Japan and the Samurai Warrior
Overview
Classroom Activity
The samurai warrior is a major figure in the history
of Japan. The samurai warrior is known for honor
and bravery in combat, but the samurai code
of honor extended beyond the battlefield. For
example, samurai were creative in artistic ways,
producing poetry and arranging flowers, and
they engaged in civic life in an honorable way.
Whether in battle or not, the samurai’s code was
evident in his conduct. It was also displayed in his
armor.
Codes of Conduct
In this activity, students will learn about the
samurai’s code of honor and how that code
showed itself in the warrior’s conduct in battle, in
the warrior’s battlefield dress, and in the warrior’s conduct when not in battle. Students will
watch and discuss short video clips that discuss
the samurai’s code of honor, the samurai’s conduct, and the samurai’s dress. Then students will
select one aspect of the samurai’s code of honor
to study further. They will briefly present research
and new learning to the class, and they will write a
reflection on their own code of conduct and how
it shows in their behavior and manner of dress.
All the resources used in this Lesson Plan can be
found in the HISTORY TM Multimedia Classroom
GLOBAL HISTORY SERIES lesson Japan and the
Samurai Warrior. There you will also find a wealth
of additional information, video clips, primary
sources, discussion questions, activity ideas, and
more.
In this lesson, students will learn to
• describe the samurai’s code of honor.
• analyze the ways the samurai’s code of honor is
reflected in the samurai’s conduct.
• analyze the ways the samurai’s code is reflected in
the samurai’s manner of dress.
• compare the samurai’s code of conduct and its
display with their own codes and displays.
(90 minutes)
Introduce
To introduce this lesson, ask students what they
know about samurai warriors. (Possible responses:
They were very important in Japan; they were great
swordsmen; they flew suicide, or “kamikaze” missions in World War II; they wore elaborate armor.)
Ask students if they are familiar with the samurai
code of honor, or “bushido.” Tell students that
they will learn about this honor code and the
way it was displayed in the samurai’s behavior
on and off the battlefield. Then they will choose
to study either the samurai’s honorable behavior
or the samurai’s way of dressing. Finally, they will
compare the samurai code of conduct (and its
displays) with their own.
Teach
1. Read students the Introduction to Video Clip
#2: Rise of the Samurai Class (2:57). You
may also want to preview the Words to Know
or pass out the Transcript to help students
understand and follow along as they watch
the video. Then watch the clip as a class.
2. Briefly discuss the clip with students. Did
the samurai’s behavior at this early stage in
their existence seem honorable? (Possible
responses: No, they were violent; yes, they served
their emperor.) What did personal honor come
to mean to the samurai warrior? (Possible
responses: the honor of one’s name, or family,
after death; honorable behavior in battle)
3. Read students the Introduction to Video Clip
#3: The Importance of Honor (4:41). You
may also want to preview the Words to Know
or pass out the Transcript to help students
understand and follow along as they watch
the video. Then watch the clip as a class.
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LESSON PLAN
4.Briefly discuss the clip with students. How did
samurai display their honor? (They proclaimed
it before battle; it showed in their dress.) How
did their clothing show the importance? (They
wore armor that not only protected them but
also was colorfully decorated to show how fierce
and brave they were.) Why did some samurai
dress in more feminine ways? (To show their
disdain of danger)
5.Read students the Introduction to Video Clip
#6: The Samurai’s Two Sides (3:11). You
may also want to preview the Words to Know
or pass out the Transcript to help students
understand and follow along as they watch
the video. Then watch the clip as a class.
6.Briefly discuss the clip with students. What
are the samurai’s two sides discussed in the
video? (Violent and creative) In what ways did
samurai show creative skill off the battlefield?
(Poetry, painting, flower arrangement) How
did these creative pursuits complement the
samurai as a warrior? (Provided calm and focus
for battle)
11.Instruct students to write about their own
codes of conduct and how the codes show
in their ­behavior during conflict, in their
­behavior when not in conflict, and in their
way of ­dressing.
Close
Ask students to briefly share their research findings. Discuss with students the kinds of facts
included in standard sources about the samurai
warrior’s code of conduct. What kind of poetry or
artwork was produced by samurai warriors? How
does it show their code of honor? Ask students
if they were surprised to learn about samurai
creativity? Why or why not? Then have students
share their insights into their own code of conduct and how it shows in their behavior and way
of dressing.
For More Information
The following resources provide more ­informa­tion
on the samurai code of honor and manner of
dress.
Websites
7.Pass out and/or show to students Primary
Image: Samurai Armor and War Coat.
A Country Study: Japan
http://www.rs6.loc.gov/frd/cs/jptoc.html
8.Briefly discuss the image with students. How
do you think samurai felt wearing this kind of
ornate armor into battle? (Possible responses:
proud, weighed down) Why would a ­samurai
wear clothing that is decorative in ­addition
to being protective? (To show one’s rank, one’s
accomplishments, and one’s family status)
Samurai Archives
http://www.samurai-archives.com
9.Organize students into groups of three or
four. Let each group choose to research the
samurai’s honorable behavior in battle, the
way his honor was shown in battle dress,
or the samurai’s creative pursuits off the
­battlefield.
Turnbull, S., Samurai: The Story of Japan’s Great ­Warriors
(London: PRC Publishing Co., 2004)
Books
Haugaard, E. C., The Samurai’s Tale, reissue ed. (­Boston:
Houghton Mifflin Company, 2005)
Konzak, B., Samurai Spirit: Ancient Wisdom for Modern Life
(Montreal: Tundra, 2002)
10.Have groups research their chosen topics,
using encyclopedias, books, and websites.
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