There are many legends about samurai. Their most important feature is their enormous willpower, fortitude, and harsh upbringing. These were the strongest warriors who were not afraid of death.
Who could become a samurai
In feudal Japan, this high title was transmitted exclusively by inheritance. The son followed in the footsteps of his father and later became a professional warrior. From birth, the boy was surrounded by care and love, but no one canceled the harsh upbringing. The birth of a boy in the family was a great holiday. In the early days, all relatives came and brought many gifts to the newborn. Particular attention was paid to the first son, since he was the heir not only to the clan, but also to the entire property of the family.
A few years later, the son received from his father one or two toy swords made of wood, depending on the rank occupied. This is not just a toy, but a kind of amulet. In this way, little boys were taught to love their weapons and take care of them.
If the samurai did not have an heir, then he lost his place in the social structure, and the feudal lord had the right to confiscate his land allotment. There were many such cases in feudal Japan.
Samurai Education Code
The upbringing of future samurai took place within the framework of an unwritten code of honor - Bushido. The code indicates a number of rules and norms that are characteristic of a real samurai, and it is based on the principles of Buddhism and Confucianism.
A warrior who was brought up in the spirit of bushido was clearly aware of his moral duty, personal duties to his overlord. If the samurai violated the norms of the code, then he performed suicide through a ritual - hara-kiri. Samurai personally cut your stomach stomach with a dagger. In this way, the samurai washed away his dishonor.
These rules and norms were not set out in writing, but were transmitted in legends, stories, which are still relevant in our time.
Basic principles of samurai education
From early childhood, the best morals of warriors were imposed on future samurai. They were taught to love and respect their parents, teachers, not to argue with them even if they are wrong. The basis of education was the principle of not only respect for parents, but also for the emperor himself, who was the father of all warriors.
Parents and a mentor are the two main pillars on which the philosophy of samurai education was based. The authority of the teacher was very great: all his instructions had to be followed without strife.
Young samurai strove to grow up courageous, brave in the name of the ruler, whose life was above all.
Education methodology: interesting facts
The image of a strong samurai was formed due to both physical and moral training. Young men were read a lot of stories, stories that told about the military prowess of the famous samurai. Theatrical plays were often staged, in which they clearly demonstrated how strong and fearless a samurai warrior was.
The father often took his son to the cemetery or to a terrible place that was notorious. In addition, the boys were necessarily taken to public punishments, executions, and at night they arranged an inspection of the severed heads of criminals. And most importantly: the future samurai had to put his sign everywhere, as proof that he was there. This approach made it possible to overcome fear and not be afraid of death.
A few more interesting facts about the methods of educating future samurai:
constant hard work;
minimum night sleep;
walking without shoes in winter;
hunger strike.
And the boys also developed fortitude: they had to be able to overdo all their emotions. Fear, panic, tears - all this was not allowed. That is why, it is not surprising that the samurai did not lose their thoughts and common sense even in the most difficult situations.
Future samurai constantly trained: they never stopped on the achieved result. Boys were taught to easily endure any pain and the most difficult trials in life. If the boy suddenly cries, then instead of pitying him, the mother scolded her son for his weakness.
The older the boy got, the more severe the tests became for him. For example, he was left for a long walk in an unheated room or deprived of food. Future samurai had to overcome a long way to the place of training.
And the worst test for boys is the night in the cemetery or near the scaffold among the hanged, beheaded.
Military training of the samurai
The military training of the samurai was at the highest level. From an early age, they were taught the art of owning different types of weapons: a sword, a bow. Additionally, they knew the basics of jujutsu, knew how to sit well in the saddle, and understand the tactics of battle. Already at the age of 5, the boy was getting his first sword.
Training in military skills took place in a separate room. Practicing with weapons, samurai learned to develop instant reaction, flexibility and dexterity. The preparation took place in stages. First, the boy had to learn the basics of swimming, riding, jiu-jitsu (the art of self-defense without weapons). Then the student mastered archery, martial arts, fencing. The young man was constantly developing physically. He had to not only be able to swim, but to swim with various obstacles.
Spiritual development of the samurai
In addition to physical development, samurai also developed themselves spiritually. They studied literature, history, writing. However, it was precisely those subjects that were beneficial to military affairs that were studied, but fiction was not recognized.
How long did the training of the samurai last
As a rule, training began at the age of 8 and up to 16. At the age of 15, the training of the future samurai was coming to an end. It was believed that during this time the young man was able to master military skills, become strong mentally and physically. At the end of the training, the samurai was given real swords, with which he was not to be separated. The girls were given a short kaiken dagger. As a result, young samurai became adults. A candidate for samurai lost his former name and took on a new one. An obligatory ritual is the creation of a new image: a shaved head to the crown and a pigtail in the back. All adult samurai went with this hairstyle.
Today, such upbringing seems very harsh and unacceptable for children, but at that time it was the best method for raising boys. They were taught to control their body, feelings, protect and respect their parents.
Strong character, iron will, the ability to obey strict discipline, not to blame fate - these are the basic principles of samurai training. It was these character traits that helped them to be brave warriors on the battlefield.
See also
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Nagoya Castle
Nagoya Castle, originally built by the Owari Domain in 1612 during the Edo period, stands on the site of an earlier Oda clan castle from the Sengoku period. It became the centerpiece of Nagoya-juku, a significant castle town on the Minoji road, which connected two major Edo Five Routes: the Tokaido and the Nakasendo. In 1930, ownership of the castle was transferred to the city by the Imperial Household Ministry, establishing it as the focal point of modern Nagoya. Although partially destroyed in the Pacific War in 1945, the castle has undergone continuous restoration and preservation efforts since 1957.
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Matsushiro Castle
Matsushiro Castle, originally known as Kaizu Castle, is located in what was once Matsushiro town, now part of Nagano City. The site is recognized as a National Historic Site of Japan. Situated on the northern Shinano flatlands between the Chikuma River and a former riverbed that serves as a natural outer moat to the north, the castle and its surrounding town were prone to flooding due to their location.
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Fushimi Castle
Fushimi Castle, also known as Momoyama Castle or Fushimi-Momoyama Castle, is located in Fushimi Ward, Kyoto. Originally built by Toyotomi Hideyoshi between 1592 and 1594 as his retirement residence, the castle was destroyed by the 1596 Keichō–Fushimi earthquake and later rebuilt. However, it was demolished again in 1623, and its site now houses the tomb of Emperor Meiji. A replica of the castle was constructed nearby in 1964.
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Odawara Castle
Odawara Castle, located in the city of Odawara, Kanagawa Prefecture, Japan, is a reconstructed historical site with roots dating back to the Kamakura period (1185–1333). The current donjon (main keep) was rebuilt using reinforced concrete in 1960 on the stone foundation of the original structure, which was dismantled between 1870 and 1872 during the Meiji Restoration.
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Shinpu Castle
Shinpu Castle was a Japanese hirayama-style fortress from the Sengoku period, situated in what is now Nirasaki, Yamanashi Prefecture. It served as the main stronghold of warlord Takeda Katsuyori. Designated as a National Historic Site in 1973, the castle occupies a strategic position on a mountain with steep cliffs, overlooking the Kamanashi River to the west of Kofu, where Takeda Shingen’s Tsutsujigasaki Castle once stood.
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Takato Castle
Takato Castle, located in the city of Ina in southern Nagano Prefecture, Japan, was a notable stronghold during the Sengoku period. By the end of the Edo period, it was the residence of a cadet branch of the Naito clan, the daimyo of the Takato Domain. Also known as Kabuto Castle, it was originally constructed in the 16th century and is now mostly in ruins.
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Takatenjin Castle
Takatenjin Castle was a yamashiro-style fortress from Japan's Sengoku period, situated in the Kamihijikata and Shimohijikata districts of Kakegawa, Shizuoka Prefecture. Designated a National Historic Site in 1975, with an expanded protected area in 2007, its ruins remain a significant historical landmark.
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Yoshida Castle
Yoshida Castle is renowned worldwide, particularly through the intricate woodblock prints by Edo Period artist Hiroshige. His famous series, depicting the 53 stages of the Tokaido—the historic route between Kyoto and Edo (modern-day Tokyo)—includes the 34th print, which shows workmen repairing a castle overlooking a wooden bridge crossing a wide river. This scene captures the Toyokawa River at Toyohashi in southeast Aichi Prefecture, and the castle is Yoshida Castle.
