The Samurai are the so-called defenders of Japan, warriors who live by their unwritten law Bushido - the path of the warrior mentioned in the late and early 16th century in Tsunetomo's "Hagakure". An important part of the bushido law was seppuku - a suicide ritual that allowed a shameful samurai to regain his honor by moving to the afterlife, where samurai continue to be guided by the bushido law. The two swords girded around the samurai's waist, as well as the characteristic hairstyle, were a hallmark of the samurai class.
The samurai in their main origins were mostly cavalrymen - horse riders, and their main weapon was: the bow or naginata - a kind of spear with a curved blade. Their armor was lavish and beautiful. Only the samurai helmet was made of metal. The armor called kuzane was made of leather, lacquered wood and silk (unlike its European counterpart). Thus the samurai in battle was agile and light. Kuzane was also adapted to the climate of Japan, which is humid during certain periods.
The ancestor of the term samurai is considered to be Prince Yamato, about whom legends are carried. His strength was exceptional, as was his courage. It is these qualities that are characteristic of the samurai. The idealized image of the samurai includes the willingness to die at any time in favor, protection, or at the will of his master. Not to feel fear, but only regret, as well as to despise material goods.
