The Samurai

Rectitude

Courage

Benevolence

Respect

Honesty

Honor

Loyalty

- Seven Virtues of Bushidō

Perhaps not quite of the ancient world, these figures have still inspired countless poems, plays, and are included in so many anime that it is mind-boggling.  For this second post, I chose to look at the weapons and armor of another legendary historical warrior… The Samurai.

One might ask why choose the Samurai over the Ninja for the purposes of this assignment, and the answer is the abundance of information on Samurai culture.  This means that I also won’t get caught up in the Pirates vs. Ninjas debacle.

Historically, the Samurai didn’t appear until roughly 646 AD, after the Taika reforms.  These reforms included land redistribution and heavy new taxes, to support an elaborate empire similar to that of China.  This prompted the creation of a new military class to defend Japan and aristocratic officials.

What we know of the Samurai today comes from historical accounts, legal text in Japanese, death poems written by Samurai, and journals from Europeans who traveled with the Samurai.  Considering that the Samurai were not only encouraged to be literate, but to also be well versed in Chinese classic texts, as well as military strategy, reconstructing their way of life is far easier than that of more ancient cultures.  These individuals could write about their life and times in a language that still exists today, and whose documents still exist today.

Archaeological sites in Japan pertaining to the Samurai seem to have a common theme; most of them were (and still are) castles.  A listing of which may be found here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Archaeological_sites_in_Japan

Considering that castles are at their essence, fortified locations, it is logical that the elite military of Japan, at the service of those who were lords of castles, would have records kept in such places.  And if a castle was well fortified enough to escape capture, those places would remain safe through time.

Samurai, like many warriors, possessed a multitude of martial disciplines, and trained to use a variety of weapons.  The first weapon listed here did not arrive until between 1185 and 1333 AD (otherwise known as the Kamakura Period), but it is the most recognized of the Samurai weapons, which evolved from the earlier tachi and uchigatana swords.  The katana was considered by many to be the epitome of the sword, the finest in the world, and was said to figuratively represent the soul of the Samurai who wielded it.

Interestingly enough, there is one place in Japan where these swords are still made today, by the same customs and standards of their historic counterparts.  The following is the first of a four part video series on the modern construction of ancient swords.

  

The other half of the daisho, or Samurai sword pair, was the wakizashi, reminiscient of the katana, only slightly shorter.  The wakizashi served the function of an indoor sword, since it was a sign of respect to leave the katana at the entryway of a nobles’ house but still carry the wakizashi inside.  The wakizashi was said to represent the honor of the Samurai who wielded it, and it was with this weapon that a Samurai would commit Seppuku, or ritual suicide.

The principal ranged weapon of the Samurai was the Yumi, an asymmetric composite bow made from bamboo, wood, rattan and leather. The yumi could also be fired from horseback because of its asymmetric shape. The practice of shooting from horseback became a Shinto ceremony known as yabusame, and is still a practiced sport today.

The Samurai commonly used Pole weapons including the Yari and Naginata during their early years before the rise of the Japanese sword, and up to the end of the Meiji era, when the Samurai were disbanded.  Their function was to out-reach their opponent, and they were far easier and quicker to produce, such that they were ideal for foot soldiers.

The first types of Japanese armors identified as samurai armor were known as Yoroi, and included a number of auxiliary forms of protection. These early samurai armors were made from small individual scales that were made from either iron or leather, and were bound together into small strips. The strips were coated with lacquer to protect them from water, and were then laced together with silk or leather and formed into complete chest armor.

The Samurai were a paradoxical union of soldier and philosopher, protector and tyrant, chivalrous and self-immolating.  Their weapons and armor were not merely tools, but they were intrinsically tied to their bearers, and passed down from generation to generation.  Even today Japanese households will keep shrines to their ancestors cradling their treasured swords.

References:

http://asianhistory.about.com/od/warsinasia/p/SamuraiProfile.htm

http://gallery.sjsu.edu/oldworld/asiangate/ageofsamurai/armory.htm

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/archaeology/samurai-warriors-examined-by-japanese-and-british-scientists-2356271.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Samurai