...The Last Samurai – Traditional and Modern Economies A traditional economy is an economic system that relies on a strong social network and is based on primitive methods and tools, whereas a modern economy relies on production, exchange, distribution, and consumption of goods. In the film, The Last Samurai, western Japan fights against the rebelling Samurai who do not wish to modernize and rid of their traditions. The vast differences between a traditional and modern economy are shown throughout the film as both civilizations express different means of production, military capabilities and cultural values. The reign of Emperor Meiji was one of the most revolutionary eras in Japanese history as Japan underwent dramatic changes in its government, economy, and culture. The nation opened its doors to the west and embraced a new world of cultural influences. Japan was transformed into an agrarian society with an industrialized economy and a strict military regime. Revolutionized Japan created modern weaponry such as guns and automatic weapons that were made in industrial factories. Instead of carrying goods using horses, Japan modernized using wagons and trains which made transportation of goods more rapid and efficient. In the film, we can see the paved streets and buildings of western Japan, the use of modern clothing, and advanced military technology. Conversely, the Samurai represent a traditional economy by their use of weapons, transportation, and cultural...
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...BOOK ONE A Samurai must become one who is permanently dead. Basically this is saying being a warrior means that if one is faced with the option of life or death the person quickly chooses death.They trust in Bushido that their death is decided by fate and only when the time comes they will be faced with death. Borrow from the wisdom of the past. There will be no excuses that can be taken seriously if you borrow from the wisdom of our elders and of the past, because no matter what circumstances you fall into there has been a person faced with your dilemma and you can learn from the mistakes or decisions. Commit than never waiver. If your mind is set to do something or to accomplish a task and a plan is thought out do not hesitate to do what you believe is right and your instincts will take over as a warrior and the goal will be accomplished. BOOK TWO Never forget the fundamentals. Those who work hard at the practice out of love and passion for what they do tend to get puffed up with pride failing to remember the fundamentals and must stop all extraneous thoughts. There is no better way than to die in battle. As a warrior you must commit yourself to being faced with wars and countless battles you must not wither in the sight of death but race towards it as you are running towards heaven and fight like you are in the presence of God. Right now is that crucial moment and that crucial moment is now. one must treat the present as if this...
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...l The History of the Japanese Samurai and Sword Brandon Stepka SOCI306 The history of the Japanese samurai and sword has always been an interesting topic to me. I will not only be discussing the correlations between the two, but also the evolution of each. Along with that, I will be expanding upon how the Japanese sword was created, how it became popular, and lastly, how it is link to Japanese culture. I would now like to start by giving you a background of the Japanese samurai. The Japanese warrior, also known as the samurai, appeared during the Heian Period (794-1185). They initially started out as warriors and protectors for wealthy landowners. This is partially where the name ‘samurai’ came about, meaning “those who serve”. The samurai truly began to grow during the Kamakura period, where the “establishment of the Kamakura Shogunate, a hereditary military dictatorship, shifted all real political power in Japan to the samurai.” This power was forged by leader Minamoto Yoritomo, who pushed vigorously to establish a high social status for the samurai. Without the acknowledgement of Yoritomo, you would not be considered a samurai; he had the final say. Now that I have given you some basic history of the samurai, I would like to give you some interesting facts that I found to be very cool. First, the Japanese samurai’s would burn incense into their helmets before battle, because of the possibility their heads would be cut off it would not smell. This...
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...Samurai Warrior Few countries have a warrior tradition as long and exciting as Japan. It is a tradition found in the Samurai, the loyal and self-sacrificing knight of ancient Japan. The Samurai is a valiant warrior who can both appreciate the beauty of nature in that of a rose blossom but will also kill or die for his master in an instant. This well-rounded warrior was the ruling class of Japan for almost seven hundred years. He fought for control of his country and to keep Japan free from outside influences. (Turnbull 1) This aristocratic warrior class arose during the 12th century wars between the Taira and Minamoto clans and was consolidated in the Tokugawa period. Samurai were privileged to wear two swords, and at one time had the right to cut down any commoner who offended them. They cultivated the martial virtues, indifference to pain or death, and unfailing loyalty to their overlords. Samurai were the dominant group in Japan. Under the Tokugawa shogunate, the samurai were removed from direct control of the villages, moved into the domain castle towns, and given government stipends. They were encouraged to take up bureaucratic posts. The Hagakure, has been dubbed the book of the samurai. It was written after a century of peace around 1716. It came to be the guide of samurai ethics until the end of the feudal period. Its short passages reflect and outline the qualities that make a samurai. Yamamoto Tsunetomo expresses in the hagakure the framework and mindset of being...
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...makes a Japanese Samurai? * The samurai (or bushi) were the warriors of premodern Japan. They later made up the ruling military class that eventually became the highest ranking social caste of the Edo Period (1603-1867). Samurai employed a range of weapons such as bows and arrows, spears and guns, but their main weapon and symbol was the sword. * Samurai were supposed to lead their lives according to the ethic code of bushido ("the way of the warrior"). Strongly Confucian in nature, bushido stressed concepts such as loyalty to one's master, self discipline and respectful, ethical behavior. Many samurai were also drawn to the teachings and practices of Zen Buddhism. * What are the roles/responsibilities/missions of a Samurai? * The samurai embraced self-discipline, mindfulness, ethics and intelligence. They were known for their katanas, or samurai swords, which symbolized the brave soul of a warrior. Not only were they skilled in war, but they also came into political power and protected the land. They promoted literacy in Japanese culture. They also promoted Zen Buddhism and meditation, which gave them philosophical strength in battle. Samurai art styles also impacted Japanese art as they often produced ink paintings, rock gardens and poetry, such as haikus. Some samurai even became monks. How it is considered as an Art? * Samurai is considered as an art because there’s a meaning behind every skill. For example, Taira Tadanori. A samurai who demonstrate that...
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...One fact is that the samurai and knights lived by a strict code. They also had many similarities and differences. For starters they both wore protective armour and were skilled in combat. Another similarity is that they went through a strict training process that started when they were young. Some differences between the two were that the samurai originated in japan and the knights were brought up in europe. Another difference is what there armor is made up of. Samurai and Knights have many similarities and differences. Two similarities are that they are both skilled in combat and wear armour. The samurai were trained in archery and are skilled in martial arts and to ride on horseback. The knights are similar they train in martial arts and...
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...the late 400 the conditions that led to the development of feudalism in western europe and japan were that the roman empire fell then divided among weak kingdoms. Were the samurai and knights similarities greater than differences? The similarities between samurai and knights were greater, than the differences. This can be shown by looking at three areas social problems, training and armor, and code of honor, life, and death. The first area of important similarities was social problems. According to Document A social order in feudal Japan and Europe were very similar. In Japan they had emperor, shogun, daimyo, samurai, peasant farmers, Artisans, trade people, and merchants. The social order in...
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...Tyler Ellis History Dr. Gregory Moore September 24, 2014 Through the life of the legendary samurai Taira no Masakado we experience the constant Japanese Civilization struggle of a peaceful controlling throughout the nation. And throughout the struggles of Taira no Masakado we see how the circumstances that he was brought into caused such a being to become one of the most fearsome warriors the country has ever known. To go into the question of if I believe Masakado was a hero or a rebel I believe he was both. Growing up his family lived north of the Kanto plain, in the Toyoda and Sashima districts of Shimosa. He grew up in horse ranching territory, which horses were seen as a high valued item then. After taking over the land that his family had by blood it would come to think that at some point he would get attacked. While heading back home Masakado was ambushed by Minamoto no Tasuku near the borders of Hitachi, Shimozuke, Musashi, and Shimōsa, a place called Nomoto. The ambush and the events that happen during it spark off a series of events that will soon determine Taira no Masakado’s fate. With this being said I’d like to point out that if he hadn’t gotten ambushed it would have never caused such an issue. First off the Emperor in Kyoto did not do much, leaving power in the hands of landowners and provincial governors, most of whom had private armies. Only so they could more efficiently rip off and beat up the people they were supposed to be protecting. But instead...
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...The Warriors of ancient Japanese legend have transcended the traditional image of war-tales and myths. For Japanese culture, the men who are regarded as one of the three types of heroes in Paul Varley’s book, Warriors of Japan: As Portrayed in the War Tales, have proven to be much more than the subject of a bedtime story, but rather a national treasure in which Japanese culture and wisdom is portray through. It is the victories, and failures of these heroes that teach the world of Japanese traditions and honor. However, these men were not created for the education of the world, but rather for the centuries of Japanese people whom these figures represent. Warrior tales of Minamoto no Tametomo, Minamoto no Yoshitomo, Minamoto no Yoshinaka, and Minamoto no Yoshitsune have a greater purpose than to provide entertainment to the people of Japan, these men provide a Japanese education on personality, values, morals, and Japanese customs. The three types of heroes that Varley examines in his book differ from each other slightly, but contribute greatly to the history of Japan in an exciting narrative of the honor and customs of the ancient Japanese warrior. The greatest loser-hero in Hōgen Monogatari is Minamoto no Tametomo (Varley, 56). A real life Japanese warrior, Minatomo was contributed with a number of attributes that are believed to have been not true in the effort to immortalize him as a warrior. Said to have stood two feet taller than the normal Japanese man, and endowed with...
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...Assignmen2: Samurai Culture in Japan GVPT 280 The Samurai culture of Japan The Samurai culture was seen for the first time during the 12th century during the first military dictatorship. They last until 1868 when they were disbanded. The word samurai translates to “those who serve”. In the beginning, samurai was armed guards for wealthy land owners. Over the years the samurai developed into what we know of them today. An elite military group. To become a samurai, it started at an early age. They was taught and lived by a code of honor, it was called bushido or “way of the warrior. There are 7 virtues of the bushido. The virtues were morality, courage, benevolence, respect, honesty, honor and loyalty. They was taught in a very strict way. They was taught swordsmanship, horsemanship, archery and martial arts. They was taught to know suffering, not to want wealth or praise, taught it is better to die then dishonor one’s self and most of all obey his master or lord. The samurai was well educated in reading and writing. Some samurais became business men and politicians throughout their history. The samurai had their own religion which was called Zen Buddhism. Zen Buddhism is coming to enlightenment through mediation. True Zen is coming face to face with one’s self. It was also tried into their teachings at early ages. The most iconic items of the samurai was their swords and their armor. A samurai carried...
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...Samurai & Knights Where the similarities between samurais and knights are greater than the differences? Yes they had shared more similarities than differences. The Samurais What were the characteristics of the samurai culture?The samurais had many unique cultural characteristics. One of the samurais characteristics or the cultures is that they had a social pyramid.The samurais are the 4th on the social pyramid.The samurais are skilled warriors who owed loyalty and military service daimyos for land or regular payment with families ,made up of 10% of japanese population.The only reason that the samurais had a social pyramid is because to show how Japan was structured. Another cultural thing the samurais had to do was that they had to follow a certain code.The code that they had to follow was “Honor empathized and loyalty and bravery above all else.” The reason they had to follow the code of the conduct is because this is a skilled warrior’s way. The Knights...
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...In Giles Milton’s novel, Samurai William, the reader is taken to the other side of the globe to experience the history of old world Japan. Though out the book, Milton provides reason for complex historical events and actions, while still communicating the subtleties and mysterious customs of the Japanese. The novel also closely examines the wide range of relationships between different groups of Europeans and Asians, predominantly revolving around the protagonist, William Adams. The book documents the successes and failures that occur between the two civilizations, then links them back to either the positive or negative relationship they have. As the book goes on, the correlation is obvious. Milton shows us the extreme role that religion, etiquette and trade played in establishing positive relations between visiting Europeans and the Asian civilizations. Religion and traditions played a chief role in the Europeans relationships in Asia all throughout the novel. Milton puts an incredible weight on the shoulders of religion on both sides of the civilisations. The book dives right into explaining the fascination and disgust felt by European priests and Jesuits towards the Japanese monks. They carried rosaries like the Catholics and “in old age, many retired to Buddhist monasteries to live the rest of their days in prayer and contemplation”. The Buddhist All-Souls Day consisted of the ceremonial sprinkling of graves with flower petals. All of this appealed to the Catholic Jesuits...
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...Knights and Samurai: Were They All That Different? Chaos and disorder paved the road for the Knights and Samurai. They may have been from two different land masses, but they were oddly very similar. In Europe and Japan, Lords and Daimyos, a Japanese equivalent of a lord, sought power. To gain such power, they used Knights and Samurai. Their code of honor, social standing, as well as their feeling about death is what made them similar. So, were the Knights and Samurai all that different? The Knight’s and Samurai’s codes of honor focused on similar things. First of all, they pledged loyalty to their master, or faced dishonor. “(I)t became common to speak of the Samurai’s allegiance to his lord as lasting the duration of three lives...an English or French knelt before his lord and pledged loyalty and military support” (Document B). Another way their code of honor is similar is that they had to be kind to others, but bring justice to wrongdoers. “Within his heart [the Samurai] keeps the ways of peace, but without he keeps his weapons ready for use…with great ceremony each Knight took the vows of true knighthood,...
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...A knight, cowboy, and a samurai were not just fighters, but also warriors that followed an unwritten code of conduct. A Japanese warrior who follows a code of chivalry is a Samurai. The origin of “The Tales of the Heike” was believed to be written down by priests as a collection of stories. The text is a reflection of the conflict between two clans the Genji and the Heike. The Heike clan holds all the power at the beginning, but by the final blow the Genji clan defeats the Heike clan. The story not only shows the struggle between the two clans, but also represents the code of Bushido that a Samurai followed in life. The text “The Tales of the Heike” gives examples of a Samurai that abides to “The Bushido Code: The Eight Virtues of the Samurai.” Four of those virtues practiced in the text are rectitude, benevolence, loyalty, courage....
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...Samurai and Knights: Were The Similarities Greater Than The Differences? Samurai and knights were warriors who fought for their lords. The important idea is that from roughly 1000 to 1600 AD in Japan and Europe, samurai horsemen and knight horsemen were the muscle and soul of the warrior class. After studying the documents, I feel that the similarities were not greater than the differences. Even though they lives so far apart the samurai and knights did share some similarities. For instance, they both had a great love and devotion to poetry. Samurai learned/studied poetry in school, and some knights made their living reciting poetry to an audience (Document C). Another example is that samurai and knights both fought on horseback. In the...
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