Samurai

Although it stands to reason that a samurai should be mindful of the Way of the Samurai, it would seem that we are all negligent. Consequently, if someone were to ask, "What is the true meaning of the Way of the Samurai?" the person who would be able to answer promptly is rare. This is because it has not been established in one's mind

beforehand. From this, one's unmindfulness of the Way can be known.

Negligence is an extreme thing.

The homeland of a samurai is Tokyo or Japan.

Kanji - 侍

Hiragana - さむらい

contact a samurai school in japan (doubt theyd take you on), or the handful of Americans that have trained, such as master Dusty Johnson

it's basically juijitsu, weapons training ( katana, archary, etc ) , tradition ( poetry art etc )

not to discourage anyone but, modern combat styles defeat and incorporate the samurai ways, I would use more modern weapon styles like shooting, knife and stick fighting as they are more useful today.

You can't train as a Samurai it's an abolished social class. Training in Jujitsu, Kyūdō (Archery) doesn't make you a samurai you have to have been born into a Samurai family and serve a Daimyo lord to be a Samurai

they often wore armor with the symbol of the dragon or serpent. they often had Chinese symbols on there armor as well. the main and honorable weapon was a steel sword which usually had an inscription from the creator. they also are known to use numchucks, and metal stars or else known as ninja stars or shurikan.

Bushido was the general equivalent of a code of ethics and morals for warriors. The Europeans had the Code of Chivalry that most soldiers tried to live up to. Such codes provided a basis for actions and a level of confidence.

No. Onna-bugeisha was what they were called which means female warrior, and are sometimes mistaken as samurai. In the feudal age the wives of the samurai were expected to support their husbands, their family, and defend the home. Much of the account of them is over shadowed or down-played, but these female warriors were great fighters. some of the most famous women: Tomoe Gozen, wife of Minamoto Yoshinaka and a fierce warrior very proficient with sword and bow; and Hojo Masako (1157-1225), wife of Minamoto Yoritomo and known as the "nun shogun". So in retrospect women were not referred to as a samurai but were warriors and fought in some battles

The film begins in the summer of 1876, introducing Captain Nathan Algren (Tom Cruise), a disenchanted ex-United States Army captain and an alcoholic, who is traumatized by his past experiences fighting in the Civil War and the Indian Wars. In the years following his army service, Algren makes his living by relating war stories to gun show audiences, an experience which further hampers his mental state. Fed up with Algren's perpetual drunkenness, his employer fires him, forcing Algren to accept an invitation by his former commanding officer Lieutenant Colonel Bagley (Tony Goldwyn), whom Algren deeply hates and blames for his waking nightmares. Bagley approaches him with an offer on behalf of a Japanese businessman, Mr. Omura (Masato Harada), to help the new Meiji Restoration government train the new Western-style Imperial Japanese Army. Assisting them are Algren's old army colleague Sergeant Zeb Gant (Billy Connolly) and Simon Graham (Timothy Spall), a cynical British translator with a deep interest in the samurai.

Under the command of Bagley, Algren trains a conscripted army of peasants in handling a rifle. Before they can be adequately trained, Katsumoto (Ken Watanabe) attacks a railroad outside his province, to protect.Bagley orders Algren to lead the inexperienced conscripts to engage Katsumoto. Algren protest and in a demonstration, illustrates the army's inexperience and inadequate training. Despite this, Bagley sends his troops anyway. During the battle, the conscripted peasants panic, ignore their commanding officers and fire too early, and thus their shots fall short. Samurai swarm the wholly-unprepared army, routing them in seconds, killing Gant and forcing Bagley to withdraw from the field. Algren is able to cut down several samurai using his experience as a cavalry trooper with the Sabre and revolver until he is knocked off his horse when he is distracted by a samurai on horseback charging at him whilst a foot soldier with a spear advances on his horse causing it to fall. But he refuses to give in and manages to fend off several samurai with a broken spear embroidered with a flag depicting a white tiger. The flag on the spear reminds Katsumoto of a vision he experienced during meditation, of a white tiger fighting off his attackers. Katsumoto's brother-in-law, the red-masked samurai Hirotaro who shortly before gave the killing blow to Gant, prepares to deliver a killing blow to the fallen Algren; however, Algren refuses to yield and picks up a spear, fatally stabbing Hirotaro through the neck. Believing what he has witnessed to be an omen, Katsumoto prevents his warriors finishing off the wounded Algren and takes him prisoner. Algren is taken to an isolated village, where he gradually recovers in a house belonging to Hirotaro's family, including his widow Taka, her two sons, and Katsumoto's son, Nobutada (Shin Koyamada).

Over time, Algren overcomes both his alcoholism and the nightmares of his traumatic past, and sharpens his mind through practice of bushido, the way of the samurai. He confides to his journal that he has never felt as entirely at peace as he has among Katsumoto and his people. Despite lingering fidelity to Hirotaro, Taka develops romantic feelings for Algren, particularly when she notices his budding fatherly relationship toward her children. Algren studies swordsmanship under skilled swordmaster Ujio (Hiroyuki Sanada) and becomes fluent in Japanese by conversing with the local residents; in doing so, he earns their respect. One night, as the people watch a comic play, a group of ninja assassins attack the village. Algren wins the respect and admiration of the samurai by saving Katsumoto's life when the assassins fire crossbow bolts and shuriken at Katsumoto, killing the actor next to him, as well as taking up a sword and joining the battle. The samurai succeed in defeating the ninjas, but with many losses. Though Katsumoto does not confirm it, Algren deduces that the attack was ordered by Omura.

In spring, Algren is taken back to Tokyo. There he learns that the army, under Bagley's command, is now better organized and outfitted with howitzers and Gatling guns from the United States. Omura offers to place Algren in command of the army if he agrees to crush the samurai rebellion, but Algren declines. In private, Omura orders his men to kill Algren if he attempts to warn Katsumoto of their intentions. At the same time, Katsumoto offers his counsel to the young Emperor, to whom he was once a teacher. He learns that the Emperor's hold upon the throne is much weaker than he thought, and that he is essentially a puppet of Omura. When Katsumoto refuses to observe new laws that forbid samurai to publicly carry swords, he is arrested and confined to his quarters in Tokyo. Anticipating an assassination attempt on Katsumoto, Algren heads directly for his quarters but is ambushed by Omura's men; Algren narrowly escapes death through judicious use of the martial arts he learned in Katsumoto's camp. With the assistance of Ujio, Nobutada, and Graham, Algren frees Katsumoto from custody. During their flight, Nobutada is mortally wounded and stays behind to aid his father's escape; Algren looks on as a mortally wounded Nobutada charges their foes, only to be cut down by volleys of gun fire.

Katsumoto is still mourning the loss of his son when he receives word that a large Imperial Army unit, commanded by Omura and Bagley, is marching out to engage the samurai. A counter-force of samurai, numbering only 500, is rallied. Algren makes a reference to the Battle of Thermopylae in which a small army of 300 Spartans fought against a much larger opposing force of roughly over 250,000 Persians (Algren claims it was against 1 million) by using the terrain and the enemy's overconfidence to their advantage; Algren surmises that a similar tactic would reduce the effectiveness of their enemy's artillery. On the eve of battle, Algren is presented with a katana of his own. Taka also gives him her dead husband's armor, and they kiss just before Algren leaves.

When the Imperial Army confronts the samurai's rebel forces, the samurai fall back to higher ground, preventing the Imperials from using their superior firepower. As expected, Omura immediately orders the infantry, despite Bagley's misgivings, to pursue the samurai, sending the infantry straight into a trap. Setting fires to cut the enemy's immediate fighting strength in half, the samurai then unleash volleys of arrows on the infantrymen. Drawing their swords, the samurai, Algren and Katsumoto amongst them, charge the confused and wounded infantrymen. A second wave of Imperial infantry follows behind, as does the samurai cavalry, and a savage melee ensues that leaves many dead on both sides before the Imperial soldiers finally retreat.

Realizing that fresh Imperial forces are coming and that defeat is inevitable should a second battle occur, the surviving samurai resolve to make a final, fate-charged mounted assault. During the battle, Bagley shoots Katsumoto in the shoulder, but before he can finish off the samurai, Algren throws his sword at Bagley, killing him. On approaching the Imperial rear line and progressing far enough to scare Omura, the samurai are finally cut down by Gatling gun fire. Overcome by the sight of the dying samurai, an Imperial lieutenant originally trained by Algren orders the Gatling guns to cease fire against Omura's wishes. Katsumoto, observing bushido, asks Algren to assist him in performing seppuku; Algren obeys, ending Katsumoto's life. The Imperial troops show their still-lingering respect for the old order by bowing before the fallen samurai.

Later, as American ambassadors prepare to have the Emperor sign a treaty that would give the US exclusive rights to sell firearms to the Japanese government, Algren offers Katsumoto's sword as a present to the Emperor. The Emperor understands the message and tells the American ambassador that his treaty deal is not in the best interests of Japan. When Omura objects, the Emperor, realizing that he need not be ruled by Omura, confiscates his estates and fortunes. When Omura tries to protest, the Emperor then offers him Katsumoto's sword to commit seppuku if the dishonor is too great to bear. Omura merely lowers his head and walks away.

The movie ends with Algren - under a narrative provided by Simon Graham - returning to the samurai village and to Taka. Graham philosophically concludes Algren has found a measure of peace "that we all seek, and few of us ever find."

The lives of the samurai changed greatly from the end of the Edo Period and into Meiji. The ruling Tokugawa was effectively forced to open up Japan's ports (it was basically "open up the ports or we destroy your city") in order to trade with the Americans (and later other Western countries). After this, however, the Tokugawa was despised, and many sought to get rid of him and restore the Emperor to his ancient seat of power (these people were known as the Ishin-Shishi). There were some, though, that still supported the Tokugawa Bakufu and opposed the Ishin-Shishi (these were known as the Shinsengumi and they were samurai faithful to their lords). For about 20 odd years, there was fighting between the Ishin-Shishi and the Shinsengumi, which eventually led to the defeat of the Shinsengumi, the resignation of Tokugawa Yoshinobu and the restoration of the Emperor. This turbulent period was known as the Bakumatsu. So after the Bakumatsu, the samurai had no masters (these masterless samurai were known as rounin) and they pretty much had nothing. All land previously owned by the Bakufu was returned to the Emperor and so the former samurai had nowhere to go. Most were killed, but for the few that survived, they just had to fit into the now normal life of Meiji, with none of the privileges they once had.

Mainly, they followed Bushido, a code of laws.This name means "the way of the warrior." They were not allowed to attend certain types of entertainment, such as theater, which were considered beneath them. They also couldn't take part in trade or commerce. Hope this helped! :)

The samurai existed by their honor code known as the Bushido. Its literal meaning is 'The way of the warrior'.

Samurai no longer exist. Ever since guns were invented (somewhere around the 1800's) they no longer stood a chance since they only had swords and bows and arrows. Although they do not exist anymore, their suicide ritual of seppuku is still done by a few (very few) Japanese. Seppuku is a suicidal ritual where the person (usually someone of high rank, poor people did not commit seppuku) cuts open their abdomen. It can be considered as a way to test strength because it was amazing to be able to make the full three cuts. Then, a close friend cuts off their head, swiftly. The Samurai were killed because they believed in woman not having any rights and other things like that, but Japan wanted change. So, the Samurai had to go.

Small Samurai began practising the basics of fencing with wooden swords at the age of 3, being given a real weapon, a mamorigatana sword for self-defence, between the ages of 5 and 7. A child had to be able to protect itself from surrounding dangers, family enemies, robbers and vagrants, with his father and male relatives providing early combat training. Boys were sent to be raised by relatives or to the home of a fencing instructor, where they were taught military tactics, archery, riding, handling a spear and unarmed combat, jujutsu, i.e. yawara. Attention was also paid to the development of intellectual virtues. There was no special school for Samurai daughters, who learned how to be good wives and housekeepers from their mothers. These young women also had to learn how to write Japanese syllabic symbols and read classic Japanese literature and poetry, while also receiving weapons training, e.g., in using the naginata spear. source: http://www.tampere.fi/ekstrat/vapriikki/nayttely/samurai/english/tekstit/osasto_6.htm

look here: http://judoinfo.com/samurai.htm

Thats unknown, as Samurai didn't just spring up, like all the Samurai were just killed.

No, they did develop over a long time.

Its like evolution, its hard to say when a species changes to another, so nobody were the first samurai.

The Samurai's leader was called the diamyo. The Samurai fought battles for land that their diamyo wanted, so when they won, land was added to the area that the diamyo ruled. This land was in turn given to the surviving Samurai in return for loyalty.

That is a rather general question. This question will probably get a number of different responses depending on the answerer. An overly simple answer might be that the samurai played the same role as the knight in medieval Europe. Samurai served a daimyo, or lord. Knights served a king or prince. Medieval Europe consisted of serfdoms So did pre-unified Japan. In short, Japan and Europe have many similarities in its evolution to modern society and yet, neither significantly influenced the other. In fact, many of these similarities occurred concurrently... at the same time, but eerily independent of each other. Another answer could be the establishment of Bushido, or the way of the warrior. Western perception of samurai is perhaps one of extreme discipline and self-denial. In a way, this is correct. In unified Japan, the samurai developed Bushido, which promoted the idea that the greatest honor that a samurai could experience is their own death in service of their lord. It almost sounds religious... and a concept that many Westerners would not embrace. Perhaps some scholar might be able to better expound upon the samurai's significance to history.

A samurai started training at the age of 3

There was no true "religion of the Samurai." Different Samurai adhered to different beliefs. Shinto was perhaps the most popular of these religions, but you have to take into account that Shinto incorporates many aspects of Buddhism into it's belief system.

Within the "umbrella" of Buddhism were several different sects. Nichiren, Tendai and Zen sects were all popular among the Samurai as well.

Christianity also made an appearance among the Samurai. This didn't really grab a foothold in Japan until the end of the 16th century.

The exact reasons for Cartoon Network ending Samurai Jack were never stated, however it was revealed on December 02nd 2015, a fifth season of 'Jack' would air sometime in 2016 as part of their Toonami block of programming.

Are samurais are flexible especially for the female ones which are trained well.

Afro Samurai and Ninja Ninja are both portrayed by Samuel L. Jackson.

In potatoes

the military class