Samurai is the word for a Japanese warrior class and for a member of this class. Samurai warriors have been glorified in numerous films, books, comic series, TV shows and theater plays. The Samurai history is a source of fascination for adults and children all over the world.
The Origins of Japanese Samurai
The Japanese samurai warriors came into existence in the 12th century when two powerful Japanese clans fought bitter wars against each other - the Taira and the Minamato. At that time the Japanese shogunate, a system of a military ruler, called the shogun was formed. Under the shogun the next hierarchy were the daimyo, local rulers comparable to dukes in Europe. The Japanese samurai were the military retainers of a daimyo. And finally you may have heard of ronin. Ronin are samurai without a master. This is what happened to the 47 Ronin in the famous story of Chushingura after their lord was forced to commit suicide.
According to historians the fierce fights between hostile clans and war lords was mainly a battle for land. Only 20 percent of Japan's rugged and mountainous area can be used for agriculture.
About Me
- Anne Suzuki
- Even as a little kid I was a relationship freak, but I hardly expected that writing online would get me involved with people the way it did. First I was writing a post. Then I was commenting. It became a conversation. Then came bloggy questions and open comments without real posts. Now I’m blogging on the telephone, asking folks about how they started blogging. It all started with that first comment. I answered it. Then I answered another. Soon I was answering every comment right after it landed, asking questions to find out who these people were that were reading my blog.
