Medieval Japan M | Page 7

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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.

The life style of a Samurai

http://www.history.com/topics/samurai-and-bushido

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

http://dept.ku.edu/~ceas/lessons2/docs/JAPAN%20The%20Life%20of%20the%20Samurai.pdf

http://www.colorado.edu/cas/tea/curriculum/imaging-japanesehistory/medieval/pdfs/handout-M2.pdf

https://www.insidejapantours.com/japanese-culture/samurai/

http://jpninfo.com/19874

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2127.html

A few centuries have passed since the samurai class dominated Japanese society, and

it can be said that their presence in our modern and peaceful world is no longer

necessary as it was once before. Nevertheless, Japan remains proud of its samurai

culture and its ideals and values are instilled in the hearts and minds of its citizens.

Their legacy lives on as their influence remains deeply entrenched in the culture and

state of mind of the Japanese people.

One of the things that make the samurai unique is their unbending adherence to their

philosophy known as the samurai code of “bushido,” which in English translates to the

“Way of the Warrior.” This moral code requires a samurai to embody unwavering honor,

selflessness and bravery in times of war and even in peace.