Samurai

Samurai (侍 or sometimes 士) is a common term for a warrior in pre-industrial Japan. A more appropriate term is bushi (武士) (lit. "war-man") which came into use during the Edo period. However, the term samurai now usually refers to warrior nobility, not, for example, ashigaru or foot soldiers. The samurai with no attachment to a clan or daimyo was called a ronin (lit. "wave-man"). Samurai were expected to be cultured and literate, and over time, samurai during the Tokugawa era gradually lost their military function. By the end of the Tokugawa, samurai were essentially civilian bureaucrats for the daimyo with their swords serving only ceremonial purposes. With the Meiji reforms in the late 19th century, the samurai were abolished as a distinct class in favour of a western-style national army. The strict code that they followed, called bushido, still survives in present-day Japanese society, as do many other aspects of their way of life.

Etymology of samurai

The word samurai has its origins in the pre-Heian period Japan when it was pronounced saburai, meaning servant or attendant. It was not until the early modern period, namely the Azuchi-Momoyama period and early Edo period of the late 16th and early 17th centuries that the word saburai became substituted with samurai. However, by then, the meaning had already long before changed.

During the era of the rule of the samurai, the earlier term yumitori （弓取り）  was also used as an honorary title of an accomplished warrior even when swordsmanship had become more important.Kyujutsu （弓術）/ Japanese Archer, is still strongly associated with the war god Hachiman （八万）.

Samurai Picture

Samurai

Picture above of Japanese samurai in armour, 1860s. Photograph by Felice Beato.

Japan's Historical Places Part 2

      Eiheiji Temple

The Center for Training Zen Priests with 750-year Tradition 
The Zen sect of Buddhism places its foundation of ascetic practices in silent contemplation called za-zen (Zen meditation). In Zen meditation, one sits up right, drives any distracting ideas away, and concentrates his attention to attain the ideal state of supreme enlightenment in a perfect serenity of mind. Priest Dogen (1200-54) studied the Soto sect, a school of the Zen sect, in China and introduced it to Japan. And in 1244, he opened Eiheiji Temple in the mountainous site in Fukui Prefecture as a place for training and education of Zen monks. Stepping through the main gate into the temple precincts surrounded by Japanese cedar trees, some of which are said to be about 600 years old, one can feel stillness and tenseness which could not be felt in the midst of boisterous and worldly life. The spirit of Zen taught in Eiheiji Temple has been inherited successively. As a result, the temple now has 15,000 branch temples and approximately 8 million followers in Japan. 
 
Today in Eiheiji Temple, over a hundred trainee monks from all over the country are working hard every day in training. They wake up at four in the morning and go to bed at nine in the evening. In their waking hours, they lead well-regulated life of Zen meditation, reading sutra, and every-day duties such as cleaning, following austere disciplines. Everything in daily life is part of training. The temple also accepts those who want to temporarily practice Zen meditation only with advanced permission. If accepted, one can experience three to seven days of training that follows the daily schedule of regular trainee monk.( Source : http://web-japan.org/atlas/historical/histr_fr.html)



       Todaiji Temple
Repository of Cultural Treasures Including the World's Largest Gilded Bronze Buddha  
  
Todaiji, a temple complex in the city of Nara in Nara Prefecture, was built in the year 743. At that time Buddhism was at its height, and served as a state religion. The best-known relic at Todaiji Temple is its Daibutsu, a colossal statue that, with 15 meters (49 feet) in height, is the world's largest gilded bronze Buddha. It is housed in an all-wood building, the Daibutsu-den, 48 meters (157 feet) in height, the largest wooden building in the world. Within the precincts of the temple, aligned along one-kilometer north-south and east-west axes centered on the Daibutsu-den, are an array of other buildings, including halls and storehouses, seven of which are National Treasures. By virtue of being one of the major historical temples in Japan, Todaiji Temple also possesses many valuable cultural artifacts. More than 20 of these Buddhist statues and other works of art are National Treasures. The repository for them, Shosoin, lives up its name of the Treasure House of the World.  
Since it was built in 749, the Daibutsu has been repaired and renovated after damage incurred by earthquakes: even its head has fallen off once. The base of the statue that remains today dates from the 8th century, while the upper portion, including the head, was largely recast in the second half of the 12th century. Tragedy also befell the buildings housing it, especially the flames of war. After one burning in the second half of the 16th century the Daibutsu stood unsheltered for a century until the current Daibutsu-den was built in 1692. The most recent Daibutsu-den built in 1709, although impressive, is a shadow of the original structure, the width being about 30 percent shorter.  
Also built around the middle of the 8th century, the original Shosoin, which is an architectural treasure in itself, served as the repository for the temple treasure. It is made in the Azekura style, a log-house construction that is often seen in old storehouses: the walls, intersecting at corners, are built up of hewn logs laid horizontally on top of each other. Shosoin safeguarded a heritage of around 9,000 different objects that date back to the 7th and 8th centuries, and most of them are well-preserved, so they can be attributed and accurately dated. Numerous articles were presented from overseas, especially from Persia, China, and Korea. The artifacts give a flavor of the cosmopolitan culture of China in the T'ang dynasty (618-907), when there was contact between the civilizations of Asia along the Silk Road (the overland trade routes from China to the Mediterranean in premodern times). It is for this reason that Shosoin's significance extends beyond Japan and that it is called the Treasure House of the World. (Source : http://web-japan.org/atlas/historical/histr_fr.html)

Bump of Chicken - Karma Lyric

Garasu tama hitotsu otosareta
Oikakete mou hitotsu okko chita
Hitotsu fun no hidamari ni hitotsu dake nokotteru

Shinzou ga hajimatta toki
Iyade mo hito wa basho wo toru
Ubaware nai you ni mamori tsuduketeru

Yogosazu ni tamotte kita te de mo
Yogorete mieta
Kioku wo utagau mae ni kioku ni utagawareteru

Kanarazu bokura wa deau darou
Onaji kodou no oto wo mejirushi ni shite
Koko ni iru yo itsudatte yonderu kara
Kutabireta riyuu ga kasanatte yureru toki
Umar ta imi wo shiru

Sonzai ga tsuduku kagiri
Shikata nai kara basho wo toru
Hitotsu fun no hidamari ni
Futatsu wa chotto ire nai

Garasu tama hitotsu otosareta
Ochita toki nanika hajiki dashita
Ubai totta basho de hikari wo abita

Kazoeta ashiato nado
Kidukeba suuji deshika nai
Shira nakya ike nai koto wa
Douyara ichi to zero no aida

Hajimete bokura wa deau darou
Onaji himei no hata wo mejirushi ni shite
Wasure naide itsudatte yonderu kara
Kasaneta riyuu wo futari de umeru toki
Yakusoku ga kawasareru

Kagami nanda bokura tagai ni
Sorezore no karuma wo utsusu tame no
Yogoreta te to te de furi atte
Katachi ga wakaru

Koko ni iru yo tashikani sawareru yo
Hitoribun no hidamari ni bokura wa iru

Wasure naide itsudatte yonderu kara
Onaji garasu tama no uchigawa no hou kara
Sousa kanarazu bokura wa deau darou
Shizumeta riyuu ni juu ji ka wo tateru toki
Yakusoku wa hatasareru
Bokura wa hitotsu ni naru

L'arc~En~Ciel - Daybreak's Bell Lyric

Nee konna katachi no deai shika nakatta no? kanashii ne
Anata ni shindemo ayamete hoshiku mo nai onegai
Unmei sae nomikomare shizumisou na umi e to

Negai yo kaze ni notte yoake no kane wo narase yo
Tori no you ni my wishes over their airspace
Musuu no nami wo koe asu e tachimukau anata wo mamoritamae
My life i trade it for your pain
Arasoi yo tomare!

Nee hito wa doushite kurikaeshi ayamachi wo kasaneteku?
Shinka shinai dare ni mo nagareru kono chi ga daikirai
Honnou de sabakiau dare no demo nai daichi de

Sumiwataru mirai ga kita nara kusabana mo heiki ni yadoru darou
My wishes over their airspace
Dare ga yuriokoshite warui yume kara samashite yo
Kanau no nara my life i trade it for your pain
Dore dake inoreba ten ni todoku?

Ima asayake ga unabara to watashi wo utsusu

Negai yo kaze ni notte yoake no kane wo narase yo
Tori no you ni my wishes over their airspace
Musuu no nami wo koe asu e tachimukau anata wo mamoritamae
My life i trade it for your pain
Furimukazu habatake kono omoi wo hakonde ano sora wo tondeku
Mirai wa dare ni mo uchiotosenai

Yui - Rolling Star Lyric

Mou gaman bakka shiterannai yo
Iitai koto wa iwanakucha
Kaerimichi yuugure no basutei
Ochikonda senaka ni Bye Bye Bye

Kimi no Fighting Pose misenakya

Yume ni made mita you na sekai wa
Arasoi mo naku heiwa na nichijou
Demo genjitsu wa hibi torabutte
Tama ni kuyandari shiteru
Sonna Rolling Days

Koronjattatte ii ja nai no
Sonna toki wa waratte ageru
Norikonda basu no oku kara
Chiisaku hohoemi ga mieta

Kimi wo tayori ni shiteru yo

Yume ni made mita you na suiito kurabu
Koibitotachi wa kakure ga wo sagasu no
Demo genjitsu wa aenai hi ga
Tsuzukinagara mo shinjiteru no Lonely Days

Oh yeah, yeah!
Tsumazuitatte Way to go
Yeah, yeah!!
Doro darake Rolling Star

Naru beku egao de itai keredo
Mamori ni iku tame ni shikata nai deshou

Kitto uso nante sou
Imi wo motanai no
All my loving
Sou ja nakya yatterannai

Yume ni made mita you na sekai wa
Arasoi mo naku heiwa na nichijou
Demo genjitsu wa hibi torabutte
Tama ni kuyandari shiteru
Sonna Rolling Days

Oh yeah, yeah!
Sou wakatterutte
Oh yeah, yeah!
Tsumazuitatte Way to go
Yeah, yeah, yeah!
Doro darake Rolling Star

Japan's Historical Places Part 1

Taga Castle Ruin 

Remains of a Castle that Played a Central Offensive and Defensive Role in the Violent Struggle to Unify the Nation
The ruins of Taga Castle are the remains of an ancient fortress located in Tagajo City, Miyagi Prefecture in the center of Tohoku, the northeastern part of Japan.
It is particularly important as a historic site because the site is in a good state of preservation. Along with the remains of Heijo-kyo in Nara and the Fortress of Dazaifu, in Fukuoka, in Kyushu, Taga Castle ranks as one of Japan's three noted historic sites. It is a National Special Historical Site.

Taga Castle was set up in the first half of the 8th century to expand direct control by the central government into the northern part of Japan. It was a military base, and became the center of administration and culture in the Tohoku region.
In 802, the front line shifted roughly 100 km (about 62 miles) further north to Isawa (present-day Mizusawa City, Iwate Prefecture), where another castle was built. Although Taga Castle retained its administrative functions, it was no longer the center for military activities. With its authority diminished, the Taga Castle slowly lost its importance.
Taga Castle was built on a hillside to take good advantage of the local topography. The precincts cover 102 ha (255 acres). At the center there was a 100-meter-square walled compound that contained old government office and around this were workshops and storehouses. The perimeter of the compound of an irregular rectangular shape measures 3.4 km (about 2.1 miles) and used to be surrounded by walls 5 m (5.5 yd.) high.
About a kilometer southeast of the ruins is the site of the temple that served the occupants of the castle. Near the southern front of the castle are the remains of what was a planned settlement.
At present, you can clearly see the restored foundations of the castle buildings at the site, which is maintained as a historical park. There is the Tohoku History Museum which has opened in autumn 1999.(Source : http://web-japan.org/atlas/historical/histr_fr.html)

Dazaifu Ruins

Western Fortress City that Played an Important Role as a Base for Diplomacy and Trade with Continental Asia 
The ruins of Dazaifu lie in Dazaifu City, Fukuoka Prefecture, in the northern part of Kyushu in the southwest of Japan. Here on the southern slopes of Mt. Ono are the remains of what was once a walled city built in open fields. Along with the site of Heijo-kyo in Nara and the ruins of Taga Castle in Miyagi, it is one of Japan's three noted historical sites.
Before the fortress was built, a diplomatic office was established in 536 to receive and send domestic and overseas delegations.
In 663, the Dazaifu government office, known as Tofuro, was established. The central government made it responsible for supervising the whole of the Kyushu region in the southwest of Japan and handling defense against East Asian countries, and foreign relations with them. In association with this there was large-scale urban development. For example, a huge defensive embankment, 1.2 km (about 0.7 miles) long and 13 m (about 14 yd.) high was raised, and a fortress was built, surrounded by an earth and stone embankment that measures 6.5 km (about 4 miles) around the circumference. The city complex that was built was about one third the size of the later capital of Heijo-kyo in Nara.
For a while in the 8th century, as a center of political, economic, cultural, and religious life, the Dazaifu's influence rivaled that of the central government. After this peak, Dazaifu declined and by the second half of the 12th century it was famous in name only.
Today, the area around the ancient ruins has been made into a park.
Many historical ruins remain today such as the ruins of the embankment built in the 7th century and pillars from foundation stone that measure 1 m (1.1 yd.) across, and remind us how large the building in the center of Dazaifu was.
Moreover, Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine is dedicated to the god of learning to whom many people pray for academic success.

Katana

Katana

Katana （刀） was a sword that used by Japanese warrior that called by Samurai （侍）and that sword also referred as Samurai Sword. The katana is characterized by its distinctive appearance: a curved, slender, single-edged blade with a circular or squared guard and long grip to accommodate two hands. 

Traditional katana is usually used made from a specialized Japanese steel called "Tamahagane" （玉は画ね） which consist of combinations of hard, high carbon steel and tough, low carbon steel.

Even katana known as a strong sword if mishandled in its storage or maintenance, the katana may become irreparably damaged. The blade should be stored horizontally in its sheath, curve down and edge facing upward to maintain the edge. It is extremely important that the blade remain well-oiled, powdered and polished, as the natural moisture residue from the hands of the user will rapidly cause the blade to rust if not cleaned off. The traditional oil used is choji oil (99% mineral oil and 1% clove oil for fragrance). Similarly, when stored for longer periods, it is important that the katana be inspected frequently and aired out if necessary in order to prevent rust or mold from forming (mold may feed off the salts in the oil used to polish the katana).

      

History of the Japanese Sword

Archaeological evidence indicates that swords have existed in Japan for its entire historical period. Short straight swords imported from China and Korea are among the earliest weapons found in historical sites around Japan. After 2000 B.C., when these swords first appeared, the Japanese began making their own swords. Around 700 A.D., Japanese swordsmiths forged the first of what are now considered the finest swords ever made.

The person considered responsible for vastly improving Japanese sword design and manufacture was a smith named Amakuni. Like others in his profession, he was responding to the huge demand for weapons made by local, provincial, and national leaders. Regional conflicts over land rights and issues of power continuously erupted, and, when not warring among themselves, the early Japanese were invading the Korean peninsula or China, or defending themselves against Korean and Chinese invaders. Any leader with a supply of superior weapons was at a great advantage, so a constant, long-term effort to find swordmakers improving the craft ensued. The most devoted smiths made the quest for the perfect blade into a lifetime pursuit, and men exist today who devote their lives to the art of swordmaking.

The long sword in Japan has seen three major incarnations, and for each type of sword exists a fighting style to match the blade's shape. The early blades, called chokuto or “straight swords,” tended to get longer as metallurgy techniques improved. Though not much is known about how these weapons were wielded, the extra length - without any significant increase in weight - certainly gave the fighter more reach. The handle size of these blades suggests that they were held in one hand. The two-edged blade suggests a thrusting and hacking style of fighting.

The first major change in the shape of the sword came during Amakuni’s time, a style perhaps created by Amakuni himself. Warriors found that, compared to a straight blade, a curved sword can be drawn from the scabbard more quickly and can provide a more effective cutting angle. Consequently, swordsmiths developed forging techniques to make a curved blade at least as strong as the earlier straight ones. These swords, called tachi, were extremely long, some nearly four feet, and were generally used by soldiers on horseback. The long, curved blade was ideal for a sweeping draw and slash against opponents on the ground or mounted upon other horses.

Later in Japanese history, most soldiers found themselves doing battle on foot, or engaging in individual combat against one another. For such men, the tachi were too long to be drawn or wielded comfortably, so a shorter sword was developed. This sword was the katana, and the katana is the sword that most practicianers of Iaï-Do systems use today. Katana are generally between two and four feet in length and, though curved, have a less pronounced arc than the tachi. They can be efficiently drawn from the scabbard into position for a horizontal, diagonal, or vertical cut, and the curve of the blade lends itself well to the efficient slashing cut characteristic of Iaï-Do.

Sakura and Hanami

Sakura （さくら） is national flower of Japan. Sakura bloom a sign of the spring come. The arrival of spring is its own happiness for the people of Japan after living a life of weight in the winter. Usually, it comes in April. But Sakura can bloom for eight to ten days. Japanese do not want to miss the arrival of Sakura. For that, they have their own way to celebrate the arrival of spring, Hanami. Sakura is really important for Japanese because it is their identity.

Hanami comes from "Hana Wo Miru"（花を見る） which means to see flowers. This is the Japanese tradition of relaxing and enjoying the beauty of flowers, especially Sakura. In addition, it can also be interpreted as a Hanami picnic mat for a party meal under Sakura tree. When Hanami celebrations,  peoples have a picnic mat and sat under Sakura trees for fun together, eating typical Japanese food and drinking sake. Usually, a families, a companies, a schools and so on doing this every year. Hanami is more beauty when the Sakura flowers falling from the trees.