Jared Hunold

Ms. Trawick

English III

17, December 2009

The Samurai warriors emerged as an elite fighting force in provinces

during Japans early tenth century. Samurai served in more then just one way.

They either would have been Imperial Guard to the Emperor or as a hired

security force to those who paid. The keeping and practice of traditions were key

for the Samurai. The Samurai rose in the tenth century and maintained their

influence until the mid 1870s.

The Samurai came to power and “served as an elite force in Japan” and

gained recognition quickly. They rose to serve as imperial guards to Japans

Emperor. They also became so known because of their hired security services

offered by highly ranked aristocrats. Samurai were hired by Daimyo to help

expand and protect the prized territory that they owned already. By the twelfth

century, “samurai rule the provinces and the majority of central Japan.” It is said

that the Samurai of old Japan were seen as larger then life due to the power that

they had. During these times Japans real power laid in the hands of either the

Shoguns or the Samurai. Throughout the eras the Samurai warrior wielded

tremendous political power.

The Samurai were well known for their great abundance of skill in their

battles. Before the samurai sword was perfected, the bow and arrow was the
primary weapon of the high ranking warriors. As long distance fighting ended

Samurai had to turn to a different solution. When the perfected art of the sword

came, “combat was done up close and the sword became their weapon of

choice.” It became so useful because of power and strength that the sword

seemed to possess when in the Samurai grasps. One of the Samurai fighting

traditions was that of “announcing their names before fighting one another.” This

was done for two primary reasons. One was to show the honor and respect they

had when fighting an opponent, and the other to ensure that a one person of

equal worthiness and rank was fighting another.

The Samurai believed in many different things and ideas. “They lived by a

strict code of conduct called Bushido, or way of the warrior”. Bushido was what

the Samurai used so that they could focus on the importance of positive personal

characteristics. Samurai believed this in life but in death they believed something

different. “The most recognized death ritual of the Samurai was Seppuku.” The

Samurai saw seppuku as a form of high purification. They were know for being

willing, even happy to die this way for honor and in service of their lords.

Tsunetomo Yamamoto a famous Samurai once said “The way of the warrior, I’ve

found, is to die.”

In all the aspects the Samurai were a highly recognized fighting group who

became an elite social class and a part of Japans history. The Samurai lost their

recognition during the mid 1870s. Despite their efforts the Samurai were not able

to prevent all of the changes that were happening. They were still allowed to

carry themselves like a Samurai but they lost all the real power they had once
had before. In 1868 the Samurai class was formally abolished by Emperor Meji.

Even though gone, the spirit of the Samurai class still lived on for a long period of

time that followed.