Soul of the Samurai

Рет қаралды 200,567

11 жыл бұрын

Why has the samurai sword always been such a powerful symbol of Japanese culture? Dr. Inazo Nitobe, the man pictured on Japan's 5,000-yen note, tried to answer that question for the world. As a Japanese diplomat at the League of Nations, he was asked by a western colleague how - without religious instruction - the Japanese could teach their children right from wrong. So in the year 1900, Dr. Nitobe wrote a book in English called Bushido - the code of the samurai. He wrote that this warrior code became the credo by which most Japanese lived their lives. And, he wrote, just as the code of the samurai is the soul of Japan, the sword is the soul of the samurai. For Dr. Nitobe, the sword is a work of art that represents the soul of the samurai. But originally the sword was not the samurai's weapon of choice. In the beginning, they fought from horseback, and their skill was with the bow and arrow. So why did the sword, not the bow and arrow, become so important to the samurai and to Japan? To find the answer we must go deep into the history and legends of this ancient land.

Пікірлер: 196

@chrisd8715 5 жыл бұрын

I always found it interesting, while studying Samurai culture to note how Bushido is in nearly complete direct conflict with Buddhism.

@anders1621 11 жыл бұрын

Even today, Japan has so much to teach us ..

@knightofthesun758 6 жыл бұрын

Yeah, being a racist and a country of cry-babies! Yeah, they teach us that!

@MustafaKulle 9 жыл бұрын

As someone who loves Japanese history and culture, this is one of the best documentaries on Samurai. Thank you for uploading.

@rekezaam6960 6 жыл бұрын

When I hear Japan all I can think of are their video games and delicious foods.

@direitodeestaranonimo2045 9 жыл бұрын

Best samurai documentary ever, explains absolutely everything

@JestJuster 10 жыл бұрын

The samurai are the most greatest warriors ever known on this world for their pride and courage...They preferred pride over their life

@firstchushingura 10 жыл бұрын

3 warriors are on the top 3. The Spartan Warrior, The Samurai Warrior, The Viking Warrior. Thats my Opinion

@thompa1978 10 жыл бұрын

***** the ninja have to be up there too bud!

@nasgaf 10 жыл бұрын

yeah i think thats a pretty fair assesment of things. all three were the undisputed badass's of their day

@liamlilley2959 10 жыл бұрын

They ultimately died because they valued tradition and honor over technology and succumbed to the advancement of weaponry.

@asmoxbaby 10 жыл бұрын

no..native americans are best warrior.

@conmallarijr9668 9 жыл бұрын

Oda Nobunaga was not born a peasant. It was Hideyoshi that was a peasant.

@2072gizmo 9 жыл бұрын

finally someone who agrees with me i thought i was wrong the whole time.

@rickiex 9 жыл бұрын

kyle sharpe yes! hideyoshi was the shoe bearing for nobonaga. that is why he outlawed people from changing their class like he did.

@oathk14 10 жыл бұрын

Please Re-upload this in 720p and higher :D

@SuperGreatSphinx 9 жыл бұрын

Samurai (侍?) were the military nobility of medieval and early-modern Japan. In Japanese, they are usually referred to as bushi (武士?, [bu͍ꜜ.ɕi̥]) or buke (武家?). According to translator William Scott Wilson: "In Chinese, the character 侍 was originally a verb meaning to wait upon or accompany persons in the upper ranks of society, and this is also true of the original term in Japanese, saburau. In both countries the terms were nominalized to mean "those who serve in close attendance to the nobility", the pronunciation in Japanese changing to saburai. According to Wilson, an early reference to the word "samurai" appears in the Kokin Wakashū (905-914), the first imperial anthology of poems, completed in the first part of the 10th century. By the end of the 12th century, samurai became almost entirely synonymous with bushi, and the word was closely associated with the middle and upper echelons of the warrior class. The samurai followed a set of rules that came to be known as bushidō. While the samurai numbered less than 10% of Japan's population, their teachings can still be found today in both everyday life and in modern Japanese martial arts.

@marcellegault9752 9 жыл бұрын

Atila Tilen Nyari it actually means to serve.

@moondude8644 9 жыл бұрын

Sonny Loop yes it does,to serve meaning to serve there lord or whoever.

@user-dg3nr2eq7n 9 жыл бұрын

***** I would also like to add that not only samurai but other warriors, not necessarily of "nobility" were called "bushi" as well, at some point.

@simonlimon7052 10 жыл бұрын

Captivating, never seen this program. Domo...

@babyinuyasha 8 жыл бұрын

I would like to point out that throughout samurai history, the sword was an auxiliary weapon. They preferred a bow and arrows, a spear or a naginata, but a sword was always worn. Antony Cummins once said "A spear is something that you needed, but a sword was something you should always have." But nonetheless this is a good documentary, minus the inaccuracy of the narrator saying it was Oda Nobunaga who was born a peasant and not Hideyoshi.

@Rhiavax 7 жыл бұрын

fucken weebaboo

@haxuanshah2613 6 жыл бұрын

baby is smart nehh

@williampatience7592 6 жыл бұрын

SuperHefner What the fuck is your problem shit for brains.Go get intimate with your farm animals.

@StopFear 5 жыл бұрын

How do you know that? Did you read a book about it? Because if its from the internet or from wikipedia specifically, then everyone can see it.

@CornellD.Cavendish 10 ай бұрын

Docu said this at 3 mins in

@takashimurakami655 8 жыл бұрын

Oda Nobunaga was a lord and Hideyoshi was a peasant that devoted to Nobunaga first as Nobunaga´s shoe bearing and later he became one of the Nobunaga´s most valued general. Another point of this documentary that is not correct is the quantity of guns that Nobunaga used. It was far less than 3000 as mentioned (500, I guess) so that Nobunaga invented the san-dan fire, i.e, 3 lines of gun fire soldiers to fire one after another.

@epsilon3821 7 жыл бұрын

Actually it was 3000. The Takeda force would have overwhelmed and flanked them if the Oda lines were 500 per rank instead of 1000.

@Newmindframe Жыл бұрын

Every minute has importance for a true samurai, no moment goes without absolute meaning.

@harshwardhan6777 11 жыл бұрын

GREAT TO SEE N GREAT TO LEARN

@octchung 10 жыл бұрын

you must be joking! No asian country did not hate these samurai because of their brutality. Korean knew it best, Chinese had nightmare of it. Many British and Americans and Russians understood it well. Eating a human being alive is another culture of the samurai to show their courage, this is really ever known.

@martinandersson1539 10 жыл бұрын

Great documentary! great to learn moer about japaneas ancient history then only samuraj and bushido.

@thefuzzylucario6716 6 жыл бұрын

It's actually kind of sad. I loved it though.

@TheAnarchist33 11 жыл бұрын

Awesome video!

@dwgherkemasnurdbird4803 3 жыл бұрын

Perhaps turn the music up around the 5 minute mark, I can almost hear someone speaking 😁

@Dyddda01 10 жыл бұрын

yes very true ^^ you forgot the mention the wheellock which was already inveted at the time the portuguese brought matchlock to Japan.

@babyinuyasha 9 жыл бұрын

It was Hideyoshi who was born a peasant not Nobunaga

@moondude8644 8 жыл бұрын

Baby Inuyasha some historian eh.....

@haxuanshah2613 6 жыл бұрын

baby

@gxh3539 6 жыл бұрын

Baby Inuyasha lol I was about to say the same thing.👍

@hibaqelmi5627 10 жыл бұрын

History of samurai

@alana295 6 жыл бұрын

Takeda Shingen, Oda Nobunaga, Hideyoshi Toyotomi, Tokugawa Ieyasu who among them should be the most qualified to establish the last Japanese Shogunate?

@weeabooshunter4759 6 жыл бұрын

very interesting Naginata is a great weapon

@awhimatebabee 3 жыл бұрын

I’m here cause my uni lecturer said we had to watch this and it’s so interesting but at around 5.30 the screeching music feels like something in my brain is trying to scratch its way out 🙉🙉🙉

@nschario 11 жыл бұрын

So true. The ulitamate.

@geogeo2352 10 жыл бұрын

light!

@hwhic2874 8 жыл бұрын

16:35 favorite part

@Kerwin-Kendell Жыл бұрын

Nice doc, but it leaves out Yasuke. Also Bushido wasn't a driving concept during the warring states period. Most Dimyos & their samurai couldn't trust others (& vice versa). Betrayals were frequent. In the modern era bushido became more prominent.

@thirstd 10 жыл бұрын

Great beliefs nd cultures all over the world change with times nd become memorys sum memorys fade sum dont .its up to u to pik witch ones u wish to keep

@Nazi-kg2fy 5 жыл бұрын

Samurai fearless

@nevillemacaulife3129 8 жыл бұрын

This is an interesting documentary, but I had to give up on it. There is a supposedly musical accompaniment that drowns out the commentary.

@jt4478 6 жыл бұрын

Anyone know the song name starting at 1:17 ?

@StopFear 5 жыл бұрын

DISU SOODO ISU NOTTO TAFU INAFU!!!

@Dietpepsiahh 8 жыл бұрын

Pain = heroism? Seriously? No, taking responsibility for yourself, that takes real courage.

@calebhodson5122 6 жыл бұрын

What the samurai sword was to the famous Japanese warriors the KaBar is to the US Marines. Both are legends in combat.

@TheShinobidog 10 жыл бұрын

read hagakure

@babyinuyasha 10 жыл бұрын

01:22 what crest is that? It looks like Tokugawa

@YDS5555555 10 жыл бұрын

It is the Tokugawa mon, it also looks a little bit like the Oda mon, but it's Tokugawa because it's blue and gold/yellow, plus the three flower petals indicate it's Tokugawa.

@moondude8644 9 жыл бұрын

it could be the oda?

@babyinuyasha 9 жыл бұрын

***** color plays no role in Japanese crests

@babyinuyasha 9 жыл бұрын

***** and that's not Tokugawa

@user-qv3kt8sl7n 8 жыл бұрын

Baby Inuyasha It's the Oda clan's Crest.

@josesoyyo5133 8 жыл бұрын

12:32 anyone knows the name to the music please??

@jacksonbrown4112 8 жыл бұрын

Darude, sandstorm.

@primusvsunicron1 5 жыл бұрын

Probably from OST of Naruto

@ashog1426 Жыл бұрын

Respect 🇦🇲

@Darthnerdius87 6 жыл бұрын

"They perfect their golf strikes even though they hardly ever play on a golf course." Yeah, thats the grind all right. Sounds like Japanese video game mentality. ;)

@wcoonradt264 10 жыл бұрын

Did it affect Miyamoto Mushashi's honor? He was never defeated and I don't think he commited suicide.

@dolltall Жыл бұрын

🌟🌟🌟

@bradyporter5443 3 жыл бұрын

What is that loud noise in the background

@nearbylegends 10 жыл бұрын

Seppuku sounds really painfully

@marconius101 7 жыл бұрын

What is it with 'warriors' and honor and death ? What's wrong with retreat and fight another day?

@ironheadgaming6270 7 жыл бұрын

if you retreat there might not be another day, besides running is for pussies

@benbowers6619 5 жыл бұрын

I mean the program literally told you. Battles were fought all or nothing apparently. So if you didn't win you died. If you retreated then you alone or with a few others ran from the battlefield. It doesn't seem like formal retreat was a thing. I mean that just goes to show you. We have a word for running away, retreat. They apparently just think it means running away in that day and age. Now that's what you can infer. that's not what the program told you. However, the program explicitly says if you're caught running away or if you survive and your side didn't win then that was cowardace, and cowardance was punishable by taking all of your land and money and making you and your family poor. Being poor now a days at worst means being hungry and homeless. Being poor then meant dying slowly and inevitably. Now logically weigh the options if you will, each and every one of us is going to die some day, along with all those we love. You control wether you and your loved ones die rich and well fed in the lap of luxury revered in society, or dirty and starving in living in a three straw shack with a rock bed and muddy walls when it rains too hard. All you have to do to make sure that your wife, father, grandfather, sons, daughters, aunts, uncles etc all you have to do to make sure they live a little better than the rest is die when the time is right or win the battle. If you've already accepted you're going to die, the choice seems logical. If you want to hold on to life no matter how deplorable it may be, then it seems a bit psychotic.

@torataulapapa4011 8 жыл бұрын

Was Amakuni from Yamato or Bizen provinces..

@MCShvabo 8 жыл бұрын

+Tora TAULAPAPA He was working in Yamato but I'm not sure we can trace where he was born as he lived such a long time ago.

@phillipesteele2021 7 жыл бұрын

the europeans arrived in 1543 on their own ship (not a chinese junk ship.) the same year togogawa was born. this guys research is lacking.

@BEAMISHdocd 5 жыл бұрын

is this video really 240p

@primusvsunicron1 5 жыл бұрын

Yup

@phillipesteele2021 7 жыл бұрын

Togogawa did not ban all westerners, what ???

@StopFear 5 жыл бұрын

Suicide viewed as courage? Lol. More like cowardice if the option to die in battle was still present.

@martinlacay 8 жыл бұрын

i think hideyoshi invaded korea? not china

@MCShvabo 8 жыл бұрын

+martin lacay His plan was to take China but he had to go trough Korea first.

@diosdadoapias 10 жыл бұрын

What makes Japan totally different from other cultures in asia is that japan was never colonized that it was able to preserve its culture without being adulterated by othe culture. The philippines and some asian countries were culturally deformed by foreign culture. I choose the samurai first out of all warriors in the world.Their Bushido code might have been unimaginable to the spartans and vikings. The seppuko, ritual suicide to atone oneself from dishonor and violation committed against a samurai's lord might not be acceptable to a spartan or viking warrior.

@nuttawutnumpet3393 10 жыл бұрын

Do not ever compare the Spartan and Samurai, I love both samurai and Spartan but honestly the Spartan were the world first professional soldiers, trained from youth, they might not have a principal code of honor however but in contrast they devoted their life for the state, dies in battle and with their heavy armor mean no turning back, with life of soldier and always have regarded the best among the Greeks, defeat would have be shameful as well.

@nuttawutnumpet3393 10 жыл бұрын

story about the truth of the battle of thermopylae, there were two spartan didn't anticipated during the final slaughter because of illness, and one carried the message for reinforcement, they had come back to the battle and have found out the battle is over they killed themselves, left only one back home to Sparta, no one talks to him, he delivered himself out of misery in the next battle charging through the enemy and dies.

@nuttawutnumpet3393 10 жыл бұрын

***** I wonder how much you have any grasp of history, or you just want to write something, any Greek and Roman suicides because of their lord told them to, it would be only they were slave....

@nuttawutnumpet3393 10 жыл бұрын

***** Silly, I talking about the cults of honor not individual, yes I know Nero, Socrates, Mark Anthony and Hannibal, they were all ended their own life, and another thing I major High Medieval history.

@diosdadoapias 10 жыл бұрын

***** The samurais were trained from childhood on the the art of war and weaponry. This may be the commonality among the samurais, spartans and roman warriors.The difference, I believe, is on their way of life as guided by a code. The samurai have the bushido code which from childhood is ingrained on them. The spartans and romans ,by history, do not have this kind of code. nowhere you can read in authoritative history that the spartans and romans are bind by such kind of code or its equivalent. The seppuku or ritual suicide is a rule of conduct to the samurai which they must obey upon command or they must do on their own to regain or expiate themselves from dishonor.

@g_y.rtz420 2 жыл бұрын

Yooooooooo

@kennyburgess8339 8 жыл бұрын

seppku was only reserved for samurai if you know you were going to get captured it was more honorable to committee seppku then be captured or you felt dishornered

@SgawCules 8 жыл бұрын

it wasnt only samurai, look at WW2, many Japanese soldiers did seppuku and they weren't samurai.

@SgawCules 8 жыл бұрын

well...seppuku is still active so...

@SgawCules 8 жыл бұрын

MsGatubela007 I'd rather do seppuku if I was a female warrior and my castle was being destroyed rather than being captured, and sold off as a sex slave. I would rather do seppuku if I was captured in war than be raped

@phillipesteele2021 7 жыл бұрын

im only watching this once to many errors.

@kennyburgess8339 8 жыл бұрын

how about showing some respect for china and japan

@CornellD.Cavendish 10 ай бұрын

"Japan was making better guns than European countries." This is cap, magnetite would make a poor gun unless they got better steel from elsewhere and if so then it isn't technically Japan "making" better guns.