Japan

Samurai Armour and

Family Crests

The Mon were the crests worn by Samurai on their clothing to identify which clan they belonged to. They were initially very simple designs or patterns, but over time they became quite complex.

Samurai Warrior

• One of the most highly regarded skills among the Samurai was Zanshin (alertness).

• The warrior was taught to always be prepared for unexpected surprises from their opponent.

• This is carried through to today’s teaching of Martial Arts. The students often spend their first lesson learning how to bow correctly, without being hit by their Sensei.

Samurai Warriors & Ninja

• The skill of zanshin was vital for dealing with the Ninja enemy.

• The Ninja are the masters of the art of invisibility.

• A special feature of Nijo Castle (see page 108) in Kyoto is the Nightingale floor. This was designed to alert the inhabitants of the intruding Ninja’s presence.

Female Samura

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• Samurai society is mainly dominated by males.

• However, there were several females that mastered the skills as quickly as the males.

• Female samurai had equal rights to inheritance as their brothers.

• Samurai wives held high status. They controlled the household expenditure and servants.

• They were also called upon to defend their household during times of war.

The Samurai Sword

• The sword is the most important weapon of the samurai.

• “The sword is the soul of the samurai”

• There is a specific way to hold and use the sword.

• The Samurai usually wore two swords called Daisho.

• The longer sword is over 60cm in length and is called the Daito.

• The shorter sword is 30-60cm in length and is called a Wakizashi.

The Samurai were not only concerned with War and battle.

They also pursued the following:

-Poetry

-Calligraphy

-Tea Making (Cha no Yu – Tea ceremony)

(Aims to develop a sense of natural simplicity. The materials used are plain and simple.)

‘Let us then construct a small room in a bamboo grove or under trees, arrange streams and rocks and plant trees and bushes…In this room we can enjoy the streams and rocks as we do the rivers and mountains in Nature…we listen quietly to the boiling water in the kettle, which sounds like a breeze passing through the pine needles, and become oblivious of all worldly woes and worries; we then pour out a dipperful of water from the kettle, reminding us of the mountain stream, and our mental dust is wiped off. This is truly a world of…saints on earth’

Zen master, Takuan (1573-1645)

Japanhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?

v=R7f4bDHHbIg (landsapes & temples)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=m5fcM6AYtEc (culture and landscape)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QG9u-U3mi_Y (sumo olympics)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W61wNa3osoA (the beauty of japan)