were apprenticed to archery masters who taught them mental and physical techniques. Samurai practiced until they could shoot accurately without thinking. They also learned to breathe properly and to shoot at their enemies while riding on the back of a galloping horse.
May 18, 2014 · Adachi Masahiro (1780-1800): The imperturbable mind is the secret of warfare. And, of course, the man probably considered the greatest samurai of them all, Miyamoto Musashi, in his classic, The...
People also ask
Why did samurai fight?
Why do samurai live in barracks?
How did samurai gain power in Japan?
Who is a samurai in Japan?
Aug 18, 2024 · What does samurai mean? The term samurai was originally used to denote Japan ’s aristocratic warriors ( bushi ), but it came to apply to all the members of the country’s warrior class who rose to power in the 12th century and dominated the Japanese government until the Meiji Restoration in 1868.
