The Samurai

The samurai (or bushi) were the famous warriors of Japan. They later made up the ruling military class that eventually became the highest ranking social caste of the Edo period(1603-1867). Samurai used a range of weapons such as bows, swords, guns, and physical combat to kill their enemies. Samurai were supposed to live their lives according to the ethic code of bushido ("the way of the warrior"). They were strictly Confucian in nature and bushido stressed concepts such as loyalty to one's master, self discipline, respect, and ethical behavior. Many samurai were also drawn to the teachings and practices of Zen Buddhism. But one of the most famous practices of the Samurai was hat of Seppuku. Seppuku was the practice of committing suicide before failure. If a Samurai knew he was going to fail or be captured he would cut his stomach with his sword. One thing not really known about the Samurai however is that they were the original creators of jiu jitsu. It was designed to protect the warriors and give them an edge in guerilla warfare. Whether it was clashing swords or hand to hand combat, the Samurai were the elite warriors of the time. They could eliminate their threats standing up or on the ground. They worked on being the best in every area of combat instead of just one. For more info you should visit this page.