| Japan is a country that is widely known for | | | | in disguise.The Samurai believed and stood by |
| its technology. But the more popular | | | | a rule that if a son was born into a Samurai |
| interests of the people lie in the history of | | | | family, his sure destiny was to be Samurai. |
| the first descendants and protectors of | | | | The father would teach him "Bushido" which is |
| Japan.The first protectors of the people were | | | | the "way of the warrior" and the term is the |
| called Samurai. In order to understand the | | | | code that is used by all the warrior |
| way of the Samurai, you have to first look at | | | | classes.Skill in battle was the primary |
| the aspects of their education, their | | | | qualification for becoming a Samurai and the |
| lifestyles, and then the end of their era. | | | | higher ranked warriors would usually get to |
| The term "Samurai" is derived from a common | | | | marry higher ranked women. Divorce was |
| term in pre-industrial Japan meaning | | | | frowned upon, as it damaged a warrior's |
| "warrior". Most Japanese Samurai were | | | | reputation. Only one reason for divorce was |
| brought up to respect the attributes of honor | | | | accepted among the people, and that was if |
| and loyalty and were expected to set an | | | | the woman could not bear a child.The coming |
| example to all those below them. If a | | | | end of the Samurai period first became |
| Samurai were to be disgraced such as losing a | | | | apparent during the "Tokugawa" period. Their |
| battle, or shamed for something they had | | | | status was still high, but their incomes |
| done, they believed that the only way to | | | | became more unstable, and the need for |
| retrieve their honor was to commit suicide. | | | | warriors started to decline. Many lower |
| More specifically they had to stab themselves | | | | class Samurai would be seen in the streets on |
| in the stomach with their own weapon. It was | | | | their knees begging for money as people |
| also said that a friend or co-combatant had | | | | walked by and they often had to do dirty |
| to be there to decapitate them after the | | | | deeds or manual labor for the merchants, |
| initial stab.Life for a Samurai was very | | | | without any compensation, as a way to pay |
| demanding and strict but one of the | | | | back their debts. The lower ranked men also |
| recreational activities that they all enjoyed | | | | had to obey any order given to them by a |
| was called "Kabuki". Kabuki was a form of | | | | higher rank without any complaint. This is |
| theater performed by other members or guests. | | | | when the Samurai started to lose all |
| The Japanese men would perform in front of | | | | self-respect for themselves and times were so |
| the audience, singing songs, performing mime | | | | severe that if they somehow could not fulfil |
| tricks, and dancing. Not all Samurai were | | | | an order they would actually kill themselves |
| allowed to go to the Kabuki, but hardly any | | | | with the honorable suicide in order to escape |
| obeyed this strict rule, and they often went | | | | from the impossible situation. |