Museum Notes

Asuka and Nara Periods (538- 794)

During this era Buddhism arrived from China. Buddhist monks also introduced calligraphy, ink painting, origami, taiko and the Chinese architecture. The capital was Nara. It was a copy of the Chinese city …
Heian Period (794-1185)

Heian means peace in Japanese. The aristocratic class was born and there were about 30 different social classes, the top 3 being the court nobility. The influence of Buddhism was very high. The capital …
The Mongolian Invasion and the Kamikaze (1274 & 1281)

Two Mongol invasions were repulsed during the Kamakura period. This bolstered the image of the samurai class and people started believing that the Japanese were undefeatable. 1st Mongol Invasion (1274): …
Muromachi Period (1336 -1573)

This period is also known as the Ashikaga period. Towards the end of the Kamakura Shogunate, some clans was resentful that they did not get any benefits after bravely fighting against the Mongols. They …
Sengoku Period -The Warring States- (1478-1615)

This is the era when the samurai had the highest social power and social status. Today, Japanese people associate the samurai with the Sengoku period. Around 1470s, The Ashikaga shogun had no heir and …
Oda Nobunaga (1534~1582) , The Uniter of Japan I

After the Onin war , Japan had been in total chaos and no daimyo could establish any significant superiority over others. The hopeless situation would one day be ended by the Demon King Nobunaga who was …
Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537~1598) The Uniter of Japan II

Toyotomi Hideyoshi on his horse and his unique helmet Hideyoshi’s story was rags to the riches. He was a son of a peasant and he was just a sandal bearer for Nobunaga. He proved himself to be smart and …
Tokugawa Ieyasu (1543~1616), The Uniter of Japan III

Tokugawa Ieyasu’s father and Nobunaga’s father were enemies and always fought against each other (Oda clan vs. Matsudaira Clan). Ieyasu was only 5 when he was kidnapped by the Oda clan members. Oda clan …
Edo Period (1603-1868)

After the fall of Osaka Castle, the peaceful Edo period started under the rule of the Tokugawa family. This is the era when the samurai started losing their prestigious social status since there were no …
The Most Well-known Samurai in Japan, Ryoma Sakamoto (1836-1867)

The research shows that the most liked samurai among Japanese people today is Ryoma Sakamoto. He envisioned a democratic Japan beyond the feudal system. He wanted to open up the borders of Japan. He united …
The life of a Samurai

The word samurai comes from saburu (to serve). The higher class samurai warriors are always called “bushi.” Most Japanese refer to the samurai as “bushi.” Only the samurai could have a last name. Ordinary …
The Samurai Armor

It was designed to help the samurai move freely. It consists of more than 15 different pieces compared to a few pieces of European armors. It weighs about 20 kgs (avg.) and it takes 30-40 minutes to put …
The Samurai Helmet (Kabuto)

Construction of samurai armour, Source Wendelin Boeheim Leipzig 1890: 1. Cuirass - dō (胴（仏胴）) 2. Fauld - kusazuri (草摺) 3. Cuisse - haidate (佩楯) 4. Poleyn - tateage (立挙) 5. Greaves - suneate (臑当（篠臑当）) 6. …
The Samurai Face Masks (Men Yoroi - Menpou)

The Samurai Face Masks The purpose of the samurai metal mask is to protect the face from slashes and also scare the enemy. The samurai painted inside of the mask red because they believed it gave them …
47 Ronin (Ako Incident- Chushingura)

The true story of 47 samurai perfectly summarizes the bushido values of loyalty, honor, and persistence. Most Japanese know about this incident as it has been featured in Kabuki and Bunraku plays. This …
The birth of the first Samurai Sword

Until the 8th century, Japanese swords were straight double-edged blades (chokuto), similar to Chinese swords. Amakuni Yasatsuna, together with his son, was the first to create the first long single-edged …
The Best Sword Master

Historical records show that Priest Masamune was the most well-known blade smith ever lived in Japan. Even though he lived in the late 13th and the early 14th centuries, the sword collections of the Tokugawa …
Chopping and collecting the head

Samurai usually had to chop of their enemy’s head to prove their master that they actually killed the right person, not a woman or child. Additionally collecting more heads meant getting more stipend and …
The Japanese Spear (Yari)

The Japanese Spear After the mongol invasion, the spear (yari) started becoming more popular because the Mongolian army was attacking in larger units and swords were ineffective and heavy. The spear with …
Tomoe Gozen and Onna Bugeisha

She was a female samurai (Onna Bugeisha) who fought in the Genpei war supporting Minamoto. According to the legend she was very beautiful and strong. She could even fight against the demons and gods. It …
Japanese Castles in Japanese history

Many Japanese castles were built or renovated during the Sengoku period. They usually have a moat to prevent the enemy to infiltrate by tunnels. There are loopholes for guns and arrows (Himeji castle has …
The traces of Samurai - Sanjo Bridge

During the latest years of the Tokugawa Shogunate (also called the bakumatsu period), there was a huge fight between the two major clans in Japan: Shinsengumi (the clan that supported the shogunate) and …
The difference between Temple and Shrine (Tera vs. Jinja)

Differences between “temple” and “shrine” Temple (Tera) Shrine (Jinja) Religion Buddhism Shintoism Name Temple, Tera - ….JI Shrine, Jinja - Taisha Philosophy Awakening by following Buddha. Arrived from …
Ninja Facts

Ninja Facts Japanese people consider ninja as spies, not warriors. In Japan, ninjas are called shinobi. Ninja means the one who endures, shinobi means the one who conceals himself. You cannot be a ninja …
The History of Ninja

Japanese people believed the ninja had some supernatural powers such as controlling others’ minds or walking on the river. This is perhaps because people in the Iga and Koka regions had long been practicing …
Hattori Hanzo, The Greatest Ninja (1542 ~ 1596)

Hattori Hanzo's family was from Iga, a place known for ninjas where no samurai clan had any dominance. He started training in the northern part of Kyoto when he was only 8. He was a great spikeman who …
The weapons of Ninja

Sickle and chain (kusarigama): Used to entangle the opponent's sword or spear or body and then attacking with the sharp blade. Grappling hook (kaginawa): Commonly used by not only ninja but also the samurai …
The Stealth Techniques of the Ninja

The Stealth Techniques Running: The ninja used to run leaning front. Starting with the right foot and right hand. The samurai were also trained to run the same way believing that the weight at the belly …
The 18 Major Ninja Training Techniques Spiritual training -Seishin teki kyoyo

Spiritual training - Seishin teki kyoyo Know yourself, your needs and desires Know the nature, environment and the universe Understand the importance of destiny Be in harmony with the nature and society …
Musashi Miyamoto’s Teachings (1584~1645)

Musashi did not have a master daimyo so he was a ronin. He had more than 60 sword duels, the highest number recorded. He is said to have killed 17 people in his battles. His first battle was when he was …
Ninjas and Meteorology

The ninja knew that successfully forecasting rain and the wind could give them strategic advantages against the enemy. They studied the weather and this was called tenmon. Ninjas believed that If there …
The Ninja Memory

Ninjas were spies,they had to remember all the detailed information they acquired on a mission sometimes for weeks or months. So they developed a few techniques to easily remember things Numbers associated …
Ninja

A Shinobi, also commonly known as the ninja, was either a mercenary or a covert agent back in the Feudal Era of Japan. They were highly and specially trained spies who were known to give out surprise attacks. …
Things You May Wonder about the Ninja

How can you become a Ninja? One can only become a ninja if he/she is born in a ninja family in a ninja clan. There were only two ninja clans in Japan (Iga and Koga) though hundreds of ninjas moved to Edo …