Samurai had an impressive variety of weapons, ranging from the well-known katana to the powerful yumi bow and the deadly naginata glaive. There are records of battle axes in Japanese warfare, but did...
Category: Samurai
Samurai were more than honorable warriors: they were an aristocratic class. Carrying swords was a way of showing off that status, and it eventually became a highly respected and regulated...
Katanas are the most iconic weapon of the samurai, and for good reason. Besides being a tool for close-range combat, swords represented social status and had great ceremonial importance. However,...
Squires were an essential part of many great warrior- and army-based societies. Even the legendary knights of the round table had them, and some of the early legends say that King Arthur was a squire...
The samurai were mighty warriors who are still admired and talked about today. With a country full of such strong, elite fighters, it’s a wonder they didn’t invade and conquer other surrounding...
Surviving art from the Edo period often features samurai in poses or scenes of battle, and one prominent theme among the various pieces is the samurais' notable facial hair. But did samurai actually...