Samurai: The Japanese Warrior’s (Unofficial) Manual

Having sketched out for you the nature and history of this warrior nation of ours, it is time to turn to the most important topic of all: the way that you become a true samurai warrior. I am sure you are eager to begin your study; but, even though you have been born into that most glorious of social classes, are you really samurai material? See how you score in this simple quiz:

3 The face mask on your suit of armour has a detachable nosepiece ornamented with whiskers. Its function is to:

5 You have discovered that your favourite concubine is a secret Christian. Should you:

b) Buy him a drink and have the best evening since you came back from the Korean War

7 You are leaving to go on campaign when your lord falls off his horse. Should you:

a) Refuse to fight for such an inauspicious leader whom the gods clearly detest

c) Exclaim ‘What good fortune. The gods of war are impatient for our inevitable victory!’

8 You are performing the tea ceremony when one of your ladies-in-waiting breaks wind. Do you:

c) Continue, displaying an admirable Zen-like composure, and then cut off her head when you have finished

9 You are awakened from your sleep by a terrifying nightmare in which you are accosted by the screaming skulls of all the samurai you have ever killed. Do you:

10 Your lord intends to send you on a dangerous mission into enemy territory from which you will probably never return. Do you:

9 – 10 Well done. You are exactly the sort of young person for whom this book is intended. Study it well.

6 – 8 Not bad, you have obviously got a lot to learn, but this is the book for you.

3 – 5 You may wish to reconsider a martial career. There is always a huge demand for reliable book-keepers in Edo, and as a member of the samurai class you will still be allowed to wear a sword.

1 – 2 Are you sure you are not a lewd and sordid person? Please check your lineage.

Answers: 1–c, 2–c, 3–b, 4–c, 5–a, b or c, 6–a, 7–c, 8–c, 9–a, 10–c

In the view of His Most Excellent Highness, no member of the samurai class can consider himself to be a true samurai warrior until he fully understands both his place and his role in society. The overall social hierarchy into which you fit was outlined in Chapter 1, and here I delineate the most important principles of behaviour that are applicable to samurai. Make sure that you study this section in great detail before moving on to the chapters about fighting, no matter how tempting that may be. The points outlined below are fundamental to samurai behaviour and will help set you above members of the lower classes, foreigners and other lewd and sordid persons.

The social duty incumbent upon a samurai is to share his virtue with those below him and to act as an example to them; nothing is more necessary than for him to provide a constant demonstration of filial piety. The samurai honours his lord just as the son honours his father, and this is the glue that binds our society together.

For society to be harmonious, of course, filial piety must extend throughout all the social classes. However, it is only the samurai class who practise the other great truth – the code of conduct known as bushido, which is both the Way of the Warrior and the soul of Japan. Now to some extent this book is entirely about bushido, for the code encompasses the totality of the samurai life, so I will say little about it at this stage except for providing a definition of and one outstanding example of it.

The key precept of loyalty to the point of death makes bushido the outward manifestation of filial piety, while in its commitment to a noble life it also provides a set of behaviours and expectations that readily distinguish a samurai from lewd and sordid persons. Besides being loyal, a samurai is also benevolent, honourable, brave, polite, self-controlled and unostentatious. Benevolence is the attitude he shows to the lower orders because he cares for their welfare as a father cares for his children. His honour is a jewel to be preserved, for without it his life would cease to have meaning. His bravery will be shown most readily on the battlefield, but there will be many times in ordinary life when courage is required. So too he must exhibit politeness, for courtesy is the stamp of greatness. To ensure that none of these virtues is wasted through pride or unnecessary self-aggrandizement, the samurai is also self-controlled and self-denying. Finally, his lack of attachment to worldly wealth is made plain to all through his modest dress and deportment – a virtue also demonstrated by his reluctance to indulge in overeating or drunkenness. ‘The samurai has not eaten, but still picks his teeth’, is a proverb that illustrates very well this aspect of self-control.

A Japanese samurai lord (daimyo), seated with his right arm on an arm rest. For an ordinary samurai, his lord is the absolute focus of loyalty.

Let me give one outstanding example of bushido in action. It was in accordance with bushido that Torii Mototada sacrificed himself for His Most Illustrious Highness at the siege of Fushimi Castle in 1600. Lord Torii was defending the castle against an army sent by His Most Illustrious Highness’s enemies and had few options but surrender as the castle blazed around him. Yet he fought on to the bitter end, thus gaining time that allowed His Most Illustrious Highness to take a position from which he might vanquish his foes. Torii Mototada finally committed suicide as his castle fell. His loyal and unquestioning defence of the doomed castle was futile, but it had also kept many thousands of enemy samurai away from the battle of Sekigahara, at which His Most Illustrious Highness consequently triumphed. His loyalty was meritorious indeed.

In the pages that follow you will learn all you need to know about bushido. Honour it as you honour your ancestors, because it must never be forgotten that the duties of filial piety extend beyond the grave: you must honour your ancestors as you would your own living father. It is their meritorious deeds that have provided the example of bushido that you now follow. How blessed is the samurai of whom it can be said ‘By his conduct he has honoured his ancestors.’ Yet how much more blessed is that rare individual of whom it can be said ‘He has exceeded his ancestors in glory and martial virtue.’ Let it be you of whom this is recorded.

Frequently Asked Questions About Loyalty and Revenge

QMy lord has died. Should I commit suicide and join him as a guest in the White Jade Pavilion?

ANo, the loyalty that you gave to him in life is now automatically transferred to his heir, who will need your continued service. This is such an important principle that the practice of following one’s lord in death is strictly forbidden in law as well as in custom.

QMy lord has ordered me to be adopted into a family that has no heir. I am distressed at the prospect of leaving the family I have always known and changing my name. What should I do?

AYou must accept without question. Exactly this situation happened to me, and, although I am now known by a different name, I know that my cousins who remain in the Honda family will never desert me.

QMy lord has been murdered. What should I do now?

AYou must avenge him. The duty of revenge is absolutely fundamental. As the old Chinese proverb says, ‘No son can live under the same heaven as the murderer of his father.’ Through the doctrine of filial piety you are your lord’s son. His murderer must be sought out and killed. It is, however, important to note that there are rules about how this may be done. His Most Excellent Highness is at pains to distinguish between a legitimate vendetta and disorderly killing outside the rule of law. It has therefore been decreed that any man seeking to avenge another must first give notice of his intent to the local machi bugyo (magistrate). If this means that the intended victim is forewarned of the avenger’s intentions, then so be it. For avengers to launch a surprise attack on their unsuspecting victim would be to disgrace the name of the samurai for evermore. However, I am sure this rule could be disregarded if the vengeance is carried out in the heat of the moment, so if you have to take revenge, do it speedily, and may the gods be with you.

QMy lord has joined our enemies. Should I follow him?

AThis is a very difficult question to answer because you owe loyalty to your lord, yet in changing sides he has been disloyal to his own lord. What is the faithful samurai to do? My general answer would be that a loyal samurai should counsel his master as to the consequences likely to arise from taking such a drastic step, although I believe this question can really be answered on only a case-by-case basis. Take Akechi Mitsuhide, who was marching his army to the west in 1582 and then suddenly ordered them to turn round and attack the residence of Lord Oda Nobunaga, who was most grievously killed. The samurai obeyed Lord Akechi, but then went to their doom when he was in turn vanquished by Toyotomi Hideyoshi, who avenged his dead master at the battle of Yamazaki. Those samurai should instead have tried to dissuade Akechi from taking such a dreadful course of action, and if he persisted in it, they should not have followed him but should all have committed suicide in protest, for that is the Way of the Warrior.

QMy lord’s heir is to be married to a lady from a family whose pedigree is questionable. Should I speak out?

AIndeed you should, but first make sure that you have all the necessary facts to hand. Your lord will appreciate your diligence in this most sensitive of areas. If at all possible, obtain a copy of the lady’s pedigree, and do not be afraid to challenge it. Is she claiming descent from ancestors who did not actually exist? Do any of the names that appear there sound unusual when read aloud? If so, she could be Korean.

QMy lord is sending me to certain death. What should I do?

A Go to certain death.

Nine Samurai Whom it Would Be Auspicious to Emulate

We can all learn from the past, so before we leave the general question of samurai behaviour let us consider nine individuals whom I have chosen to illustrate the above points. The loyalty and other martial virtues displayed by these men set the standard for others to follow. You will note (to your certain surprise) that the following list does not include the names of His Most Illustrious Highness the Retired Shogun or His Most Excellent Highness the Shogun. This is because both men surpass all others in martial virtue and excellence, and so none can emulate them.

Minamoto Yoshiie (1041–1108)

Minamoto Yoshiie, ancestor of the first shogun, was unsurpassed in military virtue and a master of the Way of Horse and Bow. So valiant was Yoshiie that he earned the nickname ‘First-born Son of Hachiman’. To be compared to a son of the god of war – what an honour that was! He was also noted for the care he took over the welfare of his followers, who suffered greatly during the harsh winters in Tohoku. In this manner did Yoshiie exercise the virtue of benevolence. Take heed of it.

Minamoto Yoshitsune (1159–89)

Yoshitsune was the younger brother of the first shogun, Minamoto Yoritomo, and won three great victories during the Gempei War. At Ichinotani in 1184 he conducted a surprise attack on the rear of the Ichinotani Fortress by leading his horsemen down a steep cliff. At Yashima he again triumphed over the Taira, only for them to escape to their boats. In the following year of 1185 he completely vanquished them at the most memorable battle of Dan no Ura, when the sea ran red with the blood of the slain. You should admire Yoshitsune for his martial virtue and for the loyalty he showed to his brother.

Hojo Tokimune (1251–84)

Is it possible to be a great leader of samurai without ever lifting your sword in anger? Indeed it is, and Hojo Tokimune provides the example. He was the ruler of Japan when the Mongols attacked, and it was his inspired leadership that persuaded the samurai of Japan to fight to their deaths against the foreign invaders. Tokimune was also devoted to the worship of the Buddha according to the Zen school and followed the path of self-denial that it requires. Take heed of this, for it is part of the Way of the Warrior.

Kusunoki Masashige (1294–1336)

There can be no better example of the virtue of loyalty than Kusunoki Masashige, who fought for the emperor against the Hojo family who had usurped the shogunate. He is best known for his death at the battle of Minatogawa in 1336. Masashige knew that the emperor’s cause was hopeless, but he obeyed the imperial command and died fighting. Let this manifestation of the Way of the Warrior followed to the point of certain death be an example to us all.

Ashikaga Yoshimitsu (1358–1408)

The Ashikaga branch of the Minamoto family supplied 15 shoguns, and none was more accomplished than Yoshimitsu: it is to him that we owe the reconciliation between the rival courts and the restoration of peace to Japan. He was also a skilled general who in 1400 defeated Ouchi Yoshihiro, a man who unwisely tried to seize the position of shogun. When peace had been restored, Yoshimitsu showed his true greatness by re-establishing the friendship with China (relations had been soured by the Mongol invasions) and building the Golden Pavilion that now graces the landscape northwest of Kyoto. Truly he was accomplished both in the arts of war and the arts of peace.

Hojo Soun (1432–1519)

Some people condemn Hojo Soun for being an upstart, and it is true that he was of humble origins and began his samurai career with only six followers. Yet the gods smiled on him and blessed him with victory, so one may forgive him even for taking the name of Hojo, which was not his originally. For four generations, each successive son admirably followed the doctrine of filial piety, and Soun provided them with as noble an ancestor as any samurai could hope for. They ruled the Kanto provinces until eventually humbled by the martial skill of His Most Illustrious Highness.

Hojo Soun, the first of the five generations of Hojo lords who ruled much of the Kanto from their castle at Odawara until being defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi in 1590.

Uesugi Kenshin (1530–78)

People sometimes ask me ‘Who was the greater of the two rivals Uesugi Kenshin and Takeda Shingen?’ and I always answer ‘Kenshin’. Why? Because even though nearly every contest between the two of them (they fought five battles at a place called Kawanakajima) was indecisive, the same cannot be said about the wars they fought against others. At Mikata ga Hara, Shingen came close to defeating His Most Illustrious Highness, and would have done so had it not been for the all-encompassing military virtue that His Most Illustrious Highness displayed during the ordered withdrawal. However, at Tedorigawa Uesugi, Kenshin defeated Oda Nobunaga – the only person ever to do such a thing.

Oda Nobunaga (1534–82)

In the sad days when His Most Illustrious Highness was a young man and a vassal of the ill-fated Imagawa family, he took part in a campaign against Lord Oda Nobunaga, covering himself in martial glory (even though the Imagawa ultimately failed). Nobunaga was a wise leader and recognized the talent of His Most Illustrious Highness, who soon became his ally. Lord Oda then went from strength to strength, defeating myriad enemies. Only one of his generals failed to be loyal to him. This was the despicable Akechi Mitsuhide, who had Nobunaga murdered. After this appalling act Lord Akechi lived for just 13 days before being killed in battle. Let it be a lesson to us all.

Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536–98)

How can I fail to include the man who unified Japan? His greatness as a general and as a statesman was unsurpassed in the age, and, after all, he even defeated His Most Illustrious Highness at Nagakute in 1584. Hideyoshi’s victories at Yamazaki and Shizugatake were masterly indeed, and he then went on to conquer the islands of Shikoku and Kyushu – even challenging the might of the Ming empire. Note also how loyal his generals were to him, even going willingly to certain death. True loyalty ideally follows fine leadership, and Toyotomi Hideyoshi was a samurai’s general.

Female Samurai Warriors – How Should You React?

You may be surprised by the inclusion of this section, but I feel that it is necessary, because in 1590 a rather embarrassing incident occurred during the siege of Hondo Castle on the Amakusa Islands in Higo province. The castle was being defended by deceitful Christian rebels, who had been seduced by foreign priests into taking up arms against their rightful lord. As a result of this obnoxious behaviour, Kato Kiyomasa, Lord of Kumamoto, marched against them and began a siege. While the operation was in progress, the gates of Hondo Castle unexpectedly opened to disgorge 300 women who charged wildly at Lord Kato’s samurai, swinging their curve-bladed spears. Many of his samurai were killed, and this was largely due – I believe – to their reluctance to engage the women in battle. This unfortunate lapse lasted only a few minutes, but was sufficiently serious to bring about the deaths of several noble samurai (the mode of whose passing, it must be admitted, was far from meritorious).

It must be emphasized that fighting women are an extremely rare phenomenon. In the case of Hondo they also fell into the category of lewd and sordid persons who had failed to appreciate the inherent martial virtues of the samurai class. That the women at Hondo were Christians only adds to the enormity of their despicable behaviour.

To set against this bad example, there are also several praise-worthy instances when the wives of lords (their husbands being absent when their castles were unexpectedly attacked by enemies) took it upon themselves to organize the defence. For example, at exactly the same time that Lord Torii was defending Fushimi on behalf of His Most Illustrious Highness, Anotsu Castle in Ise province also came under attack. Its commander, Tomita Nobutaka, was away serving in the army of His Most Illustrious Highness, so the defence was most valiantly undertaken in his absence by his wife Yuki-no-kata. Similarly, far away on the Nakasendo Road, Lord Sanada Nobuyuki was forced to leave his wife in charge of Numata Castle. So forceful was her refusal to surrender the castle to their enemies that the siege was abandoned.

These are extreme examples, but your sister belongs to the samurai class too; she must of course learn the budo (martial arts) that are suitable for the fairer sex in case her honour is ever challenged. She will then be able either to defend herself to the death or to commit suicide (in order to avoid bringing dishonour upon the family). Furthermore, as the above examples demonstrate, you never know what other challenges might appear and how she might react. Never underestimate a woman.