Japan is a country of brave samurai and brave shoguns. The whole world knows about the valor and courage of Japanese warriors. Samurai is an integral part of Japanese culture, its distinctive symbol. The loyalty and discipline of the samurai could be the envy of any warrior.

Who are they, servants of their state, desperate warriors or masters of their land?

Samurai means "warrior" in Japanese. This word also has several other meanings - “serve”, “support”, “servant”, “vassal” and “subordinate”. That is, a samurai is a warrior who serves his state and fiercely defends it.

From ancient Japanese chronicles it is known that the samurai was a nobleman (nothing to do with European nobles). They were not only engaged in military operations. IN Peaceful time samurai served the highest princes and were their bodyguards.

History of the Samurai

The first samurai appeared in Japan at the beginning of the 12th century. At that time, the state was ruled by the brave shogun Minamoto. These were quite peaceful times, so the number of samurai was relatively small. Warriors took an active part in peaceful life - they grew rice, raised children, and taught martial arts.

During the reign of the great Japanese clan of Tokugawa shoguns, the number of samurai almost tripled. They probably served their shogun, owned considerable land plots. Under Tokugawa, these warriors were considered the most prosperous people.

During the time of the Tokugawa, a large set of samurai laws was published. The main one was considered the law "Bushido". It said that a warrior must unconditionally obey his master and boldly look death in the face. In addition, the samurai was endowed with the right to kill with impunity an ordinary peasant who was unacceptably rude to the soldiers. In times of peace, the samurai, it is true, served their shogun, and sometimes took part in the suppression of peasant revolts.

There were also such samurai who eventually moved into the class of ronin. Ronin are former warriors who got rid of vassalage. Such samurai lived like ordinary people: conducted trade, handicraft and agricultural activities.

Many samurai became shinobi. Shinobi are assassins for hire, a kind of ninja.

In the middle of the 18th century, the disintegration of the samurai class began. During this period, the Japanese bourgeoisie began to actively progress. Trade, craft and manufactory flourished. Many samurai were forced to borrow money from moneylenders. The situation of the samurai became unbearable. Their role for the country has become incomprehensible even to themselves. Some tried to adapt to peaceful life, many hit the religion. Others became traders, artisans and farmers. And the samurai - the rebels - were simply killed, finally undermining their will and spirit.

The upbringing and development of the samurai

The upbringing of a samurai is a complex, multi-level process. The formation of a warrior began with early years. From childhood, the sons of the samurai knew that they were the successors of their kind and reliable guardians. family customs and traditions.

Every evening, before going to bed, the child was told about the history and courage of the samurai, about their exploits. The stories gave examples when the legendary samurai boldly looked death in the face. Thus, courage and valor were instilled in the child from childhood.

An important aspect of samurai education was the Bushido technique. She introduced the concept of seniority, the main thing in the family. From an early age, boys were taught that a man is the head of the family, and only he can determine the direction of his child's activities. Other Japanese technique Iemoto - taught boys discipline and behavior. The technique was purely theoretical.

In addition, boys from childhood were accustomed to severe trials. Taught various martial arts, pain tolerance, mastery own body the ability to obey. Developed willpower, the ability to overcome even the most severe life situations. There were times when boys were given endurance tests. To do this, they were raised at dawn and sent to a cold, unheated room. There they were closed and not fed for a long time. Some fathers forced their sons to go to the cemetery at night. So they instilled in the boys the courage of a valiant warrior. Others took their sons to executions, forced them to do backbreaking work, to walk without shoes in the snow, to spend several nights without sleep.

At the age of 5, the boy was given a bokken. Bokken is a samurai sword. Since then, began learning the art of fencing. Besides, future warrior he had to be able to swim perfectly, stay in the saddle perfectly, be literate in writing, literature and history. The boys were taught self-defense lessons - jiu-jitsu. In addition, they were taught music, philosophy and crafts.

At the age of 15, the boy turned into a valiant samurai.

Perhaps, the whole world knows about Japanese samurai. They are sometimes compared with European knights, but this comparison is not entirely accurate. From Japanese, the word "samurai" is translated as "a person who serves." Medieval samurai were for the most part noble and fearless fighters, fighting against enemies with katanas and other weapons. But when did they appear, how did they live in different periods of Japanese history, and what rules did they follow? All this in our article.

The origin of the samurai as a class

Samurai appeared as a result of the Taika reforms that started in the Land of the Rising Sun in 646. These reforms can be called the largest socio-political transformations in history ancient japan which were conducted under the leadership of Prince Naka no Oe.

A great impetus to strengthen the samurai was given by Emperor Kammu at the beginning of the ninth century. This emperor turned to the existing regional clans for help in the war against the Ainu - another people who lived on the islands of the Japanese archipelago. Ainu, by the way, are now only a few tens of thousands left.

In the X-XII centuries, in the process of "showdowns" of the feudal lords, influential families were formed. They had their own fairly substantial military detachments, whose members were only nominally in the service of the emperor. In fact, every major feudal lord then needed well-trained professional warriors. They became samurai. During this period, the foundations of the unwritten samurai code "The Way of the Bow and Horse" were formed, which later transformed into a clear set of rules "The Way of the Warrior" ("Bushido").


Samurai in the era of the Minamoto shogunate and in the Edo era

The final formation of the samurai as a special privileged class occurred, according to most researchers, during the reign of the Minamoto house in the Land of the Rising Sun (this is the period from 1192 to 1333). The accession of the Minamoto was preceded by a civil war between the feudal clans. The very course of this war created the prerequisites for the emergence of the shogunate - a form of government with a shogun (that is, a military leader) at the head.

After the victory over the Taira clan, Minamoto no Yoritomo forced the emperor to give him the title of shogun (thus he became the first shogun), and he made the small settlement of Kamakura fishermen his own residence. Now the shogun was the most powerful person in the country: a samurai of the highest rank and chief minister at the same time. Of course, the official power in the Japanese state belonged to the emperor, and the court also had some influence. But the position of the court and the emperor still could not be called dominant - for example, the emperor was constantly forced to follow the instructions of the shogun, otherwise he would be forced to abdicate.

Yoritomo established new organ administration of Japan, called the "field rate". Like the shogun himself, almost all of his ministers were samurai. As a result, the principles of the samurai class spread to all areas of Japanese society.


Minomoto no Yorimoto - the first shogun and the highest ranking samurai of the late 12th century

It is believed that the "golden age" of samurai was the period from the first shogun to civil war Onin (1467–1477). On the one hand, it was a fairly peaceful period, on the other hand, the number of samurai was relatively small, which allowed them to have a good income.

Then, in the history of Japan, a period of many internecine wars began, in which the samurai took an active part.


In the middle of the 16th century, there was a feeling that the empire, shaken by conflicts, would forever fall apart into separate parts, but the daimyo (prince) from the island of Honshu, Oda Nobunaga, managed to start the process of unification of the state. This process was long, and only in 1598 was true autocracy established. Tokugawa Ieyasu became the ruler of Japan. He chose the city of Edo (now Tokyo) as his residence and became the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate, which ruled for more than 250 years (this era is also called the Edo era).

With the coming to power of the Tokugawa house, the samurai class increased significantly - almost every fifth Japanese became a samurai. Since internal feudal wars are a thing of the past, samurai military units at this time were used mainly to suppress peasant uprisings.


The most senior and important samurai were the so-called hatamoto - the direct vassals of the shogun. However, the bulk of the samurai performed the duties of daimyo vassals, and most often they did not have land, but received some kind of salary from their master. At the same time, they had quite a lot of privileges. For example, Tokugawa law allowed a samurai to kill a “commoner” who behaves indecently on the spot without any consequences.

There is a misconception that all samurai were fairly wealthy people. But it's not. Already under the Tokugawa shogunate, there were poor samurai who lived little better than ordinary peasants. And in order to feed their families, some of them still had to cultivate the land.


Education and code of the samurai

Raising future samurai, they tried to instill indifference to death, physical pain and fear, the cult of respect for elders and loyalty to one's master. The mentor and the family, first of all, focused on the formation of the character of the young man who embarked on this path, developed in him courage, endurance and patience. The character was developed by reading stories about the exploits of heroes who glorified themselves as samurai of the past, watching the corresponding theatrical performances.

Sometimes the father ordered the future warrior in order for him to become bolder, to go alone to the cemetery or to another “bad” place. It was practiced by teenagers to visit public executions, they were also sent to inspect the bodies and heads of dead criminals. Moreover, the young man, the future samurai, was obliged to leave a special sign that would prove that he was not shirking, but really was here. Often, future samurai were forced to perform hard work, spend sleepless nights, walk barefoot in winter, etc.


It is known for certain that the samurai were not only fearless, but also very educated people. In the Bushido code, which was already mentioned above, it was said that a warrior must improve himself by any means. And so the samurai did not shy away from poetry, painting and ikebana, they did mathematics, calligraphy, and held tea ceremonies.

Zen Buddhism also had a huge influence on the samurai class. It came from China and spread throughout Japan at the end of the 12th century. Samurai Zen Buddhism as a religious movement seemed very attractive, as it contributed to the development of self-control, will and composure. In any situation, without unnecessary thoughts and doubts, the samurai had to go straight at the enemy, without looking back or to the side, in order to destroy him.


Another interesting fact: according to Bushido, the samurai was obliged to fulfill the orders of his master unquestioningly. And even if he ordered to commit suicide or go with a detachment of ten people against a thousandth army, this had to be done. By the way, the feudal lords sometimes gave the order to the samurai to go to certain death, to fight an outnumbered enemy, just to get rid of him. But one should not think that the samurai never passed from master to master. This often happened during skirmishes between petty feudal lords.

The worst thing for a samurai was to lose honor and cover himself with shame in battle. It was said of such people that they were not even worthy of death. Such a warrior wandered around the country and tried to earn money as an ordinary mercenary. Their services were used in Japan, but they were treated with disdain.

One of the most shocking things associated with samurai is the hara-kiri or seppuku ritual. A samurai had to commit suicide if he was unable to follow Bushido or was captured by enemies. And the seppuku ritual was seen as an honorable way to die. It is interesting that the components of this ritual were a solemn bathing, a meal with the most favorite food, writing the last poem - tanka. And next to the samurai performing the ritual was always present faithful comrade, who at some point had to cut off his head in order to end the torment.

Appearance, weapons and armor of the samurai

What medieval samurai looked like is reliably known from many sources. For many centuries they appearance almost did not change. Most often, samurai walked in wide trousers, resembling a skirt in cut, with a tuft of hair on their heads, called motodori. For this hairstyle, the forehead was shaved bald, and the remaining hair was braided into a knot and fixed at the crown.


As far as weapons are concerned, long history samurai used different types of it. Initially, the main weapon was a thin short sword called chokuto. Then the samurai switched to curved swords, which eventually transformed into katanas known all over the world today. In the Bushido code, it was said that the soul of a samurai is enclosed in his katana. And it is not surprising that this sword was considered the most important attribute of a warrior. As a rule, katanas were used in tandem with daisho, a short copy of the main sword (daisho, by the way, only samurai had the right to wear - that is, it was an element of status).

In addition to swords, samurai also used bows, because with the development of military affairs, personal courage, the ability to fight the enemy in close combat, began to mean much less. And when gunpowder appeared in the 16th century, bows gave way to firearms and cannons. For example, flintlock guns called tanegashima were popular in the Edo period.


On the battlefield, samurai dressed in special armor - armor. This armor was luxuriously decorated, looked somewhat ridiculous, but at the same time, each part of it had its own specific function. The armor was both strong and flexible, allowing the wearer to move freely on the battlefield. Armor was made of metal plates tied together with leather and silk laces. The arms were protected by rectangular shoulder shields and armored sleeves. Sometimes on right hand such a sleeve was not worn to make it easier to fight.

An integral element of the armor was Kabuto's helmet. Its bowl-shaped part was made of metal plates connected with rivets. An interesting feature This helmet is the presence of a balaclava (exactly like Darth Vader from Star Wars). It protected the neck of the owner from possible blows of swords and arrows. Along with helmets, samurai sometimes wore gloomy Mengu masks to intimidate the enemy.


In general, this combat vestment was very effective, and the United States Army, as experts say, created the first bulletproof vests just on the basis of medieval Japanese armor.

The sunset of the samurai class

The beginning of the collapse of the samurai class is due to the fact that the daimyo no longer needed large personal detachments of warriors, as was the case during the period of feudal fragmentation. As a result, many samurai were left out of work, turned into ronin (samurai without a master) or ninja - secret assassins-mercenaries.


And by the middle of the eighteenth century, the process of extinction of the samurai class of samurai began to go even faster. The development of manufactories and the strengthening of the position of the bourgeoisie led to a gradual degeneration (primarily economic) of the samurai. More and more samurai fell into debt with moneylenders. Many of the warriors changed their qualifications and turned into ordinary merchants and farmers. In addition, the samurai became participants and organizers of various schools of martial arts, the tea ceremony, engraving, Zen philosophy, and belles-lettres - this was how the heightened craving of these people for traditional Japanese culture was expressed.

After the Meiji bourgeois revolution of 1867-1868, the samurai, like other feudal classes, were officially abolished, but for some time they retained their privileged position.


Those samurai who even under the Tokugawa actually owned the land, after agrarian reforms 1872-1873, legally secured their rights to it. In addition, the ranks of officials, army and navy officers, etc. were replenished with former samurai.

And in 1876, the famous "Decree on the prohibition of swords" was issued in Japan. It expressly forbade the carrying of traditional edged weapons, and this ultimately "finished off" the samurai. Over time, they have become just a part of history, and their traditions - an element of the unique Japanese flavor.

Documentary film "Times and Warriors. Samurai.

Anyone who has heard of Japan, probably heard about samurai. Samurai were a group warriors who were known for their ferocity and loyalty. They have an indelible place in the history of Japan, having shaped the civilization. Samurai are symbols Japanese culture, and a code of honor is rooted in them. Here is a list of the 10 greatest samurai warriors in history.

10. Shimazu Yoshihisa

One of the most famous military leaders of the period Sengoku, Shimazu Yoshihisa, was from the province Satsuma. For some time he was married to his aunt. He launched a campaign to unify Kyushu and he had many victories. His clan ruled a large part of Kyushu for many years, but was eventually defeated. Toyotomi Hideyoshi. After defeat Yoshihisa is believed to have retired and become Buddhist monk. He died a peaceful death.

9. Date Masamune

Known for its proximity to violence And lack of mercy, Lady Masamune was one of the most feared warriors of his era. Having lost his right eye as a child to smallpox, he had to go to great lengths to be recognized. fighter. After a series of defeats in the early days, he slowly built his reputation and became one of the most effective warriors that time. When his father was kidnapped by his clan's enemies, Masamunne responded by killing everyone and his father during the mission. He later served Toyotomi Hideyoshi And Tokugawa Ieyasu.

8 Uesugi Kenshin

Known as Dragon Ehigo, Kenshin was a fierce warrior and clan leader Nagao. He was known for his rivalry with Takeda Shingen. They fought each other for many years, dueling several times. He was also one of the military leaders who resisted the campaigns Odes of Nobunaga. He was a respected commander. Exist various stories associated with the cause of his death.

7. Tokugawa Ieyasu

Initially an ally Odes of Nobunaga and his successor Toyotomi HideyoshiTokugawa Ieyasu wielded more brains than a sword. After death Hideyoshi he gathered the enemies of the clan Toyotomi and fought against them, for power. He won toyotomisa V Battle of Sekigahara in 1600 and became the first Togugawan shogun in 1603. Tokugawa Shogunate opened new era peace in Japan and ruled until 1868.

6. Hattori Hanzo

clan leader yoke, Hattori Hanzo was one of the rare samurai who were also ninja warriors. He was a faithful servant Tokugawa Ieyasu who saved his master from death several times. His main weapon was a spear. In his senior years, Hanzo became a Buddhist monk. He is one of the most famous warriors in Japanese pop culture and has inspired many warriors.

5. Takeda Shingen

Often called tiger kai, Takeda Shingen was a fearsome warrior as well as a poet. He fought in numerous battles. In the fourth battle Kawanakajime he met his rival Uesugi Kenshina in a one on one fight. He was one of the few warriors who were successful with respect to Odes to Nobunaga and were able to stop him. However, Shingen died under mysterious circumstances in 1573, after which Nobunaga consolidated power.

4. Honda Tadakatsu

Also known as "The Warrior Who Surpassed Death" , Honda Tadakatsu was one of the most violent warriors created by Japan. One of the four kings Tokugawa, he participated in more than a hundred battles, and was not defeated in any of them. His main weapon was a spear known as dragonfly cutter, which caused fear in every opponent. Tadakatsu fought in the decisive battle of Sekigahara which led to a new era in Japanese history.

3. Miyamoto Musashi

The most famous samurai warrior for many years, Miyamoto Musashi was one of the greatest swordsmen who ever lived in Japan. His first duel was aged 13 years. He fought in the battle between the clan toyotomi against the clan Tokugawa, on the side of Toyotomi, would eventually be defeated. He later traveled around Japan, winning over 60 duels and never losing. Musashi's most famous duel took place in 1612, in which he fought a master swordsman. Sasaki Kojiro and killed him. In later years, he spent more time writing and wrote The Book of Five Rings, which details various methods sword fighting. Kyoto and laid the foundation unification of japan. He used firearms in battles, a new weapon at the time. His death was caused by the betrayal of one of his own generals, Akechi Mitsuhide who set fire to the temple in which he rested. However, Nobunaga committed suicide, a more honorable way to die.

The samurai caste ruled Japan for many centuries. Warriors upper class, famous for their ferocity and loyalty to their overlord, they have become an integral part of the history and culture of the whole country. The samurai code is partly observed by the Japanese today. These unsurpassed fighters made the country rising sun the way he sees her modern world.


Date Masamune
Known for his love of violence, Data Masamune was one of the most feared warriors of his era. Blinded in one eye as a child, the young man was forced to make every effort to gain recognition as a full-fledged fighter. The reputation of a bold and cunning military leader Data Masamune received by defeating the clan of his opponents, after which he transferred to the service of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu.


Uesugi Kenshin
Kenshin, aka dragon Echigo, was a fierce warrior and leader of the Nagao clan. He was known for his rivalry with the Takeda Shingen, and supported Oda Nobunaga's military campaign. Kenshin was considered not only a brave fighter, but also an unsurpassed commander.


Tokugawa Ieyasu
The great Tokugawa Ieyasu was originally an ally of Oda Nobunaga. After the death of Nobunaga's successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Ieyasu gathered his own army and started a long, bloody war. As a result, in 1600 he established the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate, which lasted until 1868.


Hattori Hanzo
The leader of the Iga clan, Hattori Hanzō was one of those rare samurai who were trained as ninja warriors. He was a loyal servant of Tokugawa Ieyasu and saved his master from certain death several times. Having grown old, Hanzo became a Buddhist monk and ended his days in a monastery.


Honda Tadakatsu
He was nicknamed "the warrior who conquered death." During his life, Tadakatsu took part in hundreds of battles and was not defeated in any of them. Honda's favorite blade was the legendary Dragonfly spear, which inspired fear in the enemy. It was Tadakatsu who led one of the detachments in the decisive battle of Sekigahara, which led to a new era in the history of Japan.


Miyamoto Musashi
Miyamoto Musashi was one of Japan's greatest swordsmen. Musashi held his first duel at the age of 13: he fought on the side of the Toyotomi clan against the Tokugawa clan. Miyamoto spent most of his life traveling around the country, meeting with great masters in deadly fights. At the end life path the great warrior wrote a treatise on the Five Rings, describing in detail the technique of wielding a sword.


Shimazu Yoshihisa
One of the most famous warlords of the Sengoku period, Shimazu Yoshihisa was from the province of Satsuma. Shimazu sought to unify Kyushu and won many victories. The general's clan ruled most of the island for for long years, but was eventually defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Shimazu Yoshihisa himself became a Buddhist monk and died in a monastery.