MUGEN-RYU HEIHO

Katana sword owned by Tokugawa Ieyasu himself

In the samurai times in the Land of the Rising Sun there were many beautiful swords and many excellent masters who brilliantly mastered the art of swordsmanship. However, the most famous sword masters in the samurai tradition were Tsukahara Bokuden, Yagyu Mune-nori, Miyamoto Musashi and Yamaoka Tesshu.

Tsukahara Bokuden was born in Kashima, Hitachi Province. The first name of the future master was Takomoto. His own father was a samurai retainer of the daimyō of Kashima province and taught his son how to use the sword from early childhood. It seemed that Takamoto was a born warrior: while other children played, he practiced with his sword - first wooden, and then real, fighting. Soon he was sent to be raised in the house of the noble samurai Tsukahara Tosonoka-mi Yasumoto, who was a relative of the daimyo himself and brilliantly wielded a sword. He decided to transfer his art, along with his surname, to his adopted son. In him he found a grateful student who was determined to become a master on the "path of the sword."

The boy trained tirelessly and with inspiration, and his perseverance paid off. When Boku-den was twenty, he was already a master of the sword, although few people knew about it. and when a young man dared to challenge the famous warrior from Kyoto, Ochiai To-razaemon, many considered this a daring and rash trick. Ochiai decided to teach the impudent youth a lesson, however, to everyone's surprise, Bokuden defeated the eminent opponent in the very first seconds of the duel, but saved his life.

Ochiai was very upset by the shame of this defeat and decided to take revenge: he tracked down Bokuden and attacked him from an ambush. But the sudden and insidious attack did not take the young samurai by surprise. This time, Ochiai lost both his life and his reputation.

This duel brought Bokuden great fame. Many daimyo tried to get him as a bodyguard, but the young master rejected all these very flattering offers: he set out to further improve his art. For many years he led the life of a ronin, wandering around the country, learning from all the masters with whom fate confronted him, and fighting with experienced swordsmen. The times were then dashing: the wars of the Sengoku jidai era were in full swing, and Bokuden had to participate in many battles. He was entrusted with a special mission, both honorable and dangerous: he challenged enemy commanders (many of whom were first-class swordsmen themselves) to a duel and killed them in front of the entire army. Bokuden himself remained undefeated.

Pedinok on the roof of the temple

One of his most glorious duels was the duel with Kajiwara Nagato, who was reputed to be an unsurpassed master of the naginata. He also did not know defeat and was so skillful with weapons that he could cut a swallow on the fly. However, against Bokuden, his art was powerless: as soon as Nagato swung his halberd, Bokuden killed him with the first blow, which from the outside looked easy and simple. In fact, it was a virtuoso technique of hitotsu-tachi - a style of one blow, which Bokuden honed throughout his life.

The most curious "duel" of Bokuden was the incident that happened to him on Lake Biwa. Bokuden at that time was over fifty, he already looked at the world differently and did not want to kill people for the sake of meaningless fame. As luck would have it, in the boat, where Bokuden was among the other passengers, there was one frightening-looking ronin, stupid and aggressive. This ronin boasted of his swordsmanship, calling himself the best swordsman in Japan.

A boasting fool usually needs a listener, and the samurai chose Bokuden for this role. However, he did not pay any attention to him, and such disrespect infuriated the ronin. He challenged Bokuden to a duel, to which he calmly remarked that a true master seeks not to defeat, but, if possible, to avoid senseless bloodshed. Such an idea turned out to be indigestible for the samurai, and he, inflamed even more, demanded that Bokuden name his school. Bokuden replied that his school was called Mutekatsu-ryu, literally, "the school for achieving victory without the help of hands", that is, without a sword.

This angered the samurai even more. "What nonsense are you talking about!" he said to Bokuden, and ordered the boatman to dock at a tiny secluded island so that Bokuden could practically show him the advantages of his school. When the boat approached the island, the ronin was the first to jump ashore and draw his sword. Bokuden, on the other hand, took the pole from the boatman, pushed off from the shore and in one fell swoop took the boat away from the island. “This is how I achieve victory without a sword!” - said Bokuden and waved his hand to the fool left on the island.

Bokuden had three adopted sons, and he trained all of them in the art of the sword. Once he decided to give them a test and for this he placed a heavy block over the door. As soon as the door was opened, the log fell on the person entering. The eldest son was invited first by Bokuden. He sensed a catch and deftly picked up the block of wood that fell on him. When the block fell on the middle son, he managed to dodge in time and at the same time pull out the sword from the scabbard. When the turn came to the youngest son, he in the twinkling of an eye drew his sword and with a magnificent blow cut the falling log in half.

Bokuden was very pleased with the results of this "exam", because all three were on top, and the youngest also demonstrated excellent instant strike technique. However, Bokuden named his eldest son his main successor and the new head of his school, because in order to achieve victory he did not have to use the sword, and this most of all corresponded to the spirit of Bokuden's teachings.

Unfortunately, the Bokuden school did not outlive its founder. All his sons and best students died in battles against the troops of Oda Nobunaga, and there was no one left who could continue his style. Among the students was the shogun Ashikaga Yoshiteru himself, who brilliantly wielded a sword and worthily gave his life in an unequal battle with the killers surrounding him. Bokuden himself died in 1571 at the age of eighty-one. All that remains of his school are many legends and a book of one hundred verses known as the Bokuden Hyakushu. In the verses of the old master, it was about the path of the samurai, which runs along a thin line, like a sword point, separating life from death...

The one-hit technique developed by Bokuden and the idea of ​​achieving victory without the help of a sword were brilliantly embodied in another school of ken-jutsu called Yagyu-Shinkage Ryu. The founder of the Shinka-ge school was the famous warrior Kamiizumi Nobutsuna, whose swordsmanship was appreciated by Takeda Shingen himself. His best student and successor was another famous swordsman, Yagyu Muneyoshi.

Miyamoto Musashi with two swords. From a painting by an unknown artist of the 17th century

Muneyoshi, who had achieved considerable skill even before meeting Nobutsuna, challenged him to a duel. However, Nobutsuna suggested that Muneyoshi fight first with bamboo swords with his student, Hikida Toyogoroo. Yagyu and Hikida met twice, and twice Hikida delivered swift blows to Yagyu, which he did not have time to parry. Then Nobutsuna himself decided to fight Yagyu Muneyoshi, who had suffered an obvious defeat, but when the opponents met their eyes, lightning seemed to strike between them, and Muneyoshi, falling at the feet of Nobutsuna, asked to be his student. Nobutsuna willingly accepted Muneyoshi and taught him for two years.

Muneyoshi soon became his best student, and Nobutsuna named him his successor, initiating all the secret techniques and all the secrets of his skill. Thus, the Yagyu family school merged with the Shinkage school, and a new direction arose, Yagyu-Shinkage Ryu, which became a classic in the art of ken-jutsu. The fame of this school spread throughout the country, and the rumor of the famous Yagyu Muneyoshi reached the ears of Tokutawa Ieyasu himself, who at that time was not yet a shogun, but was considered one of the most influential people in Japan. Ieyasu decided to test the already aged master, who said that a sword was not at all necessary to win a victory.

In 1594, Ieyasu invited Muneyoshi to his place to test his skills in practice. Among the bodyguards of Ieyasu there were many samurai who wielded a sword superbly. He ordered the best of them to try to cut down the unarmed Muneyoshi with a sword. But every time he managed to dodge the blade at the last moment, disarm the attacker and throw him to the ground so that the unfortunate crawled away on all fours or could not get up at all.

In the end, all the best bodyguards of Ieyasu were defeated, and then he decided to personally attack Muneyoshi. But when Ieyasu raised his sword to strike, the old master managed to duck under the blade and push its hilt with both hands. The sword, describing a sparkling arc in the air, fell to the ground. Having disarmed the future shogun, the master brought him to the throw. But he didn’t quit, only slightly “pressed”, and then politely supported Ieyasu, who had lost his balance. He acknowledged the complete victory of Muneyoshi and, admiring his skill, offered him the honorary position of personal fencing instructor. But the old master was about to leave for the monastery and offered instead of himself his son Munenori, who later also became a wonderful sword master.

Munenori was a fencing teacher both under the shogun Hidetada, son of Ieyasu, and under his grandson Iemitsu. Thanks to this, the Yagyu-Shinkage school soon became very famous throughout Japan. Munenori himself glorified himself in the battle of Sekigahara and during the assault on Osaka Castle - he was among the shogun's bodyguards and killed enemy soldiers who were trying to break through to Tokutawa's headquarters and destroy Ieyasu and his son Hideta-du. For his exploits, Munenori was elevated to the rank of daimyo, lived in honor and wealth, and left behind a lot of works on swordsmanship.

The Yagyu-Shinkage school paid special attention to the development of an intuitive sense of an approaching enemy, an unexpected attack, and other danger. The path to the heights of this art in the Yagyu-Shinkage tradition begins with comprehending the technique of the correct bow: as soon as the student lowered his head too low and stopped monitoring the surrounding space, he immediately received an unexpected blow to the head with a wooden sword. and so it went on until he learned to elude them without interrupting his bow.

In the old days, the art of the warrior was taught even more ruthlessly. In order to awaken in the student the qualities necessary for survival, the master fed him with slaps in the face 24 hours a day: he quietly sneaked up to him with a stick when he was sleeping or doing housework (usually the students in the master’s house did all the dirty work), and beat him mercilessly. In the end, the student, at the cost of bumps and pain, began to anticipate the approach of his tormentor and think about how to avoid blows. From that moment on, a new stage of apprenticeship began: the master no longer took a stick in his hands, but a real samurai sword and taught already very dangerous fighting techniques, suggesting that the student had already developed the ability to think and act simultaneously and at lightning speed.

Some sword masters have perfected their art of zanshin to near-supernatural levels. An example of this is the samurai test scene in Kurosawa's Seven Samurai. The subjects were invited to enter the house, behind the door of which a guy was hiding with a club at the ready and unexpectedly hit the people on the head. One of them missed the blow, the others managed to dodge and disarm the attacker. But the samurai was recognized as the best, who refused to enter the house, because he sensed a catch.

Yagyu Munenori himself was considered one of the strongest zanshin masters. One fine spring day, he and his young squire admired the cherry blossoms in his garden. Suddenly, he began to feel that someone was preparing to stab him in the back. The master examined the entire garden, but found nothing suspicious. The squire, amazed at the strange behavior of the master, asked him what was the matter. He complained that he was probably getting old: he began to let down the feeling of zanshin - intuition speaks of danger, which in fact turns out to be imaginary. and then the guy admitted that, standing behind the back of the gentleman admiring the cherries, he thought that he could very easily kill him, inflicting an unexpected blow from behind, and then all his skills would not have helped Munenori. Munenori smiled at this and, pleased that his intuition was still on top, forgave the young man for his sinful thoughts.

Miyamoto Musashi fights against several opponents armed with spears

The shogun Tokutawa Iemi-tsu himself heard about this incident and decided to test Munenori. He invited him to his place supposedly for a conversation, and Munenori, as a samurai should, respectfully sat down at the feet of the ruler on a mat spread on the floor. Iemitsu spoke to him, and during the conversation, he suddenly attacked the master with a spear. But the shogun's movement was not unexpected for the master - he managed to feel his "bad" intention much earlier than he carried it out, and therefore immediately made Iemitsu a cut, and the shogun was overturned, without having time to understand what had happened, and not swinging your weapon...

The fate of Yagyu Munenori's contemporary, the lonely warrior Miyamoto Musashi, who became the hero of samurai legends, turned out quite differently. He remained a restless ronin for most of his life, and in the battle of Sekigahara and in the battles at Osaka Castle he was on the side of the losing opponents of Tokutawa. He lived like a real ascetic, dressed in rags and despised many conventions. All his life he honed his fencing technique, but he saw the meaning of the “path of the sword” in comprehending the impeccability of the spirit, and this was what brought him brilliant victories over the most formidable opponents. Since Miyamoto Musashi shunned society and was a lone hero, little is known about his life. The real Miyamoto Musashi was eclipsed by his literary counterpart - the image derived in the popular adventure novel of the same name by the Japanese writer Yoshikawa Eji.

Miyamoto Musashi was born in 1584 in the village of Miyamoto, located in the town of Yoshino, Mima-saka province. His full name was Shinmen Musashi no kami Fujiwara no Genshin. Musashi was a master of the sword, as they say, from God. He took his first fencing lessons from his father, but honed his skills on his own - in exhausting training and dangerous duels with formidable opponents. Musashi's favorite style was nito-ryu - fencing with two swords at once, but he was no less deft with one sword and a jitte trident, and even used any means at hand instead of a real weapon. He won his first victory at the age of 13, challenging the famous sword master Arima Kibei, who belonged to the Shinto Ryu school, to a duel. Arima did not take this duel seriously, for he could not admit that a thirteen-year-old boy could become a dangerous opponent. Musashi entered the duel, armed with a long pole and a short wakizashi sword. When Arima tried to strike, Musashi deftly intercepted his hand, made a throw and hit with a pole. This blow was fatal.

At the age of sixteen, he challenged an even more formidable warrior, Tadashima Akiyama, to a duel and defeated him without much difficulty. In the same year, young Musashi participated in the Battle of Sekigahara under the banner of the Ashikaga clan, who opposed the Tokutawa troops. The Ashikaga detachments were utterly defeated, and most of the samurai laid down their violent heads on the battlefield; young Musashi was also seriously wounded and, most likely, should have died if he had not been pulled out of the thick of the battle by the famous monk Takuan Soho, who came out of the injured young man and had a great spiritual influence on him (as stated in the novel, although this, of course, artistic creation).

When Musashi was twenty-one years old, he went on a musya-shugo - military wanderings, looking for worthy opponents to hone his swordsmanship and take it to new heights. During these wanderings, Musashi wore dirty, torn clothes and looked very untidy; even in the bathhouse he bathed extremely rarely, for one very unpleasant episode was connected with it. When Musashi nevertheless decided to wash himself and climbed into an o-furo, a traditional Japanese bath - a large barrel of hot water, he was attacked by one of his opponents, who tried to take advantage of the moment when the famous warrior was unarmed and relaxed. But Musashi managed to “get out of the water dry” and defeat the armed enemy with his bare hands, but after this incident he hated swimming. This incident, which happened in the bath with Musashi, served as the basis for the famous Zen koan, asking what a warrior should do in order to defeat the enemies surrounding him, who caught him standing naked in a barrel of water and deprived not only of clothing, but also of weapons.

Sometimes they try to explain Musashi's sloppy appearance with a kind of psychological trick: misled by his worn dress, the rivals looked down on the tramp and were not ready for his lightning attacks. However, according to the closest friends of the great warrior, from early childhood his entire body and head were completely covered with ugly scabs, so he was embarrassed to undress in public, could not wash in the bath and could not wear the traditional samurai hairstyle when half his head was shaved bald. Musashi's hair has always been disheveled and untidy, like a classic demon from Japanese fairy tales. Some authors believe that Musashi suffered from congenital syphilis, and this serious disease, which tormented the master all his life and eventually killed him, determined the character of Miyamoto Musashi: he felt different from all other people, was lonely and disfigured, and this disease , which made him proud and withdrawn, moved him to great achievements in the art of war.

For eight years of wandering, Musashi fought in sixty duels and emerged victorious from them, defeating all his opponents. In Kyoto, he held a series of brilliant duels with representatives of the Yoshioka clan, who served as fencing instructors for the Ashikaga family. Musashi defeated his older brother, Yoshioka Genzae-mon, and hacked his younger brother to death. Then he was challenged to a duel by the son of Genzaemon, Hanshichiro. In fact, the Yoshioka family intended, under the pretext of a duel, to lure Musashi into a trap, attack him with the whole crowd and kill him for sure. However, Musashi found out about this venture and himself ambushed behind a tree, near which the treacherous Yoshioka gathered. Suddenly jumping out from behind a tree, Musashi cut down Hanshichiro and many of his relatives on the spot, while the rest fled in fear.

Musashi also defeated such famous warriors as Muso Gonnosuke, the hitherto unsurpassed master of the pole, Shishido Baikan, who was reputed to be a master of kusari-kama, and the master of the spear monk Shuji, who was hitherto reputed to be invincible. However, the most famous duel of Miyamoto Musashi is considered to be his duel with Sasa-ki Ganryu, fencing teacher of the influential Prince Hosokawa Tadatoshi, the best swordsman in all of northern Kyushu. Musashi challenged Ganryu to a duel, the challenge was readily accepted and received the approval of the daimyo Hosokawa himself. The duel was scheduled for the early morning of April 14, 1612 on the small island of Funajima.

The first blow is the final blow!

At the appointed time, Ganryu arrived at the island with his men, wearing a scarlet haori and hakama and girded with a magnificent sword. Musashi was late for several hours - he frankly overslept - and all this time Ganryu nervously walked back and forth along the coast of the island, acutely experiencing such humiliation. Finally, the boat brought Musashi too. He looked sleepy, his clothes were wrinkled and tattered like a beggar's rags, his hair was matted and tousled; as a weapon for the duel, he chose a fragment of an old oar.

Such a frank mockery of the rules of good manners infuriated the exhausted and already angry opponent, and Ganryu began to lose his cool. He drew his sword with lightning speed and furiously aimed a blow at Musashi's head. At the same time, Musashi hit Ganryu on the head with his piece of wood, stepping back. The lace that tied his hair turned out to be cut by a sword. Ganryu himself fell to the ground, unconscious. Recovering his senses, Ganryu demanded the continuation of the duel, and this time, with a deft blow, he managed to cut through his opponent's clothes. However, Musashi defeated Ganryu on the spot, he fell to the ground and did not get up again; blood gushed from his mouth, and he immediately died.

After the duel with Sasaki Ganryu Musashi has changed a lot. Duels no longer appealed to him, but he became passionate about Zen painting in the Suiboku-ga style and gained fame as an excellent artist and calligrapher. In 1614-1615. he participated in the battles at Osaka Castle, where he showed miracles of courage and military skill. (It is not known, however, on whose side he fought.)

For most of his life, Musashi traveled around Japan with his adopted son, and only at the end of his life agreed to serve the daimyō Hosokawa Tadatoshi, the very one whom the late Ganryu had once served. However, Tadatoshi soon died, and Musashi left the Hosokawa house, becoming an ascetic. Before his death, he wrote the now famous "Book of Five Rings" ("Go-rin-no shu"), in which he reflected on the meaning of martial arts and the "way of the sword." He died in 1645, leaving a memory of himself as a sage and philosopher who went through fire, water and copper pipes.

Any tradition - including the tradition of martial arts - knows periods of prosperity and decline. History knows many examples when, due to various circumstances, traditions were interrupted - for example, when the master did not know to whom to transfer his art, or the society itself lost interest in this art. It so happened that in the first decades after the Meiji restoration, Japanese society, carried away by restructuring in a European way, lost interest in its own national tradition. Many beautiful groves, once glorified by poets, were ruthlessly cut down, and factory buildings smoky with chimneys arose in their place. Many Buddhist temples and ancient palaces were destroyed. The survival of the traditions of samurai martial arts was also threatened, for many believed that the era of the sword had irrevocably passed, and sword exercises were a completely pointless waste of time. Nevertheless, the samurai tradition, thanks to the asceticism of many masters, managed to survive and find a place for itself in the transformed Japan, and even splashed out beyond its borders.

One of these masters, who saved the noble art of the sword from extinction, was Yamaoka Tesshu, whose life fell on the period of the fall of the Tokutawa regime and the sunset of the "golden age" of the samurai. His merit lies in the fact that he managed to lay the bridge on which the samurai martial arts passed into a new era. Yamaoka Tesshu saw the salvation of the tradition in making it open to representatives of all classes who wish to dedicate their lives to the "path of the sword."

Master Yamaoka Tesshu was born in 1835 into a samurai family and, as usual, he received his first sword skills from his father. He honed his skills under the guidance of many masters, the first of which was the famous swordsman Chiba Shusaku, the head of the Hokushin Itto Ryu school. Then Tesshu, at the age of 20, was adopted into the Yamaoka samurai family, whose representatives from generation to generation were famous for the art of the spear (soojutsu). Having married the daughter of the head of this family, Tesshu took the surname Yamaoka and was initiated into the innermost secrets of the family school of swordsmanship.

Combining all the acquired knowledge and inspired by Zen ideas, Tesshu created his own style of swordsmanship, calling it Muto Ryu - literally, "style without a sword"; to his own hall for fencing exercises, he gave the poetic name “Sumpukan” (“Hall of the Spring Wind”), borrowed from the poems of the famous Zen master Bukko, who lived in the 13th century, the very one who helped Hojo Tokimune repel the Mongol invasion. By the way, the image of the wind - fast, knows no barriers and can instantly turn into an all-destroying hurricane - has become one of the most important mythologies that reveal the image of a sword master that has been developing for centuries.

In his twenties, Tesshu became famous for his brilliant victories over many skilled swordsmen. However, he had one opponent, from whom Tesshu was constantly defeated, - Asari Gimei, the head of the Nakanishi-ha Itto Ryu school. Tesshu eventually asked Asari to be his teacher; he himself trained with such perseverance and ruthlessness to himself that he received the nickname Demon. However, despite all his tenacity, Tesshu could not defeat Asari for seventeen years. At this time, the Tokutawa shogunate fell, and in 1868 Tesshu participated in the hostilities of the "Boshin War" on the side of the Bakufu.

Zen Buddhism helped Tesshu to rise to a new level of mastery. Tesshu had his mentor, the Zen master monk Tekisui of the Tenryu-ji temple. Tekisui saw the reason for Tesshu's defeats in the fact that he was inferior to Asari not so much in swordsmanship (he had it honed to the limit), but in spirit. Tekisui advised him to meditate on this koan: “When two sparkling swords meet, there is nowhere to hide; be coldly calm, like a lotus flower blooming in the midst of a raging flame and piercing the Heavens! Only at the age of 45 Tesshu managed to comprehend in meditation the secret, inexpressible in words, the meaning of this koan. When he again crossed swords with his teacher, Asari laughed, threw away his blade and, congratulating Tesshu, called him his successor and the new head of the school.

Tesshu became famous not only as a master of the sword, but also as an outstanding mentor, who left behind many students. Tesshu liked to say that he who comprehends this art of the sword comprehends the essence of all things, for he learns to see both life and death at the same time. The master taught his followers that the true purpose of sword art is not to destroy the enemy, but to forge one's own spirit - only such a goal is worth the time spent on achieving it.

This philosophy of Tesshu was reflected in the system of so-called seigan developed by him, which is still widely used in various Japanese traditional martial arts. Seigan in Zen Buddhism means a vow that a monk gives, in other words, a severe test in which strength of mind is manifested. According to the Tesshu method, the student had to train continuously for 1000 days, after which he was allowed to the first test: he had to fight 200 fights in one day with only one short break. If the student passed this test, then he could pass the second, more difficult one: in three days he had to participate in three hundred fights. The third, final test involved going through 1,400 fights in seven days. Such a test went beyond the usual understanding of swordsmanship: in order to withstand such a load, just mastering the technique of fencing was not enough. The student had to combine all his physical strength with the strength of the spirit and achieve a mighty intention to pass this test to the end. Those who passed such an exam could rightfully consider themselves a real samurai of the spirit, which was Yamaoka Tesshu himself.

Samurai embodied the image of an ideal warrior who respected culture and laws, and was serious about the path of life he had chosen. When a samurai failed his master or himself, according to local customs, he had to be subjected to the “seppuku” ritual - ritual suicide, i.e. hara-kiri.

1. Hojo Ujitsuna (1487 - 1541)

Ujitsuna rekindled a long-standing feud with the Uesugi clan, the owner of Edo Castle, which has now grown into the gigantic metropolis of Tokyo but was then an ordinary castle sheltering a fishing village. By taking Edo Castle for himself, Ujitsuna managed to spread his family's influence over the entire Kanto region (the most populous island of Japan, the capital of the state is Tokyo) and by the time of his death in 1541, the Hojo clan was one of the most powerful and dominant families in Japan

2. Hattori Hanzo (1542 - 1596)

This name may be familiar to fans of Quentin Tarantino's work, since it was on the basis of the real biography of Hattori Hanzo that Quentin created the image of a swordsman for the film "Kill Bill". From the age of 16, he fought for survival, participating in many battles. Hanzo was devoted to Tokugawa Ieyasu, more than once saving the life of this man, who later founded the shogunate, which led Japan for more than 250 years (1603 - 1868). Throughout Japan, he is known as a great and devoted samurai who has become a legend. His name can be found carved at the entrance to the imperial palace.

3. Uesugi Kenshin (1530 - 1578)

Uesugi Kenshin was a strong military leader and part-time leader of the Nagao clan. He was noted for his outstanding ability as a commander, resulting in many victories for his troops on the battlefield. His rivalry with the Takeda Shingen, another warlord, was one of the most famous in history during the Sengoku period. They feuded for 14 years, during which time they participated in several one-on-one fights. Kenshin died in 1578, the circumstances of his death remain unclear. Modern historians believe that it was something similar to stomach cancer.

4. Shimazu Yoshihisa (1533 - 1611)

This is another Japanese warlord who lived throughout the bloody Sengoku period. While still a young man, he established himself as a talented commander, later this trait allowed him and his comrades to capture most of the Kyushu region. Yoshihisa was the first to unite the entire Kyushu region, later he was defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi (military and political leader, unifier of Japan) and his 200,000th army.

5. Mori Motonari (1497 - 1571)

Mori Motonari grew up in relative obscurity, but that didn't stop him from taking control of some of the largest clans in Japan and becoming one of the most feared and powerful warlords of the Sengoku period. His appearance on the general stage was sudden, just as unexpected was the series of victories that he won over strong and respected rivals. Ultimately, he captured 10 of the 11 provinces of the Chugoku region. Many of his victories were won against much more numerous and more experienced opponents, which made his exploits even more impressive.

6. Miyamoto Musashi (1584 - 1645)

Miyamoto Musashi was a samurai whose words and opinions still bear an imprint on modern Japan. Today he is known as the author of The Book of Five Rings, which describes the strategy and philosophy of the samurai in battle. He was the first to apply a new fighting style in the technique of wielding a kenjutsu sword, calling it niten ichi, when the battle is fought with two swords. According to legend, he traveled through ancient Japan, and during the journey he managed to win in many fights. His ideas, strategies, tactics and philosophy are the subject of study to this day.

7. Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536 - 1598)

Toyotomi Hideyoshi is considered one of Japan's Founding Fathers, one of three men whose actions helped unify Japan and end the long and bloody era of Sengoku. Hideyoshi replaced his former master, Oda Nobunaga, and began to implement social and cultural reforms that determined the future direction of Japan for a period of 250 years. He banned the possession of a sword by non-samurai, and also began a nationwide search for all swords and other weapons that should henceforth belong only to samurai. Despite the fact that this concentrated all military power in the hands of the samurai, such a move was a huge breakthrough on the path to common peace since the reign of the Sengoku era.

8. Takeda Shingen (1521 - 1573)

Takeda Shingen was arguably the most dangerous commander of all time in the Sengoku era. When it was revealed that his father was going to leave everything to his other son, Shingen allied himself with several other powerful samurai clans, which pushed him to move outside his native province of Kai. Shingen became one of the few who was able to defeat the army of Oda Nabunaga, who at that time successfully captured other territories of Japan. He died in 1573 suffering from an illness, but by this point he was well on his way to consolidating power over all of Japan.

The samurai caste ruled Japan for many centuries. Warriors of the highest class, renowned for their ferocity and loyalty to their overlord, they have become an integral part of the history and culture of the entire country. The samurai code is partly observed by the Japanese today. These unsurpassed fighters made the Land of the Rising Sun the way the modern world sees it.

Date Masamune
Known for his love of violence, Data Masamune was one of the most feared warriors of his era. Blinded in one eye as a child, the young man was forced to make every effort to gain recognition as a full-fledged fighter. The reputation of a bold and cunning military leader Data Masamune received by defeating the clan of his opponents, after which he transferred to the service of Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu.

Uesugi Kenshin
Kenshin, aka dragon Echigo, was a fierce warrior and leader of the Nagao clan. He was known for his rivalry with the Takeda Shingen, and supported Oda Nobunaga's military campaign. Kenshin was considered not only a brave fighter, but also an unsurpassed commander.

Tokugawa Ieyasu
The great Tokugawa Ieyasu was originally an ally of Oda Nobunaga. After the death of Nobunaga's successor, Toyotomi Hideyoshi, Ieyasu gathered his own army and started a long, bloody war. As a result, in 1600 he established the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate, which lasted until 1868.

Hattori Hanzo
The leader of the Iga clan, Hattori Hanzō was one of those rare samurai who were trained as ninja warriors. He was a loyal servant of Tokugawa Ieyasu and saved his master from certain death several times. Having grown old, Hanzo became a Buddhist monk and ended his days in a monastery.

Honda Tadakatsu
He was nicknamed "the warrior who conquered death." During his life, Tadakatsu took part in hundreds of battles and was not defeated in any of them. Honda's favorite blade was the legendary Dragonfly spear, which inspired fear in the enemy. It was Tadakatsu who led one of the detachments in the decisive battle of Sekigahara, which led to a new era in the history of Japan.

Miyamoto Musashi
Miyamoto Musashi was one of Japan's greatest swordsmen. Musashi held his first duel at the age of 13: he fought on the side of the Toyotomi clan against the Tokugawa clan. Miyamoto spent most of his life traveling the country, meeting the great masters in mortal combat. At the end of his life's journey, the great warrior wrote a treatise on the Five Rings, which describes in detail the technique of wielding a sword.

Shimazu Yoshihisa
One of the most famous warlords of the Sengoku period, Shimazu Yoshihisa was from the province of Satsuma. Shimazu sought to unify Kyushu and won many victories. The general's clan ruled most of the island for many years, but was eventually defeated by Toyotomi Hideyoshi. Shimazu Yoshihisa himself became a Buddhist monk and died in a monastery.

In modern popular culture, Japanese samurai are portrayed as medieval warriors, similar to Western knights. This is not quite the correct interpretation of the concept. In fact, the samurai were primarily feudal lords who owned their own land and were the backbone of power. This estate was one of the key in the Japanese civilization of that time.

The birth of the estate

Around the 18th century, those same warriors appeared, whose successor is any samurai. Japanese feudalism emerged from the Taika reforms. The emperors resorted to the help of the samurai in their struggle against the Ainu - the indigenous inhabitants of the archipelago. With each new generation, these people, who regularly served the state, acquired new lands and money. Clans and influential dynasties that owned significant resources were formed.

Approximately in the X-XII centuries. in Japan, a process similar to the European one took place - the country was shaken by the feudal lords fought against each other for land and wealth. At the same time, imperial power was preserved, but it was extremely weakened and could not prevent civil confrontation. It was then that the Japanese samurai received their code of rules - bushido.

Shogunate

In 1192, a political system arose, which was later called a complex and dual system of governing the entire country, when the emperor and the shogun ruled simultaneously - figuratively speaking, the chief samurai. Japanese feudalism relied on the traditions and power of influential families. If Europe overcame its own civil strife during the Renaissance, then the distant and isolated island civilization lived for a long time according to medieval rules.

This was the period when the samurai was considered the most prestigious member of society. The Japanese shogun was omnipotent due to the fact that at the end of the 12th century the emperor granted the bearer of this title the monopoly right to raise an army in the country. That is, any other pretender or peasant uprising could not arrange a coup d'état due to the inequality of forces. The Shogunate lasted from 1192 to 1867.

Feudal hierarchy

The samurai class has always been distinguished by a strict hierarchy. At the very top of this ladder was the shogun. Next came the daimyo. These were the heads of the most important and powerful families in Japan. If the shogun died without leaving an heir, then his successor was chosen just from among the daimyo.

At the middle level were the feudal lords, who had small estates. Their approximate number fluctuated around several thousand people. Next came the vassals of vassals and ordinary soldiers without property.

During its heyday, the samurai class made up about 10% of the total population of Japan. Members of their families can be attributed to the same layer. In fact, the power of the feudal lord depended on the size of his estate and the income from it. Often it was measured in rice - the main food of the entire Japanese civilization. With the soldiers, including paid off with a literal ration. For such "trade" even had its own system of measures and weights. Koku equaled 160 kilograms of rice. Approximately this amount of food was enough to satisfy the needs of one person.

To understand the value of rice in it is enough to give an example of a samurai salary. So, those close to the shogun received from 500 to several thousand koku of rice a year, depending on the size of their estate and the number of their own vassals, who also had to be fed and maintained.

Relationship between shogun and daimyō

The hierarchical system of the samurai class allowed the feudal lords who served regularly to climb very high on the social ladder. Periodically, they rebelled against the supreme power. The shoguns tried to keep the daimyo and their vassals in line. To do this, they resorted to the most original methods.

For example, in Japan for a long time there was a tradition according to which daimyo had to go once a year to their master for a reception. Such events were accompanied by long journeys across the country and high costs. If the daimyo was suspected of treason, the shogun could actually take hostage a family member of his objectionable vassal during such a visit.

Bushido Code

Along with the development of the shogunate, the best Japanese samurai appeared as the authors. This set of rules was formed under the influence of the ideas of Buddhism, Shintoism and Confucianism. Most of these teachings came to Japan from the mainland, more specifically from China. These ideas were popular with samurai - representatives of the main aristocratic families of the country.

Unlike Buddhism or the doctrine of Confucius, Shinto was ancient pagan. It was based on such norms as the worship of nature, ancestors, the country and the emperor. Shintoism allowed the existence of magic and otherworldly spirits. In bushido, the cult of patriotism and faithful service to the state first of all passed from this religion.

Thanks to Buddhism, the code of the Japanese samurai included such ideas as a special attitude towards death and an indifferent view of life's problems. Aristocrats often practiced Zen, believing in the rebirth of souls after death.

Samurai philosophy

A Japanese samurai warrior was trained in bushido. He had to strictly follow all the prescribed rules. These norms concerned both public service and private life.

The popular comparison of knights and samurai is wrong just from the point of view of comparing the European code of honor and bushido rules. This is due to the fact that the behavioral foundations of the two civilizations were extremely different from each other due to isolation and development in completely different conditions and societies.

For example, in Europe there was a well-established custom to give your word of honor when agreeing on some agreements between feudal lords. For a samurai, that would be an insult. At the same time, from the point of view of the Japanese warrior, a sudden attack on the enemy was not a violation of the rules. For a French knight, this would mean the perfidy of the enemy.

military honor

In the Middle Ages, every inhabitant of the country knew the names of Japanese samurai, since they were the state and military elite. Few who wished to join this estate could do it (either because of their ingenuity or because of inappropriate behavior). The closeness of the samurai class consisted precisely in the fact that strangers were rarely allowed into it.

Clanism and exclusivity strongly influenced the norms of warriors' behavior. For them, self-esteem was at the forefront. If a samurai brought shame on himself by an unworthy act, he had to commit suicide. This practice is called hara-kiri.

Every samurai had to answer for his words. The Japanese code of honor prescribed several times to think before making any statement. Warriors were required to be moderate in food and avoid licentiousness. A real samurai always remembered death and reminded himself every day that sooner or later his earthly path would end, so the only important thing is whether he was able to maintain his own honor.

Attitude towards family

Family worship also took place in Japan. So, for example, a samurai had to remember the rule of "branches and trunk." According to customs, the family was compared to a tree. The parents were the trunk, and the children were just the branches.

If a warrior treated his elders with contempt or disrespect, he automatically became an outcast in society. This rule was followed by all generations of aristocrats, including the very last samurai. Japanese traditionalism existed in the country for many centuries, and neither modernization nor a way out of isolation could break it.

Attitude towards the state

Samurai were taught that their attitude to the state and legitimate authority should have been as humble as to their own family. For a warrior, there were no interests higher than his master. The Japanese weapons of the samurai served the rulers to the very end, even when the number of their supporters became critically small.

Loyal attitude towards the overlord often took the form of unusual traditions and habits. So, the samurai did not have the right to go to bed with their feet towards the residence of their master. Also, the warrior was careful not to aim the weapon in the direction of his master.

Characteristic of the behavior of the samurai was a contemptuous attitude towards death on the battlefield. It is interesting that obligatory ceremonies have developed here. So, if a warrior realized that his battle was lost, and he was hopelessly surrounded, he had to give his own name and die calmly from the weapons of the enemy. The mortally wounded samurai, before dying, pronounced the names of Japanese samurai of senior ranks.

Education and customs

The class of feudal warriors was not only a militaristic stratum of society. Samurai were well educated, which was a must for their position. All warriors studied the humanities. At first glance, they could not be useful on the battlefield. But in reality it was exactly the opposite. The Japanese could not protect their owner where literature saved him.

For these warriors, it was the norm to be fond of poetry. The great fighter Minamoto, who lived in the 11th century, could spare a defeated enemy if he read him a good poem. One samurai wisdom said that weapons are the right hand of a warrior, while literature is the left.

The tea ceremony was an important part of everyday life. The custom of drinking a hot drink was of a spiritual nature. This ritual was adopted from Buddhist monks, who meditated collectively in this way. Samurai even held tea drinking tournaments among themselves. Each aristocrat was obliged to build a separate pavilion in his house for this important ceremony. From the feudal lords, the habit of drinking tea passed into the peasant class.

Samurai training

Samurai have been trained in their craft since childhood. It was vital for a warrior to master the technique of wielding several types of weapons. The skill of fisticuffs was also highly valued. Japanese samurai and ninja had to be not only strong, but also extremely hardy. Each student had to swim in a stormy river in full dress.

A real warrior could defeat the enemy not only with weapons. He knew how to suppress the opponent morally. This was done with the help of a special battle cry, which made unprepared enemies uncomfortable.

Everyday wardrobe

In the life of a samurai, almost everything was regulated - from relationships with others to clothing. She was also a social marker by which aristocrats distinguished themselves from peasants and ordinary townspeople. Only samurai could wear silk. In addition, their things had a special cut. Kimono and hakama were obligatory. Weapons were also considered part of the wardrobe. The samurai carried two swords with him at all times. They were tucked into a wide belt.

Only aristocrats could wear such clothes. Such a wardrobe was forbidden to peasants. This is also explained by the fact that on each of his things the warrior had stripes showing his clan affiliation. Every samurai had such coats of arms. A translation from Japanese of the motto could explain where it comes from and who it serves.

Samurai could use any item at hand as a weapon. Therefore, the wardrobe was selected for possible self-defense. The samurai fan became an excellent weapon. It differed from ordinary ones in that the basis of its design was iron. In the event of a sudden attack by enemies, even such an innocent thing could cost the lives of the attacking enemies.

Armor

If ordinary silk clothes were intended for everyday wear, then each samurai had a special wardrobe for battle. The typical armor of medieval Japan included metal helmets and breastplates. The technology for their production originated during the heyday of the shogunate and has remained virtually unchanged since then.

Armor was worn on two occasions - before a battle or a solemn event. The rest of the time they were kept in a specially designated place in the samurai's house. If the soldiers went on a long campaign, then their vestments were carried in a wagon train. As a rule, servants watched over the armor.

In medieval Europe, the main distinguishing element of equipment was the shield. With the help of it, the knights showed their belonging to one or another feudal lord. Samurai didn't have shields. For identification purposes, they used colored cords, banners, and helmets with engraved designs of coats of arms.

Who are the samurai? They represent the feudal class of Japan, which enjoyed great respect and reverence among all other estates. Samurai were feared and respected for their cruelty in battle and nobility in civilian life. The great names of the samurai of Japan are written in a story that will forever remember these legendary figures.

This is a kind of analogue of European knights, who swore to serve faithfully to their master and played one of the most important roles in the Japanese community. Their activities and way of life were rigidly bound by a code of honor, which was called "Bushido". The great samurai of Japan fought for the feudal lords or daimyo - the most powerful rulers of the country, who obeyed the powerful shogun.

The era of daimyo lasted from the 10th to the middle of the 19th century. During this time, the samurai managed to surround themselves with a kind of halo of nobility, they were feared and respected even outside the country of the Rising Sun. Mere mortals admired them, bowing before their cruelty, courage, cunning and resourcefulness. Many feats were attributed to samurai, but the truth was actually much more prosaic - the famous samurai of Japan were ordinary killers, but what was the nature of their crimes!

Top most famous samurai in Japan

One can talk endlessly about the great samurai. Their stories are shrouded in a halo of mystery and nobility, very often undeserved feats were attributed to them, but these personalities still remained the object of worship and disinterested respect.

• Taira no Kiyomori (1118 - 1181)

He was a commander and warrior, thanks to whom the first samurai administrative system of government in the history of the Japanese state was created. Prior to the start of his activities, all samurai were simply hired warriors for aristocrats. After that, he took the Taira clan under his protection and quickly achieved success in political activities. In 1156, Kiyomori, along with Minamoto no Yoshimoto (the head of the Minamoto clan), managed to crush the rebellion and began to rule the two highest warrior clans in Kyoto. As a result, their union turned into bitter rivals, and in 1159 Kiyomori defeated Yoshimoto. Thus, Kiyomori became the head of the most powerful warrior clan in Kyoto.

Kiyomori was able to seriously move up the career ladder. In 1171, he gave his daughter in marriage to Emperor Takakura. A little later, their first child was born, which was often used as a lever of pressure on the emperor. However, the plans of the samurai failed to materialize, he died of a fever in 1181.

• Ii Naomasa (1561 - 1602)

He was a famous general or daimyo during the period when the shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu was in power. It was one of the most devoted samurai known to the history of Japan. He advanced significantly through the ranks and received great recognition after 3,000 soldiers under his leadership won the Battle of Nagakute (1584). He fought with such vigor that even opponents admired his behavior on the battlefield. The greatest popularity brought him the battle of Sekigahara. During the battle, he was hit by a stray bullet, after which he could not fully recover. His detachment was called the "Red Devils" for the corresponding color of the armor that warriors wore during the battle to intimidate opponents.

• Date Masamune (1567 - 1636)

The list of "The most famous samurai" continues this legendary figure. The daimyo was ruthless and merciless, almost everyone said so about him. He was an outstanding warrior and an excellent strategist, and his personality became even more memorable due to the loss of one eye, for which Masamune received the nickname "One-Eyed Dragon". He was supposed to take the leading place in the clan after his father, but the loss of an eye caused a split in the family and the younger brother Date came to power. Already being a general, the samurai was able to gain a good reputation and was rightfully considered a leader. It was after this that he unleashed a campaign in order to defeat the neighboring clans. This created considerable excitement. As a result, the neighboring clan turned to the father with a request to curb his eldest son. Terumune was abducted, but he managed to warn his son about a similar outcome of events and asked him to kill all members of neighboring clans. Date Masamune followed his father's instructions.

Although this contradicts some ideas about samurai, but Date Masamune was a supporter of religion and culture. He even personally knew the Pope.

• Honda Tadakatsu (1548 - 1610)

He was a general and one of the Four Heavenly Kings of Ieyasu along with Ii Naomasa, Sakakibara Yasumasa, and Sakai Tadatsugu. Of the four, Honda Tadakatsu had a reputation for being the most dangerous and merciless. He was a true warrior, even in the depths of his soul. So, for example, Oda Nobunaga, who, by the way, was not very happy with his followers, considered Tadakatsu a real samurai among all other samurai. It was often said of him that Honda bypassed death itself, as he never received a serious injury, despite the fact that the number of his battles exceeded 100.

• Hattori Hanzo (1542 - 1596)

He was the most famous samurai and ninja of the Sengoku era. Thanks to him, Emperor Tokugawa Ieyasu survived, and a little later became the ruler of a united Japan. Hattori Hanzo showed brilliant military tactics, earning him the nickname Devil Hanzo. He won his first battle at a very young age - Hanzo was only 16 years old then. After that, he was able to free the Tokugawa daughters from the hostages at Kaminogo Castle in 1562. 1582 was a decisive year for him in his career and in winning a leading position - he helped the future Shogun to escape from his pursuers to the province of Mikawa. In this operation, he was helped by local ninjas.

Hattori Hanzo was an excellent swordsman and in his last years, according to historical sources, he was hiding under the guise of a monk. Many often attributed supernatural abilities to this samurai. It was said that he could instantly hide and appear in the most unexpected places.

• Benkei (1155 - 1189)

He was a warrior monk who was in the service of the Minamoto no Yoshitsune. Benkei is perhaps the most popular character in Japanese folklore. The stories about his origins are many-sided: some claim that he was born to a raped woman, while others are inclined to believe that Benkei was a descendant of a god. Rumor has it that this samurai killed at least 200 people in each of his battles. An interesting fact - at the age of 17, he was more than 2 meters tall. He learned the art of naginata (a long weapon that is a mixture of a spear and an ax) and left a Buddhist monastery to join a sect of mountain monks.

According to legend, he went to the Gojo Bridge in Kyoto, and was able to disarm every passing swordsman. Thus, he was able to collect 999 swords. During the 1000th battle with Minamoto no Yoshitsune, Benkei was defeated and forced to become his vassal. A few years later, while under siege, Yoshitsune committed ritual suicide while Benkei fought for his master. Rumor has it that the rest of the soldiers were afraid to oppose this giant. In that battle, the samurai laid down about 300 soldiers, who saw with their own eyes how the giant pierced by arrows was still standing. So everyone was able to learn about the "standing death of Benkei."

• Uesugi Kenshin (1530 - 1578)

He was one of the most powerful commanders of the Sengoku era in Japan. He believed in the Buddhist god of war, and his followers were convinced that Uesugi Kenshin was the incarnation of Bishamonten. He was the youngest ruler of Echigo Province - at the age of 14, he took the place of his older brother.

He agreed to go against the greatest commander Takeda Shingen. In 1561, the largest battle between Shingen and Kenshin took place. The results of the battle were mixed, as both sides lost about 3,000 men in this battle. They were rivals for more than 14 years, but even this fact did not prevent them from exchanging gifts. And when Shingen died in 1573, Kenshin could not accept the loss of such a worthy rival.

Data on the death of Uesugi Kenshin is ambiguous. Someone says that he died from the consequences of heavy drinking, someone is inclined to the version that he was seriously ill.

• Takeda Shingen (1521 - 1573)

This is perhaps the most famous samurai in the history of Japan. He is known, by and large, for his unique military tactics. Often referred to as the "Kai Tiger" for its distinctive characteristics on the battlefield. At the age of 20, he took the Takeda clan under his tutelage, then united with the Imagawa clan - as a result, the young commander received power over all nearby territories.

This was the only samurai who possessed sufficient strength and skill to defeat the powerful Oda Nobunaga, who aspired to power over all of Japan. Singen died while preparing for the next battle. Some say that a soldier wounded him, while others are inclined to believe that the samurai died of a serious illness.

• Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543 - 1616)

He is the first shogun and founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. His family practically ruled the Land of the Rising Sun from 1600 until the beginning of the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Ieyasu received power in 1600, became shogun three years later, and two years later he abdicated, but was in power the rest of the time until his death. It was one of the most famous generals in the history of Japan.

This samurai outlived many famous rulers in his lifetime: Oda Nobunaga laid the foundation for the shogunate, Toyotomi Hideyoshi seized power, Shingen and Kenshin, two of the strongest rivals, were dead. The Tokugawa Shogunate, thanks to the cunning mind and tactical thinking of Ieyasu, will rule Japan for another 250 years.

• Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536 - 1598)

It is also the most famous samurai of its kind. He was a general and great politician of the Sengoku era, as well as the second unifier of Japan and the man who ended the Warring States period. Hideyoshi has made efforts to create some cultural legacies. So, for example, he introduced a restriction from which it followed that only members of the samurai class could carry weapons. In addition, he financed the construction and restoration of many temples, and also played a significant role in the history of Christianity in Japan.

Hideyoshi, despite his peasant background, was able to become the great general of Nobunaga. He failed to obtain the title of shogun, but made himself regent and built a palace. As his health began to fail, Hideyoshi began to conquer the Ming Dynasty with the help of Korea. The class reforms that the samurai carried out significantly changed the Japanese social system.