The Hagakure appears obsessed with seppuku when you read through it. In the book, Yamamoto Tsunetomo collected myriad accounts of samurai from Saga domain along with various proverbs and lessons. Tsunetomo lived during the long peace of the Edo period as a custodian of Lord Mitsushige’s books. He worked from theory, which is why seppuku…
Tag: samurai
Bushido: The 5 Acts of the Samurai Code of Conduct
Bushido is the code of conduct for the samurai. It isn’t a written code. Rather, it was taught through example and through stories. As with any ideal, few people lived according to the tenants of bushido, but many aimed at it. Bushido comes down to 5 ways of acting. The teachings of Confucius and Mencius…
Why do Anime Characters Yell Their Names and Attacks?
Anime characters sure yell a lot. They yell their names or demand to know their opponent’s names. They yell their attacks. Wind Scar! Anime fans don’t think too much of it, but for those new to the medium this is just weird. However, there are a few reasons why anime has these conventions. Manga’s limitations…
The Forty-seven Ronin, A.B. Mitford’s Authoritative Account
Note: This account dates to 1871 and contains unconventional spellings for transliterations. For example, daimyo is spelled daimio. It also uses British-English spellings of words such as honour. I decided to retain these spellings and retain the old grammar rules to help you become used to these conventions. As you dig through old stories (the…
Gender Expectations of Edo Period Japan
The Edo period made Japan Japan. This long segment of peace shaped Japanese gender expectations and continues to influence them today. Japan was once a matriarchal society. The influx of Confucian ideas from China around the 15th century eroded the ability of women to hold power. Confucian ideas stressed hierarchy, male dominance, integrity, and righteousness….