Samurai Warriors in the Sengoku Period

At the end of the 16th century, Japan was on the brink of an imminent civil war. At that time, the Ashikaga shogunate ruled, the second feudal military regime established by the shoguns of the Ashikaga clan around the year 1336. However, after the collapse of this central power in 1573 following a series of civil wars and military conflicts, the central authority fragmented, dividing into numerous feudal states governed by warlords. For all these reasons, the Sengoku period literally means “Warring States.” Without a central power to govern everything, the feudal lords and the military or warrior caste sought absolute control of the territory. This very circumstance fueled the wars between different clans and factions from all regions of the Japanese nation. Some of the most prominent and influential clans of that period include the Takeda clan, the Uesugi clan, the Oda clan, the Tokugawa clan, the Hojo clan, the Mori clan, among others. These clans had powerful leaders and significant territories, making them key players in the struggles for power and control in Japan.

How important was the role of the samurai in the Sengoku period? Well, they were the main protagonists of this story because the generals were also samurai, and not just the foot soldiers were considered such. These warriors in the feudal era fulfilled multiple roles, rising to become leaders of a faction as well as high-level military strategists. They led troops, made decisions on battlefields, and wielded strong political influence in the territories. Although they were samurai, in some cases, at the highest hierarchies across the territory, the title of supreme ruler belonged to the feudal lords, those who were the landowners. We could directly compare them to barons or knights, who were responsible for governing vast lands with one or more towns. Before the fall of the central government, these feudal lords, besides being the law on their own lands, had to answer to the central government, which had dominant power. With no established order, it was the military caste that, by force, began to dominate those lands.

After discussing the tumultuous context experienced by Japanese society during the feudal era, specifically in the Sengoku period, it becomes clear that the samurai were a valuable asset to safeguard vast and fertile lands. A fascinating aspect of these times, besides the political conflicts and the intriguing Japanese historical process, are the customs of these ancient warriors. If we want to see how they fought, spoke, and trained, an excellent example is the movies of Akira Kurosawa, the Japanese film director who created works like Yojimbo. This film is set in these turbulent times when clans fought each other for control of the region’s natural resources. Here, the samurai, with military strategic skills, swordsmanship, and cunning to rise to power, manages to pit these two enemy factions against each other for his own benefit. In the West, due to World War I and World War II, there is currently the mentality that soldiers are simply individuals destined to kill or die, and it all depended on their rifle and pistol. Before going to the battlefield, they had a brief training period. This resulted in European and American soldiers in the 20th century being primarily trained to shoot, relegating education to a secondary level, as they were essentially cannon fodder. Rarely did these soldiers return mentally unscathed to their homes after experiencing the post-traumatic stress of the Great War. The samurai were something completely different, as they trained practically from childhood not only in strength but also in intelligence. This was to be upright individuals at all times and capable of defending their territory from enemies. Here we see a clear differentiation in the mentality of military power and ruling power of the time. Asians believed that if they obtained protection from the military caste, the power, that is, the state, had to grant them numerous payments and benefits.

Samurai warriors trained with various types of weapons, including katanas, bows, spears, and hand-to-hand combat techniques. This was because they wanted to have the right tools to defend themselves in any situation where they might feel vulnerable, ensuring their survival. Furthermore, these training sessions and physical exercises were conducted regularly, allowing them to improve their skills and techniques each year, essentially becoming killing machines. At the same time, the samurai were avid practitioners of meditation, creating marked contrasts between these aspects, making Japanese culture truly unique in the world. To practice martial arts, and sometimes using the katana, warriors had to remain calm just before an attack, making daily meditation a great ally to maintain composure and consequently be less stressed. Undoubtedly, a rather advanced civilization for its time.

Additionally, the samurai had enough time for reflection, which led them to immerse themselves in the study of philosophy, literature, and other arts. After all, they had to find ways to entertain themselves without the existence of smartphones, right? Not being the head of power, some samurai only answered to the feudal lord, acting as their bodyguards, defending them to the death from any enemy attack. They were also military strategists and made political decisions, being highly efficient in their tasks. In these challenging times, who wouldn’t want a samurai as an ally in the face of danger? That was what most feudal lords had in mind when disputing territories, leading to the hiring, sometimes, of armies of samurai, turning them into a large-scale military force. An organic and effective plan to diminish central powers and gain more autonomy over the native land.

Now then, how were they paid? Despite the countless hours of training and subsequent repeated meditations, even if the samurai felt in harmony with themselves, on the other hand, they wanted a reward for their work. They were compensated in various ways, besides the conventional cash payment. Regarding the services offered, sometimes, higher-ranking samurai became landowners. Moreover, if they obtained benefits from these lands through agriculture and establishing a “small monopoly,” this samurai would be highly respected in his community, being the only magnate in the area. Others, besides serving as samurai, took on administrative tasks, providing bureaucratic services and earning additional income. Besides all these benefits, these warriors continued to have incentives for their work. If, both on the battlefield and in their duty to protect their feudal lord, the samurai demonstrated skill, efficiency, and capability, they were rewarded with salary increases, honorary titles, or special gifts. This social organization bears little resemblance to the European version, as Asian kingdoms were complex and specifically adapted to their nation. In these mentioned cases, we only talk about the successful samurai class, but there were also lower-class samurai due to the great instability of the Sengoku period. Those who were far from the influence of the feudal lords faced a dark and uncertain future. The fate of these samurai was to face death or become ronin. Ronin were samurai who abandoned their job duties to become free individuals without a master or lord to back them. They could have legal problems, engaging in illegal activities that harmed their position as protectors of the feudal lord. They could be hired as assassins, among other undesirable and dishonorable tasks. Not all ronin became criminals, as some sought redemption and to regain their honor by performing positive tasks.

Undoubtedly, the samurai and, in general, the Japanese population represent a symbol of admiration not only in Asia but throughout the world. The discipline, unwavering moral values, intelligence, and honor of the samurai are reflected in modern Japan, a country that has overcome one of the greatest human catastrophes to become a technological power and possess one of the most disciplined and erudite societies today. Japan serves as a paradigm for other nations; its rise to civilization did not begin until the 19th century with the opening to Western trade, but its progress was built on a lasting effort driven by itself that continues to shape its present.