The Samurai and his Sword

BushidoBushido, ‘the way of the warrior’, was the warrior code of the samurai. According to Bushido, a samurai was expected to act honourably and be courageous in battle. He was also expected to endure different forms of physical hardship, such as long periods of fasting, when he would eat nothing or very little, and barefoot marches through the snow. The most important principle of Bushido was loyalty. A samurai would be expected to sacrifice his life for his daimyo master in battle if necessary.

“If one were to say in a words what the condition of being a samurai is, its basis lies first in seriously devoting one’s body and soul to his master. And if one is asked what to do beyond this, it would be fit it oneself inwardly with intelligence, humanity and courage.”

The Samurai Sword

A samurai’s most prized possession was his sword. The samurai believed each sword possessed its own spirit that influenced its owner in battle. This spirit was imparted to sword by the artisan who made it, the swordsmith. Swordsmiths in medieval Japan created swords of extreme high quality and sharpness, and were highly respected. One of the many stories about their skills tells of two swords, made by different craftsmen, being placed into a stream. Some leaves floating on the surface of the stream touched the first blade and were cut cleanly in two. Other leaves floating near the second blade parted in two on their own accord, out of respect for the quality of the sword.