Samurai

The samurai (or bushi) were the warriors of premodern Japan. They later made up the ruling military class that eventually became the highest ranking social caste of the Edo Period(1603-1867). Samurai employed a range of weapons such as bows and arrows, spears and guns, but their main weapon and symbol was the sword.

Samurai were supposed to lead their lives according to the ethic code of bushido ("the way of the warrior"). Strongly Confucian in nature, bushido stressed concepts such as loyalty to one's master, self discipline and respectful, ethical behavior. Many samurai were also drawn to the teachings and practices of Zen Buddhism.

History

The samurai trace their origins to the Heian Period campaigns to subdue the native Emishi people in the Tohoku Region. Around the same time, warriors were increasingly hired by wealthy landowners that had grown independent of the central government and built armies for their own protection.

The two most powerful of these landowning clans, the Minamoto and Taira, eventually challenged the central government and battled each other for supremacy over the entire country. Minamoto Yoritomo emerged victorious and set up a new military government in 1192, led by the shogun or supreme military commander. The samurai would rule over Japan for most of the next 700 years.

During the chaotic era of warring states in the 15th and 16th centuries, Japan splintered into dozens of independent states constantly at war with one another. Consequently, warriors were in high demand. It was also the era when ninja, warriors specialized in unconventional warfare, were most active. Many of the famous samurai movies by Kurosawa are set during this time.

The country was eventually reunited in the late 1500s, and a rigid social caste system was established during the Edo Period that placed the samurai at the top, followed by the farmers, artisans and merchants respectively. During this time, the samurai were forced to live in castle towns, were the only ones allowed to own and carry swords and were paid in rice by their daimyo or feudal lords. Masterless samurai were called ronin and caused minor troubles during the 1600s.

Relative peace prevailed during the roughly 250 years of the Edo Period. As a result, the importance of martial skills declined, and many samurai became bureaucrats, teachers or artists. Japan's feudal era eventually came to an end in 1868, and the samurai class was abolished a few years afterwards.

Samurai march in the Jidai Matsuri Parade in Kyoto

How to appreciate the samurai today

Samurai related attractions can be found across Japan in form of castles, historic residences, museums, historically themed amusement parks and dress up tours. The following are some of the many ways tourists can learn about and experience samurai culture and lifestyle today:

Castles

Castles developed over the centuries from small defensive forts built high up on mountains into massive complexes at the heart of cities, where they served as the status symbol, administrative center and residence of the local lord. The lord's samurai vassals resided in the town surrounding the castle: the higher their rank, the closer they were allowed to reside to the castle.

Over a hundred castles exist in Japan today, including twelve original castles (that survived the post-feudal years intact) and many modern reconstructions. Most of the castles contain exhibits or entire museums that display samurai artifacts and lifestyle. See our castle page for more information.

Men in samurai outfits at Kumamoto Castle (left) and Aizu's Tsuruga Castle (right)

Samurai Districts and Mansions

In order to separate the social castes, samurai were forced to reside in designated districts of the castle towns during the Edo Period. Today, a few of these samurai districts remain preserved with their historic atmosphere of narrow lanes, earthen walls, entrance gates and residences, and allow tourists to get a glimpse into the samurai lifestyle. In other cases, single samurai mansions have been preserved and opened to the public. Below is a list of some of the better of these districts and residences:

Kakunodate Samurai District (more details) Kakunodate, Akita Prefecture The samurai district in the small town of Kakunodate in northeastern Japan is one of the most pleasant, preserved samurai districts in Japan with numerous former residences open to the public. Cherry trees planted in the district make a spectacular seasonal sight around late April and early May.

Nagamachi Samurai District (more details) Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture Kanazawa's samurai district is named Nagamachi and preserves several lanes with earthen walls, large entrance gates and a few residences and museums that are open to the public.

Hagi Castle Town (more details) Hagi, Yamaguchi Prefecture Hagi's former castle town preserves several lanes, lined by the white walls and wooden gates of former samurai mansions. Some of the residences are open to the public.

Chiran Samurai District (more details) Satsuma Peninsula, Kagoshima Prefecture This samurai district on the rural Satsuma Peninsula is beautifully maintained with rock walls and hedges. The gardens of seven former samurai mansions can be viewed by toruists, however, the buildings cannot be entered.

Bitchu-Takahashi Old Town (more details) Bitchu-Takahashi, Okayama Prefecture The old town of Bitchu-Takahashi at the base of Matsuyama Castle preserves several old buildings, including a few samurai mansions that can be entered by tourists.

Matsue Samurai District (more details) Matsue, Shimane Prefecture Matsue preserves a small samurai district along the moat of the local castle. One of the former samurai mansions is open to the public, while another building served as Lafcadio Hearn's former residence.

Former Hosokawa Residence (more details) Kumamoto, Kumamoto Prefecture This residence stands not far from Kumamoto Castle and served as the home of a branch family of the ruling Hosokawa Clan. It is a beautiful example of a high-ranked samurai mansion.

Seisonkaku Villa (more details) Kanazawa, Ishikawa Prefecture The two-storied Seisonkaku Villa adjacent to Kenrokuen Garden was built by the local lord for his mother towards the end of the feudal era. It is one of the most elegant preserved samurai villas in Japan.

Aizu Bukeyashiki (more details) Aizu-Wakamatsu, Fukushima Prefecture The Aizu Bukeyashiki is the large former mansion complex of a high ranked local samurai family. Mannequins displayed in typical scenes of daily life make this mansion a particularly good place to get an idea about samurai lifestyle.

Kita Residence (more details) Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture This residence on the rural Noto Peninsula served as the home of the Kita family who administered local villages on behalf of the feudal lord. It includes a spacious main residence, a unique entrance gate and a museum.

Museums

While most history museums in Japan display at least a few samurai swords or armors, there are a few specialized museums that exclusively feature relics of the samurai.

Some of these include the Sword Museum in Tokyo, which displays one of the largest public sword collections in the country; the Tokugawa Art Museum in Nagoya, which exhibits armor, swords, tea utensils, artwork and household items; and the Maeda and Honda Museums in Kanazawa, which display relics of the two most prominent samurai families in the region.

An exhibition room in the Aoyagi House in the Kakunodate Samurai District

Theme Parks

There are a few history based theme parks around Japan that feature recreated towns from the feudal era. The parks typically offer a variety of attractions, live shows, museums, shops and restaurants and are usually staffed by a whole host of "townspeople" in period costumes, making them a fun way to experience the culture and history of samurai.

Nikko Edomura (more details) Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (9:30 to 16:00 December to mid March) Closed: Wednesdays and December 8 to 21 Admission: 4500 yen Located in Kinugawa, Nikko Edomura is the best among Japan's history theme parks. The park consists of a recreated Edo Period (1603-1867) town populated by townspeople, samurai and ninja in period costumes. The park offers a variety of traditional stage performance, comedy and ninja shows, as well as museums, shops and restaurants.

Ise Azuchi-Momoyama Bunka Mura (more details) Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (9:30 to 16:00 mid November to mid March) Closed: Some days in February Admission: 2500 to 3900 yen This history theme park in Ise is set during the Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573-1603) and consists of a castle town at the base of a replica of Azuchi Castle. It features a small ninja museum, trick maze, haunted mansion, ghost temple, various shops and restaurants, as well as traditional entertainment and live ninja and samurai shows.

Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (until 16:00 November to March) Closed: No closing days Admission: 2900 yen Noboribetsu Date Jidaimura is another history theme park that features town life during the Edo Period. It is located in Noboribetsu, Hokkaido. Like the theme parks listed above, it offers several attractions, shows, shops and restaurants amid a town populated by townspeople in period costume, but it is smaller in size than the other two.

Toei Uzumasa Eigamura (more details) Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 (9:30 to 16:00 December to February) Closed: December 27 to 31 Admission: 2200 yen Toei Uzumasa Eigamura is a film set and historical theme park inKyoto. It features Edo Period themed streets, a replica of the old Nihonbashi Bridge, a traditional court house, a Meiji Period police box and part of the former Yoshiwara red light district which are used in the filming of historical movies and television dramas.

Iga Ueno Ninja Museum (more details) Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 Closed: December 29 to January 1 Admission: 700 yen Locate in Iga Ueno, home to one of the leading ninja schools during Japan's feudal era, this small but excellent ninja museum consists of a ninja residence with revolving walls, trap doors, hidden compartments and exhibition halls displaying tools and weapons of the trade. Live shows and ninja demonstrations are held daily at the museum.

Dress up Tours

Several travel companies offer tour packages that allow participants to put on a samurai armor or ninja costume, learn about the various weapons and techniques, and in some cases mock battle (chambara). One of these companies, Japanican, offers a half day samurai and ninja tour in Tokyo.

Kabuki

Kanamaruza Theater, a traditional kabuki theater

Kabuki (歌舞伎) is a traditional Japanese form of theater with roots tracing back to the Edo Period. It is recognized as one of Japan's three major classical theaters along with noh and bunraku, and has been named as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

What is it?

Kabuki is an art form rich in showmanship. It involves elaborately designed costumes, eye-catching make-up, outlandish wigs, and arguably most importantly, the exaggerated actions performed by the actors. The highly-stylized movements serve to convey meaning to the audience; this is especially important since an old-fashioned form of the Japanese language is traditionally being used, which is difficult even for some Japanese people to understand.

Dynamic stage sets such as revolving platforms and trapdoors allow for the prompt changing of a scene or the appearance/disappearance of actors. Another specialty of the kabuki stage is a footbridge (hanamichi) that leads through the audience, allowing for a dramatic entrance or exit. Ambiance is aided with live music performed usingtraditional Japanese instruments. The various elements combine to produce a visually stunning and captivating performance.

Plots are usually based on historical events, warm hearted dramas, moral conflicts, love stories, tales of tragedy of conspiracy, or other well-known stories. A unique feature of a kabuki performance is that what is on show is often only part of an entire story (usually the best part). Therefore, to enhance the enjoyment derived, it would be good to read a little about the story before attending the show. At some theaters, it is possible to rent headsets which provide English narrations and explanations.

Former Kabukiza Theater, a modern kabuki theater

Kabuki conventions

When it originated, kabuki used to be acted only by women, and was popular mainly among common people. Later during the Edo Period, a restriction was placed by the Tokugawa Shogunate forbidding women from participating; to the present day it is performed exclusively by men. Several male kabuki actors are therefore specialists in playing female roles (onnagata).

One of the things that will be noticed are assistants dressed in black appearing on stage. They serve the purpose to hand the actors props or assist them in various other ways, in order to make the performance seamless. They are called "kurogo" and are to be regarded as non-existent.

If you come across people from the audience shouting out names at the actors on stage, do not mistake this for an act of disrespect: all kabuki actors have a yago (hereditary stage name), which is closely associated to the theater troupe which he is from. In the world of kabuki, troupes are closely knit hierarchical organizations, usually continued through generations within families. It is an accepted practice for the audience to shout out the actors' stage names as a show of support.

Formal dress code is not required when attending a kabuki play, although decent dressing and footwear are recommended. Sometimes, often on the first day of a run, some ladies dress in traditional kimono.

Rotating stage of a traditional kabuki theater from below

Where to watch it

In the olden days, mainstream kabuki had been performed at selected venues in big cities like Edo (present dayTokyo), Osaka and Kyoto. Local versions of kabuki also took place in rural towns. These days, the Kabukiza Theater in the Ginza district of Tokyo is the best place for foreign tourists to watch kabuki, but the theater is currently being reconstructed until 2013.

Modern theaters are equipped with Western style seats. A day's performance is usually divided into two segments (one in the early afternoon and one towards the evening), and each segment is further divided into acts. Tickets are usually sold per segment, although in some cases they are also available per act. They typically cost between 3,000 and 14,000 yen.

Below are some venues where kabuki can be watched:

TOKYO Shimbashi Enbujo Theater 5 minute walk from Higashi-ginza Station (Hibiya/Asakusa Subway Lines) or Tsukijishijo Station (Oedo Subway Line) This theater temporarily serves as the replacement for the Kabukiza that it is currently being reconstructed until spring 2013. Runs go on for about three weeks every month. English headsets are available for rental.

TOKYO National Theatre 5 minute walk from Hanzomon Station (Hanzomon Subway Line) or 10 minute walk from Nagatacho Station (Yurakucho/Hanzomon/Nanboku Subway Lines) Programs vary monthly, and include kabuki or bunraku performances, as well as kabuki appreciation workshops for beginners. English headsets are available for rental.

KYOTO Minamiza Theater In the Gion district, just next to Keihan Gion-shijo Station or 5 minute walk from Hankyu Kawaramachi Station About two runs of three weeks per year, usually one during spring and the other during autumn, are performed.

OSAKA Shochikuza Theater In the Dotombori District near Namba Station Three to five runs per year, each lasting between three to four weeks. English headsets are unavailable, but an English program book can be purchased at the information counter.

FUKUOKA Hakataza Theater Next to Nakasu Kawabata Subway Station Two runs per year, one in February and one in June, are usually performed at this theater.

Historical Theaters

These theaters no longer primarily serve as venues for performances, but are maintained for visitors to experience the feel and structure of a traditional kabuki theater. One distinct feature of traditional theaters is the absence of Western style seats. Instead, the audience is seated on cushions laid on the floor within squarish areas separated by wooden beams.

KOTOHIRA Kanamaruza Theater (more details) 15 minute walk from JR Kotohira Station or Kotoden Kotohira Station Hours: 9:00 to 17:00 Admission: 500 yen This wonderful, historic theater is open to tourists to explore on their own. Kabuki performances are held only for a couple of weeks in April. The Kanamaruza stands just a few steps away from the main approach towards Kompira Shrine.

UCHIKO Uchikoza Theater (more details) 5-10 minute walk from JR Uchiko Station Hours: 9:00 to 16:30 Admission: 300 yen Also located on Shikoku, the Uchikoza Theater used to stage both kabuki and bunraku performances, but these days only bunraku performances are held infrequently. For most of the year, the theater is open for tourists to explore.

Ikebana

Ikebana is the art of arranging flowers aesthetically. One tries to represent the three elements sky, earth, and mankind in a well balanced relation.

Traditional ikebana, called kado ("the way of the flower"), developed in the 16th century. There are many different schools of traditional ikebana. In addition, modern styles of ikebana (avant-garde ikebana) have evolved. Some of these styles use glass, iron, and other materials instead of flowers.

Japanese Calligraphy

Calligraphy (shodo: "the way of writing") is the art of writing beautifully. Most children learn calligraphy inelementary school. It is a popular hobby among adults, too.

A calligraphy set consists of:

• Shitajiki: Black, soft mat. It provides a comfortable, soft surface.
• Bunchin: Metal stick to weight down the paper during writing.
• Hanshi: Special, thin calligraphy paper.
• Fude: Brush. There is a larger brush for writing the main characters and a smaller one for writing the artist's name. The small brush, however, can be used for the characters, too.
• Suzuri: Heavy black container for the ink.
• Sumi: Solid black material that must be rubbed in water in the suzuri to produce the black ink which is then used for writing. Of course, "instant ink" in bottles is also available.

Unlike the strokes of Roman letters, the strokes of Japanese characters have to be drawn in the correct order, not arbitrarily. When you learn Chinese characters, you draw one stroke after the other. This is called the square (Kaisho) style of writing kanji.

This style of writing kanji, however, is rarely used in everyday life. Instead, there are two faster styles of writing, in which the kanji become a little bit less legible, just like when writing Roman letters in a fast way. These two styles are called semi cursive (gyosho) and cursive (sosho).

Kaisho: Square style

Gyosho: Semi cursive style

Sosho: Cursive style

Bunraku

Bunraku (文楽) is the traditional puppet theater of Japan. It started of as popular entertainment for the commoners during the Edo Period in Osaka and evolved into artistic theater during the late 17th century. Along with noh and kabuki, it is recognized as a UNESCO Intangible Cultural Heritage.

What is it?

Bunraku puppets are about one-half life size and each operated by three performers: a principal operator and two assistants. Strings are not used, but rather, the puppeteers co-operate to maneuver the limbs, eyelids, eyeballs, eyebrows and mouths of the puppets, thereby producing life-like actions and facial expressions. The puppeteers are in full view of the audience, but are dressed in black to symbolize that they are to be taken as "invisible".

The story is narrated by a single person, who also speaks the voice of all the puppets, and therefore must have a diverse repertoire of vocal expressions to represent both genders and all ages. The pace of the narration is dictated by accompanying music, played on the shamisen. It is delightful to watch the sophisticated puppets come to life as the performers create their intricate movements, synchronized with the narration and the music from the shamisen.

Bunraku and kabuki often depict stories based on adaptations of scripts with similar themes. Classic tragic love stories, heroic legends and tales based on historical events are popular.

The traditional theater at Uchiko used to stage both kabuki and bunraku performances

Where to watch it?

Nowadays, bunraku is mostly performed in modern theaters with Western style seats. A day's performance is usually divided into two segments (one in the early afternoon and one towards the evening), and each segment is further divided into acts. Tickets are usually sold per segment, although in some cases they are also available per act. They typically cost between 1500 and 6500 yen.

Below are some venues where bunraku can be watched:

OSAKA National Bunraku Theatre (more details) Nipponbashi Station (Sennichimae and Sakaisuji Subway Lines) The National Bunraku Theatre in bunraku's birthplace of Osaka is the best place to watch bunraku for foreign tourists. About four runs of 3-6 weeks each are scheduled every year. English headsets are available for rental for most performances.

TOKYO National Theatre 5 minute walk from Hanzomon Station (Hanzomon Subway Line) or 10 minute walk from Nagatacho Station (Yurakucho/Hanzomon/Nanboku Subway Lines) About four runs are performed every year for 2-3 weeks each in the small hall of the National Theatre in Tokyo. English headsets are available for rental for most performances.

Tea Ceremony

The tea ceremony (sado: "the way of the tea") is a ceremonial way of preparing and drinking tea. The custom has been strongly influenced by Zen Buddhism.

Nowadays, the tea ceremony is a relatively popular hobby. Many Japanese, who are interested in their own culture, take tea ceremony lessons. Tea ceremonies are held in traditional Japanese rooms in cultural community centres or private houses.

The ceremony itself consists of many rituals that have to be learned by heart. Almost each hand movement is prescribed. Basically, the tea is first prepared by the host, and then drunk by the guests. The tea is matchagreen tea made of powdered tea leaves.

 
Tea ceremony equipment:
Some of the most important instruments.
(Chasen: bamboo brush for tea preparation)

Ukiyo-e

Ukiyo-e (浮世絵) are Japanese woodblock prints which flourished during the Edo Period (1603-1867). They originated as popular culture in Edo (present day Tokyo) and depicted popular geisha, sumo wrestlers andkabuki actors from the world of entertainment. Ukiyo-e, literally "paintings of the floating world", were so named because their subjects were associated with impermanence and detachment from ordinary life.

At first ukiyo-e were monochrome, but by the mid 18th century polychrome prints were made. The woodblock printing technique enabled mass production which meant affordability, and therefore led to the popularity of these prints. New genres of ukiyo-e such as short story compilations and paintings of landscapes or historical events later became well received. The beginning of the 19th century saw the emergence of several outstanding ukiyo-e artists like Hokusai, Hiroshige and Utamaro, who created famous prints that are celebrated to this day.

The Meiji Period (1868-1912) saw an influx of Western technology into Japan such as photography, leading to diminished interest in ukiyo-e within Japan. Interestingly, however, the prints gained some prominence in Europe where they had an influence in the works of Impressionist painters. Nowadays, ukiyo-e can be appreciated at art galleries and museums across Japan. Below is a list of some of them:

Tokyo Tokyo National Museum Hours: 9:30 to 17:00 (longer hours on selected days) Closed: Mondays (or following day if Mon is a national holiday), New Year holidays Admission: 600 yen (free on May 18 and 3rd Monday in September) The oldest and largest museum in Japan, this museum in Ueno Park is made up of five buildings, each like a separate museum in itself. They house the largest collection of national treasures and important cultural items in the country, and exhibit many works of art in ukiyo-e.

Tokyo Ota Memorial Museum of Art Hours: 10:30 to 17:30 (entry until 17:00) Closed: Mondays (or following day if Mon is a national holiday), New Year holidays, a few days at the end of each month Admission: Typically 700 yen, may vary according to exhibition The small and elegant Ota Memorial Museum of Art in Harajukuexhibits selected ukiyo-e paintings and prints from the vast collection of the late Mr. Ota Seizo, which comprises of more than 10,000 pieces of art. Exhibits are changed every month.

Matsumoto Japan Ukiyo-e Museum (more details) Hours: 10:00 to 17:00 (entry until 16:30) Closed: Mondays (or following day if Monday is a national holiday), Dec 28 to Jan 3 Admission: 1200 yen The Japan Ukiyo-e Museum exhibits selected woodblock prints from the vast collection of the Sakai family, a wealthy merchant family who started collecting ukiyo-e about 300 years ago. The Sakai family currently has a collection of more than 100,000 art pieces.

Obuse Hokusai Museum (more details) See our Hokusai Museum page for admission details. This museum in Obuse Town, Nagano Prefecture pays tribute to Hokusai, one of the most famous Edo Period painters. Hokusai is best known for his ukiyo-e series "Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji", which includes the world famous "Great Wave off Kanagawa".

Atami MOA Museum of Art (more details) See our MOA Museum of Art page for admission details. The MOA Museum of Art is located in Atami City on the Izu Peninsulaand exhibits an impressive collection of Japanese and East Asian art, including periodical displays of ukiyo-e.

Osaka Kamigata Ukiyo-e Museum Hours: 11:00 to 18:00 (entry until 17:30) Closed: Mondays (or following day if Monday is a national holiday) Admission: 500 yen This museum in Osaka's Namba district is the only one in the world to have a permanent Kamigata Ukiyo-e exhibit. Kamigata Ukiyo-e are woodblock prints from the Kyoto/Osaka region that typically feature portraits of kabuki actors. The third floor of the building is dedicated torice growing and the roof has been converted to a small rice field.