Japan Book Club: Bushido: The Soul of Japan – Part 1
We’re going to be honest with you… the book we’re beginning this week is a tough one. Bushido: Soul of Japan by Inazo Nitobe was originally written in 1900 and influenced many important Americans including Teddy Roosevelt and John F. Kennedy. The book itself is a non-fiction piece that studies the way of the Japanese samurai. It explores the codes the samurai lived by and how this lifestyle has helped create the culture of modern Japan.
This is a much more difficult book than the last few have been, but we feel it’s important to understand how the culture we’ll visit came to be the way it is. We’re going to take this one slowly, and instead of one question per week, there will be a few short questions that we feel will help you understand the text better.
You can get your own free online copy of the text by clicking on the title up above. but before you read, answer the following questions:
This week we’re only asking you to read the first section of the book “Bushido as an Ethical System.” You can skip the preface and forward and all that, beginning on page 8 and stopping on page 11. After you’ve read, answer the rest of these questions in the comments section of the post.
- What is Bushido?
- Where is Bushido written down?
- Who founded Bushido?
- What is chivalry?
- How does the author compare Bushido and chivalry?
- Who were the samurai?
Minooka TAP 
Bushido means “The way of the knight.” It was a set of rules that nobles that fought were expected to obseve everyday all the time. The idea of Bushido was never written down, but instead passed down through verbal tradition. That said, there also was no person by which we can say that it started with. Chivalry is a European term that means, “A knight who exhibits valor, generosity, and dexterity in arms.” It was Europe’s version of Bushido. He compares Bushido and chivalry by comparing each country and to its fuedalism. The samurai were a high class of guard of fighter who lived to fight. They could be compared to Greece’s Spartans.
I like how they are compared to the Spartan’s, since they were the fighters of ancient Greece.
i thought the same thing when i saw that too
I like how you said that the term chivalry was basicaly a way how to describe Bushido, nice connection.
Mr. Curtis was talking about oral tradition in TAP one day. I think that this is a great example of this, although this isn’t a person. It’s more like a set of cusoms. No where in our set of law is it written that it is cutomary to shake someone’s hand when first meeting them. It’s the same thing with Bushido. It is expected of you.
definitely! i love how you compared Bushido to chivalry and the way greece spartans acted as the same purpose as samurais.
I really like that you brought up the fuedalism, it really was an important part of bushido.
Good compairison Ben! However, that isn’t all true. If I’m not mistaken, the Spartans fought for dominece for their city’s god Ares. The Samurai were the knights of Japan, more for the protection of the fair Country.
Bushido is the “code of moral principles which the knights were required or instructed to observe.” It was, more or less, how a knight should act. Though it was never written down, but told, and practiced, to be remembered. It was passed down, generation after generation. No one knows for sure who came up with the idea for Bushido, though it is thought to have come from feudalism. Chivalry is somewhat honor, or respect. The samurai were a professional class of warriors.
I must say that I think that Bushido is a cultural thing. I think it is a bit like manneres in the U.S. , although it’s much more complicated, and it is written for samurai.
I thought only samurai only followed Bushido I wouldn’t have thought that every knight leanded it, interesting fact.
Your right the Bushido was required or instructed to observe. It was very interesting to fine out more about the samurais code of conduct so to speak!
I agree on chivalry, because it was pretty much the correct attitude toward others and yourself.
I’ll be honest, I have always heard older people talk about chilvary, I never knew what it was til now. It makes perfect sense to me. I think its kinda of cool that they write their code of conduct down and expect all of them to follow it.
Bushido is the “way of the knight”, or the rules knights and warriors were expected to follow. Bushido wasn’t written down, but instead passed down through generations verbally and by being praticed by warriors. No one knows who founded Bushido. Chivalry is the princibles and customs of knights. Samuri were a high class of warriors.
I didn’t know that chilvary was also principles and customs of knights, I though it was just honor.
It’s how they act too.. in public and everyday life.
Nice point, something that’s over looked a lot 😀 goo job!
Bushido is the knight’s traditional code of following certian acts that were expected to be followed. Bushido isn’t written down, it is a verbal context passed down generation to the next, with great intensity to keep it going. It is unkown who actually started, but it’s obviously done by a knight. Chivalry is the European Bushido that has different rules to follow. The author compares chivalry and Bushido by the nobility and reasons the two had. The similarity proofs that one country had an impact on the other in earlier centuries. The samurai were a professional, high-rank japanese warriors that made up part of Japan’s military.
I like your inference that a knight started Bushido. I was thinking that too, but I didn’t know if I was right. And your right, the countries must have had an impact on each other some time ago.
The way it was passed down reminds me of folk tales. The stories were told and told to each generation until someone finally wrote them down. I absolutely agree with you that it needed great intensity.
I like it how you say that Bushido started with a knight. It never really occured to me that this may be a possibility. I was thinking it was a philosopher who’s job is to think and write down inspiring things.
i didnt really think about how it started too much.
so this made me a little more knowledgable
1). Bushido is the way in which fighting nobles should observe their daily life. It is more or less the way that knights conducted their selves in public or in their jobs.
2). Bushido was not written down anywhere. It was just expected that people follow it.
3). No one founded Bushido – it kind of just came to be. Inazo Nitobe says says that it has relations with Feudalism. He says that Bushido’s “intricate nature” is shared with Feudalism.
4). Chivalry is “The sum of ideal qualifications for a knight.”
5). The author compares Bushido to chivalry by comparing Feudalism in Japan to Feudalism in Europe
6). Samuri were form of warrior, or fighting knights.
I don’t know about you but I find that Bushido never written down really interesting. It reminds me of those unwritten rules about etiquette and such we have here.
I never knew that either and your right it reminds me of the same thing too . Good connection 🙂
It is kind of like common sense for them. The rules are written down, it is just expected of them. Like how it is expected of us to use of manners and say please and thank you, just for advanced.
That’s a good connection Persephone. I was thinking along the same lines: how some things are just common sense that you dont do them.
Bushido is the ” Way of the Warrior” this was mainly used to describe the Japanese code of conduct. No one knows who found it and was passed down through a verbal tradtion. This code though is the way the Japanese Samurai live off of which is where the concept of chivalry ties in. Along with chivalry being the samurai moral code which is being honorable. The Samurai were the elite class of Japanese Warriors. These two characteristics of chivalry and bushido have been compared in many ways, but the way the author described it on how others instruct other people in each country.
Bushido is moral code principles samurai’s were meant to follow. It was influenced by natural tradition that came from Zen and Confucianism. It evolved over time like all traditions and grew with time. Bushido wasn’t ever written down it was just house codes and tradition known by feudal lords. It comes from samurai moral code and stresses fugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and honor unto death. Bushido influenced Buddhism and Shinto. Chivalry was the medieval knightly system with its religious, moral, and social code like Bushido but in Europe. The author compares the two to feudalism and talks about the roles of samurais and how they followed Bushido. Samurais were highly skilled warriors and were like Japan’s army to protect them.
Oh, that’s interesting. I didn’t relize that Bushido influenced Buddhism AND Shinto. That’s a surprise, yet at the same time it isn’t. Good work! 😀
I kind of like it how certain religions influenced Bushido. Bushido then influenced Buddhism and Shinto. I guess it’s safe to say that Zen and Confucianism influenced Buddhism and Shinto.
I find it very cool that something could be passed down by voice for generations. You’d think that it has changed a lot from the beginning.
Someone did some more reseach. That’s pretty impressive that only one thing can influnce more other things, which in the end could influnce more things. And then you have yourself a big chain reaction!
1. Bushido is the the way of the warrior knight which is part of the code of samurai which is frugality, loyalty, being a master at martial arts, and having honor until death.
2. Bushido is written down in this book.
3. No one really knows who Bushido was founded by.
4. Chivalry is like knighthood where they have individual training and do service for others.
5. Bushido and Chivalry are compared by what country they are in and the type of feudalism they have.
6. Samurai are sorta like the japanese version of knights and were a type of proffesional warrior.
1. Bushido is the way nobles should live their lives everyday and what principles they should follow.
2. Bushido isn’t written down in this book.
3. There is no person who exactly knows who founded Bushido.
4. chivalry is like what is expected from you before your quinceanera you give services and bring good doings among others.
5. Feudalism often compares Bushido and chivalry and so does which country that it is it’s origin, this is kind of like comparing different ethnicities.
6. Samuris are warriors that are often leaders or instructers. They are professionals at what they do.
Bushido means “the way of the warrior-knight.” It was a group of rules to describe and keep the Japenese code of conduct in action, and a samurai’s way of life. Bushido was never really written down, it was passed down through parent to child by mouth. There was no specific person who started bushido, but more of a group of people through generations. Chivalry was the way a knight should act including courtesy, generosity, valor, and dexterity in arms. They compare bushido and chivalry by there individual fuedalism. Samurais were mainly a high, or professional, class of warriors.
I’ve read some of these comments and see a couple of people saying that Bushido came from a group of people. Some people even think it came from Feudalism. Your response really give a better perspective.
Bushido was “The Way of the Warrior-Knight.” It was the base of how the knight, or samurai, was expected to live by. It was never really writtwn down, but more passed down those next to be. No one (recorded, anyways) really invented Bushido, but instead was something that just was there and became a very influencial aspect of those who were to follow it’s guidence. Chivalry was the mid-ages term for knighthood, and this is compared because they are seen as the knightism of their time. Samurais were a high ranking warrior, seen as ledgendary and noble figures of ancient Japan.
Bushido is basically how a knight should act, what he should observe and how he should handle things. Fighting nobles lived by this code. It was never written down by anyone, rather passed down generations by mouth, like fairy tales. Not one person founded it, but it probably stemmed from feudalism. Chivalry kind of has the same meaning as Bushido, yet it was used throughout Europe, and it can also mean knights, noblemen, and horsemen respectively. The author compares the two by explaining words used in different countries that mean the same thing. The samurai were a privileged class of guards who basically fought day and night. They were recruited if they were the manliest and most adventurous of all.
its interesting how bushido evolved in Japan, and chivalry came from Europe, but they have some the same concepts, but they came from completly ddifferent places.
Bushido means “way of the knight”. This basically means it is what the fighting nobles should observe in their everyday lives, the code which they live by. Bushido is not written down, it has been passed on through words and stories from knight to knight. Because of this, it is impossible to know who invented Bushido, it has just always been there. Chivalry is the way a knight should act, honorably, respectfully and generously. They compare chivalry to Bushido by their individual feudalism. The samurai were high ranking warriors, a professional class of fighters.
Bushido is the Japanese code of conduct for knights or samurai. Similar to folk tales, they are not written down but passed down verbally through each generation. No individual invented Bushido as it was more so created by groups. Chivalry is similar to Bushido but it seemed to be more focused on knights. It was the qualifications of being a knight which included courtesy, skill, and valor. It is similar since the author compares the country and fuedalism. The samurai were high ranking warrior, seen with much respect and were very prestigious.
I like how you compared the way Bushido is passed down to folk tales. I never thought of it that way before.
Ya, I didn’t either. It really fit well.
Neither did I, but you’re right. It is like Folk Tales, and it reminds me of the old school game Telephone 🙂
I like the aspects of chivalry you included, you could also have mentioned courage, strength, and purity of heart.
1)Bushido is the way of the warrior-knight.
2) almost like a folk tale passed down by word of mouth
3)There is not a specificperson or name of who created bushido
4)chivary is he sum of the ideal qualifications of a knight, including courtesy, generosity, valor, and dexterity in arms
5) author compares Bushido and chivalry by comparing Feudalism and country
6) highly skilled warriors
Before this Homework assignment I never thought knights and samurai had anything to do with each other. Now I get a clearer picture of how samurai were treated in Japan.
That was awesome how you connected it to folk tales. I would have never thought of it like that!
I agree with you Persephone because it is very similar folk tale because it was told by word of mouth.
1.What is Bushido?
Bushido was a way to describe the way of samuari life and Japanese conduct in public and everyday life. Bushido made light of knowledge and it was not pursued as an end in itself, but it was the attainment of wisdom. Bushido means the way of the knight.
2.Where is Bushido written down?
It was never written down, but passed down by word, for generations, and people were exspected to follow it.
3.Who founded Bushido?
No one has a real solid answer of where Bushido came from. It was just always there. Some believe it came from feudalism.
4.What is chivalry?
Chivalry is indavidual training for knights. It was how a knight should act.
5.How does the author compare Bushido and chivalry?
The author compares them to feudalism.
6.Who were the samurai?
The samurai formed the ruling class. They were the top of the line warriors, the ones with all the respect.
Oh, I didn’t find that people thought it came from feudalism, interesting. And good job explaining Bushido.
i agree with drew. you did a good job descrideing bushido meghan.
Bushido was the way code that knights and samurai followed in their everyday life, and though no one ever really wrote down Bushido, it has traveled by mouth from generation to generation. Chivalry, while being the same concept as Bushido, was more focused on how knights should conduct themselves in the public. I our book, the author relates Bushido with the ideals of feudalism, which I liked as a way to better understand it’s concept, but did take me a second to put the two together. The samurai were the high class warriors of Japan, and were respected greatly amung citizens.
1. Bushido means the way of the knight in japanese, and it was followed by nobles and samurai every dayof their lives.
2. Bushido was never written down, but was carried by voice for generations.
3. Like with the myth of Bushido being written down, no one is known to have founded bushido.
4. Chivalry was the European version of Bushido.
5. The author comepares them by using feudalism.
6. The samurai were the knights of japan, and acted in a way like the Spartans, and not the colledge football team.
1.Bushido means “the way of the knight” which were a set of rules that nobles that fought were expected too follow everyday.
2. Bushido was never written down, it was carried down by people for generations.
3. No body really knows where Bushido came from, it has just basically always been there because it was so long ago that no body knows how it came.
4.Chivalry is just European Bushido.
5. The author compares Bushido and Chivalry by using feudalism.
6. Samurai were first class. They had all the respect and were basically celebrities.
Where do you think Bushido was made?
I really find it interesting how seriously they take being a samurai.
i never realized how samurai were really treated. i didn’t realize they were so famos.
1.What is Bushido?
Bushido is “way of the warrior” you can say.
2.Where is Bushido written down?
Bushido was writen down “on the fleshly tablets of the heart” (Nitobe 3). It wasn’t word for word writen down on some piece of papar say, “Rules of Bushido 1) Blah, blah, blah…”
3.Who founded Bushido?
It was a group project, which came from many heads.
4.What is chivalry?
Chivalry is the European idea of Bushido. Both honor codes and has knights.
5.How does the author compare Bushido and chivalry?
Inazo Nitobe says they both branch off of the same ideas.
6.Who were the samurai?
The samurai were middle-high class people who were of a rough n’ tuff breed.
I never knew that Bushido was actually written down somewhere. Your answers were very interesting and gave me a new perspective on Bushido.
1. Bushido was a way to describe the Japanese code of conduct for samurai and the knights. It contained rules for everyday samurai which included frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and honor unto death.
2. Bushido was never written down but it was carried out by word of mouth from generation to generation.
3. Nobody is sure where Bushido came from. It was very long ago, but some people believe it grew from old feudalism.
4. Chivalry was the medieval knighthood of training knights individually.
5. The author compares Bushido and Chivalry by using the act of feudalism.
6. The samurai formed the top and first class of Japan. They gained all fame and all the respect and were known as the knights of Japan.
I wonder if Bushido was ever changed because it wasnt written down. If it was written down would it be different?
1. Bushido is “the way of the warrior,” being the way a warrior should act, their etiquette many would say.
2. Bushido wasnt written down, but passed down through generations orally.
3. Bushido was not found by just one person, as it was a group project, and is not certain where it came from exactly.
4. Chivalry is a medieval system or institution of knighthood.
5.The author connects Bushido and chivalry through the act of feudalism.
6.The samurai were top class of Japan, getting fame and respect, and known as the sort of knights of Japan
Do you think Bushido was ever written down somewhere or just remembered it as they went along?
Bushido is like a folk tale because, as it gets passed down, it changes and gets more to it, and it just becomes more than one thing, not just a standard set of rules or how they should behave.
Bushido is the “way of the knight”, the rules knights and warriors were supposed to follow. Bushido wasn’t written down, but instead passed down through generations talked about and by being praticed by warriors. Nobody who founded Bushido.
Nobody knows who founded bushido.
1.) Bushido is “way of the warrior”
2.) Bushido was never written down but it was carried out orally
3.) No one really knows who Bushido was founded by
4.) Chivalry is a medieval system or institution of knighthood (the European idea of Bushido)
5.) The author compares bushido and chivalry to feudalism
6.) The samurai were high ranking warriors
If the samurai were the high- ranking warriors, then what about the lower- ranking warriors? I’m sure they had to do something in the Japanese history.
1. Bushido is also known as “the way of the warrior”.
2. Bushido was never physically writtwn but people remembered it.
3. No one knows who founded or made Bushido.
4. Chivalry is the medival place or system of becoming a knight.
5. The author takes Bushido and chivalry and compares it to feudalism.
6. The samurai were the best warriors around.
1. Bushido is the meaning “Way of the Warrior-Knight”, is a Japanese word which is used to describe a uniquely Japanese code of conduct and a way of the samurai life, loosely analogous to the concept of chivalry. It originates from the samurai moral code and stresses frugality, loyalty, martial arts mastery, and honor unto death. Born from Neo-Confucianism during times of peace in Tokugawa Japan and following confucian texts, Bushido was also influenced by Shinto and Buddhism, allowing the violent existence of the samurai to be tempered by wisdom and serenity.
2.According to Ratti & Westbrook (1973), the “Bushido Code” was not written down until 1965 by Yamaga Soko (as cited by Binder 1999). So before 1965, the code of Bushido was unwritten, and according to Brad Binder a Ph.D holder and Jiu-jitsu enthusiast, was based on certain “house codes” of various feudal lords (Binder 1999).
3.no one really knows who founded Bushido.
4.Chivalry is a code that knights in the medieval times had to follow. Knights had to risk their lives and make sacrifices to help other people.
5.the author compares Bushido to feudalism with chivalry.
6..The samurai, a class of highly skilled warriors, gradually developed in Japan after the Taika reforms of 646 A.D. The reforms included land redistribution and heavy new taxes, meant to support an elaborate Chinese-style empire. As a result, many small farmers had to sell their land and work as tenant farmers.
1.Bushido is the “code of moral principles which the knights were required or instructed to observe.”
2.It was never written down, only told orally.
3.Nobody really founded Bushido, it just came about on its own.
4.Chivalry is a flower no less indigenous to the soil of Japan than its emblem, the cherry blossom.
5. The author compares Bushido the fuedalism with chivarly and by how they were found or came about.
6.The samurai were the high classed warriors in all of Japan.
1.) Buddhism
2.) The two things that Buddhism was the feeling of calmness and a trust in fate.
3.) Shintoism
4.) Race loyalty and nomenclature of their national faith.
5.) Teachings of Confucius
6.) Most important was getting rid of sin.
that comment was for part 2
1.) Bushido is the “way of the warrior”. Bushido describes all characteristics that a warrior should have.
2.) Bushido was never written down, but passed down orally.
3.) No one knows who made Bushido.
4.) Chivalry is a European term that means, “A knight who exhibits valor, generosity, and dexterity in arms.”
5.) The author compares Bushido the fuedalism with chivarly and by how they were found or came about.
6.) Samurai were the people that made all other warriors look pathetic. Samurai were the highest class of warriors.
1.) bushido was the way of the knights.
2.) bushido was never writen down it always pased down orally.
3.) no one is known to have come up with bushido and know one has a perfict awnser of were it did come from it did come from. most people just belive it to have always been there.
4.) Chivalry is European bushido
5.) The author compares Bushido and Chivalry by using feudalism
6.) the samurai were first class warriors in japan they got lots of fame and respect.
1) Bushido was developed by the Japanese samurai, and it was basically what they had to follow to be a samurai.
2) Bushido was actually never written down until the more recent years. Before then, they were only passed down orally.
3) Nobody knows who made up or created Bushido. Many people believe it just was created and rounded out over time.
4) Chivalry is the Bushido of the knights in Europe. It was their moral, social, and religious code.
5) The author compares chivalry and Bushido by what feudalism was.
6) The samurai was pretty much the army of Japan. They were warriors and were known for their swordsmanship and how honorable they were.