10 Interesting Samurai Facts

Samurai Facts inform you with the Japanese warriors who served the nobility. The word samurai was seen for the first time in the imperial anthology of poems, the Kokin Wakashu. The word samurai was almost interchangeable with the word bushi in the end of 12th century. The word samurai is also connected with the warrior class of the middle and upper echelons. Get more facts about samurai by reading the following post below:

Samurai Facts 1: bushido

Bushido was the rules that the samurai must follow. The number of samurai in the Japan was only occupied less than 10 percent of the whole population.

Samurai Facts 2: the teaching of samurai

Even though becoming a samurai is not popular today, the teaching of samurai is still applied in the modern Japanese martial art.  It is still embedded at the heart of the Japanese people.

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Samurai Facts 3: Emperor Mommu

Under the reign of Emperor Mommu, samurai was used to call the people who have the sixth rank and below as samurai. The main job of samurai at that time was to deal with the daily basis affairs. This term was used to call the civilian public servants. The military men will not be referred as a samurai.

Samurai Facts 4: the last appearance of samurai

In 1867, samurai had the last appearance. At that time, the Shogunate forces were defeated by the samurai from Choshu and Satsuma provinces.

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Samurai Facts 5: the decline of samurai

The number of samurai was declined after Emperor Meiji was in favor of western styled army. Therefore, there was an abolishment of the right for the samurai to be the only armed force in the country. Get facts about Japanese Culture here.

Samurai Facts 6: the abolished right

The right of samurai to execute the commoners who did not show respect to them was abolished.  They became the Shizoku who gained the salaries. However, they did have any right to wear katana in public.

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Samurai Facts 7: the end of samurai

After gaining so much status and power, the glorious moment of the samurai was ended. However, the rule of the military class was not over.

Samurai Facts 8: the modern Japan

The Meiji government chose the western styled national army after they made reformation in 19th century by abolishing the samurai class. The Japanese government wanted to follow the army styled of Germany and United Kingdom.

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Samurai Facts 9: samurai as soldiers

Even though the samurai class was abolished, there were many samurai who decided to become soldiers as the imperial Japanese army.

Samurai Facts 10: the last samurai conflict

In 1877, the last samurai conflict occurred. It was the Satsuma Rebellion in Battle of Shiroyama. Get facts about Japan here.

Facts about Samurai

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